amsd_00977

Title: A message stick from Tennant Creek in a private collection

Description: Message stick given to Captain Sister Marie Eade (married name Sindel, WWII Service number NX70941) at the 103 Australian General Hospital at Tennant Creek in 1942. Images contributed by her daughter Jane Buchan in 2018.

Date Created: 1942

Item type: message stick in a private collection

Dimension 1: 115mm Dimension 2: 18mm

Notes: Email from Jane Buchan to Piers Kelly on 17 July 2018: Hello Piers please find the pictures attached. The stick is 11.5 cm long x 1.8 cm wide. It has some damage on one side. I have always wondered what the carvings meant. My mother spoke with deep affection of her time in Tennant Creek at 103 Australian General Hospital (AGH) in 1942 during WW11. Apart from soldiers I gather there were many Aboriginal patients including children. I am hoping to gain a clearer picture this year - I gather many people were moved to Katherine and Tennant Creek after the bombing of Darwin. Happily she met my father in Tennant Creek at that time also! Thank you for your research and website. regards Janie Follow up email 18 July 2018: Hello Piers my mum was (Captain) Sister Marie Eade (married name Sindel) WW11 Service number NX70941 My mother told us that after the bombing of Darwin many troupes were brought back from the Middle East and sent to the north of Australia (she was in the Middle East as a specialist orthopedic nurse) I can give more details about the hospital in the coming months - her main conversations were about Aboriginal patients etc....I will talk to my brother who may remember additional information. We have a boomerang from that time also - I will photograph it for you. regards Janie

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly