Toowoomba veteran nurse donates medal to home care

Bolton Clarke Home and Community Support team members have been gifted a commemorative medal designed and produced by retired nurse and veteran Johannes (Jann).

The medal has been produced in recognition of the 21 Australian Army nurses who were killed on Bangka Island in Indonesia during World War II.

“I was invited to a church service for the Defence Nurses Association, and felt that we had to do something to recognise the occasion,” Jann said.

“We decided to design and produce a medal and so with the help of a Northern Territory medal designer, we created this medal with each part of it holding significance to the event.

“Once they were designed, we donated them to the Defence Nurses Association for them to sell as part of their fundraising efforts.”

Monday (12 May) is International Nurses Day, recognising the ongoing contributions of nurses throughout our communities and is a day for us to celebrate the work they do – including on the battlefield.

This cause was very close to Jann’s heart as a retired nurse and veteran himself, spending over 20 years in the Medical Corps.

“I joined the military because I was going to marry someone, and even though that never worked out, I got to love the medical corps and so I ended up doing my 20 years.

“I had this feeling that I was going to get drafted even though conscription was 18 months away at that time, so decided I’d join instead and I did actually drafted but I was already there.”

A career in nursing wasn’t always on the cards for Jann, starting his working career in a meatworks before joining the Army.

“I started in the Army and then sort of progressed but knew I wanted to move more into nursing from there.

“After I retired, I did nursing in aged care and then worked through DVA at Greenslopes Hospital.”

Now residing in the Lockyer Valley, and his wife Gea receiving care from the Bolton Clarke Home and Community Support team, the couple are able to stay active within the community with the extra help at home.

“It’s been a huge help having the team come to help us with the housework and it allows us maintain our independence.  

“I kept a few medals and I wanted to give one to the Bolton Clarke team because of their connection with the veteran community.

“We feel that when supporting the veteran community, we are keeping busy, our minds active and we’ve maintained friendships.

“I have met people along the way – there was a gentleman I met and he served with my first wife’s grandfather in World War I and there is a pride there that’s hard to describe.

“It’s a pride that is still with me even though I’ve been retired now since ’96.”