2/5 Australian General Hospital

Lt. Carmel Medwin (Shanahan) 

NFX76287 

Carmel Annie Medwin was born in June 1913 at Stanley, Tasmania. Very little is known of her earlier years or when she came to Australia, but it is very evident that she chose Nursing as her lifetime career. At the outbreak of WW2, and the urgent call for Nursing Staff, in August 1941 Carmel enlisted in the Australian Army as a Nursing Sister.

Carmel was to see service with various Hospital Units including 113 AGH -- 114 AGH -- Goulburn and Dubbo Base Hospitals and finally with the 2/5 Australian General Hospital. This Unit was undergoing restaffing and furbishing due to being overrun by the advancing German Army in Greece in April of 1941.

It was with this Unit that took Carmel to Alexandria, Gaza and finally to Morotai Island to treat the incoming wounded troops from the various Japanese Prisoner Of War camps.

Carmel attained the rank of Lieutenant, and was discharged on 5 February 1946.