Women in service theme of Anzac Day commemorations

April 25, 2021

Imogen Wells takes a look at how things have changed over the years.

Women in our armed forces have been acknowledged for their courage and compassion during Anzac Day commemorations across the country this year. 

Noeline Ritson was 23 when the army was recruiting women to send to the Middle East.

“Brought the paper home. My mother was upset and had tears and my dad got all grumpy,” the former Air Force nurse said.

It was the early 1940s, and while her parents were against the idea of her going overseas, she got another opportunity six weeks later.

“The Air Force sent a pamphlet round so I came home. I said, well, 'It's in New Zealand - I'll join up,' and they were quite happy with that,” Ritson said.

She served at home until the end of the war in 1945.

Now at 103-years-old, Ritson’s one of the oldest surviving female members of our armed services.

“I don't know why I'm 103. I haven't done anything special or dieting or anything like that - I've just lived a good old Kiwi life,” she said.

It’s a life that looked much different when she was serving.

During WWII, there was a greater need for women to join our armed services. Those who weren't deployed worked in our hospitals as drivers or radio operators.

There were also those whose service was joining the workforce.

“They were courageous and compassionate in the most appalling conditions. These were the women who paved the way for women to be fully integrated into the Defence Force we know today,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in her Anzac Day address at dawn today.

Covid-19 restrictions cancelled last year’s gatherings.

It was only in the year 2000 when restrictions on women serving in combat roles were abolished by the Defence Force.

Seven years later, the then Labour-led government passed legislation for women’s full-time participation on our frontlines.

“Women have always had a role in our defence forces. Go back to World War I, we were nurses - what we are now is more contemporary and accepting,” the National War Memorial Advisory Council’s Major Fiona Cassidy said.

Corporal Jessica Healy-Render is a medic in the New Zealand military.

“You train for it but you never quite expect to know how to react when it actually does happen,” Healy-Render said.

She was one of the first responders following a rocket attack at Taji military camp in Iraq last year.

“We just jumped in our vehicle and we stopped and I was kind of like, ‘Why are we stopping?’ 'cause it hadn't quite sunk in yet but that's when we found our first patients,” she said.

“Looking back, it feels good to know that I was able to help someone, I guess. All of us on the trip will definitely carry it with us for the rest of our lives.” 

It's a life of service different to that of Ritson's, but a part of our wāhine history.

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