Himiko

Queen Himiko was a 3rd-century CE ruler of the territory in ancient Japan known as Hsieh-ma-t’ai or Yamatai, later to be known as Yamato. Considered by the Chinese as the ruler of all of Japan or Wa, given her state’s power, she exchanged diplomatic embassies with the ruling Wei dynasty.

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Joyce Whitworth

Joyce Whitworth trained as a nurse at the Royal Alexandria Hospital, New South Wales. She worked in administration positions, before enlisting in the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) in 1941. Whitworth was made commanding officer of recruit training in the AWAS in 1943, a position she occupied until June 1946.

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Margaret Lang

Australian nurse Margaret Lang was matron of various Victorian country hospitals, served in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) during the First World War and was founder and Matron-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Nursing Service during the Second World War.

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Josephine Mackerras

Josephine Mackerras worked in the Division of Economic Entomology, CSIR, Canberra, the LHQ Medical Research Unit, Cairns during World War II, and was Senior Parasitologist at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research until 1961.

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Yvonne Rudellat

Using the cover name Jacqueline Gautier, the 45-year-old Rudellat worked as a courier, organized supply drops, and became skilled at sabotage after being deployed to France in July 1942.

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Helen Gwynne-Vaughan

Helen Gwynne-Vaughan was an acclaimed mycologist, King’s College graduate, and Head of the Botany Department (as well as first female professor) at Birkbeck College long before she joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps during World War I, and was made chief controller of the women deployed to France.

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