The Bullwinkel Scholars Program

To coincide with the recent unveiling of the statue of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel AO MBE ARRC ED FNM FRCNA, the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) has announced details of the Bullwinkel Scholars Program.

The 22 scholarships will honour the memory and sacrifice of the 21 nurses who were massacred at Radji Beach on Bangka Island, Indonesia, in February 1942, along with the sole survivor Lt Col Vivian Bullwinkel.

Applications are now open and will close 11:59pm AEDT, Friday 6 October 2023.

About the scholarships

These new scholarships for registered nurses, funded by The Bullwinkel Project, will allow future generations of nurses to lead their contemporary journey in providing exceptional skilled health care for all Australians.

They will be known as The Bullwinkel Scholars. Twenty-one scholarships are in memory of the nurses, plus one in the name of Vivian Bullwinkel.

Scholarship recipients will be announced on 16 February 2024, on the anniversary of the day of the massacre 82 years ago.

Each scholarship will be valued up to $10,000 in perpetuity. To donate to The Bullwinkel Scholars Program, click here.

The scholarships will be for the:

• ACN Institute of Leadership Program Scholarship
  Valued up to $10,000 for enrolment into an appropriate ACN Institute of Leadership program together with a contribution towards the cost of attending. There are 21 scholarships available. Applicants must be a registered nurse and meet the relevant prerequisites for the Leadership program they wish to complete and agree to the ACN Foundation Scholarship Terms and Conditions.
• ACN Lt Col Vivian Bullwinkel Study Travel Scholarship
  Available to all nurses, preferably First nations, Indigenous Australians, Pacific Island Nations, valued up to $10,000 and provides the opportunity for a registered nurse to study best practice elsewhere in Australia and/or overseas to share learning across borders.  There is one scholarship available. The recipient of this scholarship will be provided with the opportunity to share their experiences and learnings through a Keynote address at the National Nursing Forum and/or through an article in the Hive magazine. Applicants must:
  • hold a current relevant nurse registration
  • be currently employed in the nursing profession
  • intend to undertake a postgraduate course, conference, or workshop, nationally or internationally in 2024 that will enhance their career as a nurse leader

Who can apply

Applications are open to nurses from all specialities within the nursing profession who aspire to be a leader at whatever stage of their career, who can demonstrate their commitment to:

• the nursing profession.
• their own investment in personal and professional development.
• contribute over and above their position description to deliver the care that all Australians deserve.

Successful applicants will demonstrate the attributes and qualities that have cemented the respect and regard the nursing profession holds today.

Applications that do not demonstrate commitment to the nursing profession, improving patient and health outcomes, or exemplify the values of the nurses who made the ultimate sacrifice on Radji Beach, Banka Island will not be considered.

Selection criteria

• What have you done to contribute over and above your position description to improve patient care and health outcomes?
• How do you individually make a difference in your own workplace to advance the nursing profession?
• How would becoming a Bullwinkel Scholar advance your career and current leadership skills from where they are currently to where you aspire to be?

Supporting documents required

• Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residency
• Citizenship of your country (if applicable)
• Current AHPRA nurse registration certificate
• Current CV and Employment details
• Recommendation/letter of support from direct manager
• Confirmation of First Nations or Torres Striate Islander descent (If applicable)
• Confirmation of residential address (if applicable), such as a gas or electricity bill or rates notice.
• Identification, such as Drivers license or Passport

Background

On 14th February 1942, 65 Australian Army Nursing Service nurses were evacuated from Singapore on the SS Vyner Brooke due to the pending Japanese invasion. Twelve died when the ship was bombed in the Bangka Strait shortly after leaving port.

Twenty-two of the group made their way to the nearby Bangka Island where they cared for the wounded for two days, including women and children, civilians, and soldiers.

Two days later, on the 16 of February, the Japanese army found the group on the beach, and the surviving soldiers were killed. The nurses were ordered to walk into the sea. Twenty-one were shot and killed, with the only survivor of the massacre Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel AO, MBE, ARRC, ED, FNM, FRCNA. Lt Col Bullwinkel survived after receiving non-fatal gunshot wounds.

After the war, Lt Col Vivian Bullwinkel became Matron of the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital in Melbourne. Lt Col Bullwinkel established the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre (ANMC) with fellow prisoners of war, Betty Jeffrey and Beryl Woodbridge. She continued to advocate for better education and conditions for nurses and was instrumental in transitioning nursing education into the university sector.

Lt Col Bullwinkel was the first female member of the Council of the Australian War Memorial.

Purpose – Towards a legacy

The Bullwinkel Scholar funding will be invested by the ACN Foundation with the aim of providing the scholarships in perpetuity. Ensuring ongoing funding of the scholarships would support ACN’s desire to establish a legacy for these Australian nurses, one which recognises their sacrifice and commitment to the nursing profession.

You can read the stories of each nurse through 'Meet the Bangka Island Nurses' NurseClick article.

Founding partners

The ACN Foundation would like to thank all donors, The Australian Government via Department of Health and Aged Care program and our sponsors below. Without the support of the Australian community, The Bullwinkel Project would not be possible.