On Anzac Day, Shirley Williams shared the remarkable story of the Curtain sisters – four Tasmanian women whose courage and dedication during World War I left a lasting legacy of service and sacrifice.

The story began on a farm at Elderslie, where David and Maria Curtain raised 14 children with strong values of compassion, love and duty. While sons Edwin, Nicholas and James also served in wartime, four daughters – Mary Kate, Louisa, Hannah and Harriett – became part of an extraordinary chapter in Tasmania’s history through their work as military nurses during World War I.

At a time when opportunities for women in the military were limited, all four sisters qualified as nurses and enlisted with the Australian Army Nursing Service. Nurses were required to have at least three years of hospital training, be aged between 21 and 45, and unmarried or widowed.

Approximately 3,000 Australian nurses served during the war in places including Egypt, England, France and Gallipoli, caring for wounded soldiers from many nations.

Mary Kate “Kit” Curtain served in England and France before illness forced her temporary return to London to recover.

She later continued her nursing career in Tasmania and New Guinea. Harriett Curtain served in Egypt before being required to leave the Army after marrying, although she later volunteered in England during the war effort.

Louisa Curtain served aboard hospital ships and in military hospitals, including a hospital in Egypt where just 51 nurses cared for 1,600 patients. Hannah Curtain served in England and France before returning home in 1919 due to ill health.

The sisters worked in extremely difficult conditions, enduring overcrowded hospitals, shortages of supplies, extreme climates and the emotional toll of caring for badly wounded soldiers. Despite these challenges, the nurses continued their work with professionalism, compassion and resilience.

In 1917, the Zeehan and Dundas Herald praised the sisters’ remarkable contribution, stating that “The State of Tasmania may well be proud of them.”

Today, the four Curtain sisters are commemorated at the Pontville War Memorial Reserve, where their names stand as a reminder of the vital role women played during wartime and the sacrifices they made in service to others.