On International Nurses Day 12 May 2023, Board Member Jennifer Collins AM acknowledged her respect to her nursing peers and highlighted the service of Ethel Lane AM MBE a nurse and a war widow:
“The name Ethel “Stalky” Lane AM MBE is synonymous with dedication to women’s services, veterans welfare and the Australian War Widows. She was married for just two years when her husband died leaving her with a baby in arms. She devoted much of the rest of her life fighting for issues affecting war widows, nurses and veterans.
She enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service in December 1942, serving as a Lieutenant at 113 AGH Concord (Concord Repatriation General Hospital), the 13th Camp Hospital and 2/9th AGH at Tamworth and in the Indonesian Island of Morotai in WW2.
Mrs Lane’s commitment saw her in her 60\’s taking up senior leadership positions such as the NSW State President and National Vice President of the War Widows Guild of Australia, Vasey Housing Association of NSW, NSW Memorial Club, War Veterans Home (RSL Life care), Deputy Chairman and Secretary of RSL NSW and founding member and Honorary Secretary of the Return Nursing Navy, Army and Airforce branch, founding member and President of the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corp Association. She was elected as the first Australian woman to the World Veterans Federation.
She was awarded the MBE in 1977 for her services to ex-servicemen and women and an AM in 1990 for her services to veterans’ welfare.
Mrs Lane was a strong advocate for nurses and the nursing profession and passionate about pursuing quality patient care and patient safety on the many state committees on which she served.
She died in 2007 at the age of 89 having given a lifetime of service to the veteran, war widows and the nursing community.
On International Nurses Day we honour nurses such as Ethel “Stalky” Lane AM MBE and thank her and many other nurses for their outstanding service.”
