Catherine "Kit" Ryan, RRC (née McNaughton; March 1884 – 14 February 1953) was a decorated Australian nurse who served in the First World War. She kept a detailed diary of her experiences, the basis of which was later published by Janet Butler as Kitty's War (2013).
Catherine Ryan | |
|---|---|
 Kit McNaughton in 1916 | |
| Birth name | Catherine McNaughton |
| Nickname(s) | Kit |
| Born | March 1884 Geelong, Victoria |
| Died | 14 February 1953 (aged 68) Werribee, Victoria |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service | Australian Imperial Force |
| Years of service | 1915–1919 |
| Rank | Sister |
| Unit | Australian Army Nursing Service |
| Battles / wars | First World War |
| Awards | Royal Red Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
Military service
editMcNaughton was mentioned in despatches in 1917,[1] and awarded the Royal Red Cross in 1919.[2]
In popular culture
editMcNaughton's diaries were the subject of the 2013 book Kitty's War, written by historian Janet Butler. The book won the New South Wales Premier's Australian History Prize in 2013 and the WK Hancock Prize by the Australian Historical Association in 2014.
McNaughton was one of the six Australians whose war experiences were presented in The War That Changed Us, a four-part television documentary series about Australia's involvement in the First World War.[3][4] Her war experiences also formed the basis of the characters in the ANZAC Girls television series.
References
edit- ^ "Somme Battles". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 3 January 1917. p. 5. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ "Presentation to Returned Soldiers". Werribee Shire Banner. Werribee. 11 December 1919. p. 2.
- ^ "The War That Changed Us". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ "The War That Changed Us". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
Further reading
edit- Butler, Janet (2013). Kitty's War: The Remarkable Wartime Experiences of Kit McNaughton. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 978-0-7022-4967-9.
External links
edit- "World War 1 Military service: Catherine McNaughton". National Archives of Australia. 1914–1920. Retrieved 12 September 2014.