Wilma Oram
| Wilma Elizabeth Forster (nēe Oram) Young | |
|---|---|
| Born |
17 August 1916 Glenorchy, Victoria |
| Died | 28 May 2001 (aged 84) |
| Buried at | Pakenham Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 Commonwealth of Australia |
| Service/branch | Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Member of the Order of Australia |
Wilma Elizabeth Forster (nēe Oram) Young AM (17 August 1916 – 28 May 2001), commonly known as Wilma Oram, was an Australian Army nurse during the Second World War. She was evacuated from Singapore in February 1942 and was aboard the Vyner Brooke when the ship was sunk in Bangka Strait by Japanese aircraft. After surviving on the water for many hours she came ashore at Bangka Island and became a prisoner of war (POW) until 1945. Following the war she married Alan Livingstone Young (also a prisoner of war), settled on a dairy farm at Cardinia in Victoria and had 4 children. Aside from her work on the farm she was an active member of the RSL, serving as the treasurer and even as president of the Pakenham RSL. She worked tirelessly towards many causes including greater recognition for Vietnam War veterans and to raise money for the Australian Service Nurses National Memorial, unveiled in Canberra on 2 October 1999.
Fellow internees
Whilst in captivity, some notable fellow internees included:
References
- A Woman's War: the exceptional life of Wilma Oram Young, AM, Barbara Angell, New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sydney, 2003.
- Victorians at War
- Australian Women's Register