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Sisters Under Fire: The Extraordinary Courage of Two Australian Nurses at War
The heroic accounts of Australian Army Nursing Sisters Margaret Anderson and Vera Torney who survived the perilous evacuation of Singapore in 1942.
The nursing profession is one historically filled with everyday heroes whose work often makes the difference between life and death. Yet Nursing Sisters Margaret Anderson and Vera Torney of the 2/13th Australian General Hospital felt far from heroic as they evacuated Singapore on the converted cargo ship Empire Star in 1942. After Japanese occupation, every nurse without exception had requested to stay and tend to their wounded patients, but instead were ordered to evacuate as part of a hastily contrived and ultimately perilous escape plan.
The nurses were split among three ships: Wah Sui, Empire Star and the ill-fated Vyner Brooke. On the Empire Star, the courageous and selfless actions of Sisters Anderson and Torney while under fire would deservedly earn them the highest civilian awards for bravery. On the Vyner Brooke, 21 Australian nurses survived the ship sinking only to be shot down in cold blood on Banka Island. Against the odds, there was a solitary survivor of that massacre: Sister Vivian Bullwinkel.
This deeply researched book pays respectful homage to all Australian nurses: those who lost their lives during this tumultuous evacuation; those who became prisoners of the Japanese; and those who survived to offer their services to the wounded, time and time again.
The nursing profession is one historically filled with everyday heroes whose work often makes the difference between life and death. Yet Nursing Sisters Margaret Anderson and Vera Torney of the 2/13th Australian General Hospital felt far from heroic as they evacuated Singapore on the converted cargo ship Empire Star in 1942. After Japanese occupation, every nurse without exception had requested to stay and tend to their wounded patients, but instead were ordered to evacuate as part of a hastily contrived and ultimately perilous escape plan.
The nurses were split among three ships: Wah Sui, Empire Star and the ill-fated Vyner Brooke. On the Empire Star, the courageous and selfless actions of Sisters Anderson and Torney while under fire would deservedly earn them the highest civilian awards for bravery. On the Vyner Brooke, 21 Australian nurses survived the ship sinking only to be shot down in cold blood on Banka Island. Against the odds, there was a solitary survivor of that massacre: Sister Vivian Bullwinkel.
This deeply researched book pays respectful homage to all Australian nurses: those who lost their lives during this tumultuous evacuation; those who became prisoners of the Japanese; and those who survived to offer their services to the wounded, time and time again.
262 pages, Paperback
Published April 28, 2026
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May 6, 2026
I've previously enjoyed the work of Colin Burgess – so was eager to read this! Sisters Under Fire details the heroic actions of Australian nurses, Margaret Anderson and Vera Torney, who survived the harrowing evacuation of Singapore aboard the Empire Star during 1942.
“While circling enemy planes attacked time and again, they shielded the men with their own bodies as the ship’s deck was continually raked by gunfire…”
It was impossible not to feel emotion while reading about the experiences of different nurses. You really come to know them as Colin respectfully shares their individual stories across various places.
Dedication and care were common themes throughout – especially during the most difficult circumstances. Colin effectively captured the tension and chaos before the fall of Singapore and evacuations – it was quite contrasting to read how their idyllic location was quickly turned into a horrific wasteland.
We follow Australian nurses across three ships: Wah Sui, Empire Star and Vyner Brooke – with Sister Anderson and Sister Torney ultimately receiving awards for their bravery. While the two safely returned to Australia, they would later discover the horrors endured by their nursing friends left behind.
Colin draws heavily on his previous work, Sisters in Captivity – especially regarding the Vyner Brooke tragedy, the Radji Beach massacres and the atrocious conditions in Japanese captivity. While undeniably harrowing, this overlap between books sometimes made for repetitive reading.
It contains numerous photos that depict the featured nurses, helping put faces to names – extensive appendices also list those who died in service and who sailed on what ship. Colin does an excellent job covering so many stories of courage and resilience.
Sisters Under Fire is a well-researched book that details both the best and worst of humanity – I couldn’t help feeling proud to be Australian and an immense admiration and respect for these women and their service. It’s an important, worthwhile read that pays homage to our incredible nurses, ensuring their stories are never forgotten.
It’s hard to put into words the amazing courage and selfless actions of those depicted in this book – yet Colin brings their experiences to life with remarkable care.
Fittingly, 50% of this book’s royalties go to the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre.
“The nurses are the nearest thing to angels I can imagine.”
This review can also be found on my blog, where I write about books and feature author interviews. You can read it here.
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“While circling enemy planes attacked time and again, they shielded the men with their own bodies as the ship’s deck was continually raked by gunfire…”
It was impossible not to feel emotion while reading about the experiences of different nurses. You really come to know them as Colin respectfully shares their individual stories across various places.
Dedication and care were common themes throughout – especially during the most difficult circumstances. Colin effectively captured the tension and chaos before the fall of Singapore and evacuations – it was quite contrasting to read how their idyllic location was quickly turned into a horrific wasteland.
We follow Australian nurses across three ships: Wah Sui, Empire Star and Vyner Brooke – with Sister Anderson and Sister Torney ultimately receiving awards for their bravery. While the two safely returned to Australia, they would later discover the horrors endured by their nursing friends left behind.
Colin draws heavily on his previous work, Sisters in Captivity – especially regarding the Vyner Brooke tragedy, the Radji Beach massacres and the atrocious conditions in Japanese captivity. While undeniably harrowing, this overlap between books sometimes made for repetitive reading.
It contains numerous photos that depict the featured nurses, helping put faces to names – extensive appendices also list those who died in service and who sailed on what ship. Colin does an excellent job covering so many stories of courage and resilience.
Sisters Under Fire is a well-researched book that details both the best and worst of humanity – I couldn’t help feeling proud to be Australian and an immense admiration and respect for these women and their service. It’s an important, worthwhile read that pays homage to our incredible nurses, ensuring their stories are never forgotten.
It’s hard to put into words the amazing courage and selfless actions of those depicted in this book – yet Colin brings their experiences to life with remarkable care.
Fittingly, 50% of this book’s royalties go to the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre.
“The nurses are the nearest thing to angels I can imagine.”
This review can also be found on my blog, where I write about books and feature author interviews. You can read it here.
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 of 1 review