Beryl Bonfield (OAM)
We delve into the extraordinary journey of Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch Life Member, the late Beryl Bonfield.
The incredible story of Beryl Bonfield
From her time in service with the Australian Imperial force during WW2, to her dedication as Sutherland Hospital’s founding Matron, Beryl's story is one that continues to inspire and uplift those who come across it.
Join us as we explore the life of Beryl Bonfield, a woman whose indomitable spirit and unwavering dedication have left an indelible mark on our Sutherland Shire Community.
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After gaining her general nursing certificate at Sydney Hospital & Midwifery certificate at Crown Street Women’s hospital and 2 years nursing at Sydney Hospital, Beryl took a job with the Australian Inland Mission in 1937. Today, we refer to this as the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Her service was mostly to the mining communities in Marble Bar, Western Australia (where at times in temperatures reached above 55 degrees Celsius). In 1939 as the war began, Beryl left Western Australia to work at Lithgow Hospital, where she joined the Militia in 1941.
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In May 1941, she was accepted into the Australian Imperial Force. Beryl was appointed to the Australian Army Nursing Services from 1941 – 1947, with postings in Palestine, Egypt, New Guinea, Borneo & Japan. She provided nursing care to the wounded and those impacted by tropical diseases through various Australian General Hospitals, ultimately being promoted to Lieutenant. She lived through extreme weather conditions, contaminations, and outbreaks; surviving where thousands perished. As battles raged, Beryl was providing treatment. Her experiences and being witness to crimes related to prisoners of war, saw her attend the Tokyo War Crimes Trials in 1946. At the time, she was 33. She spent a year in Kure with the Occupational Force and was made Temporary Captain. Her dedication to the nation saw her awarded many medals for her service during World War 2.
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After she was discharged in 1947, Beryl still nursed for men being cared for at the Concord Repatriation Hospital. Beryl planned a well-earned voyage by ship to England in 1948 (so she could attend the wedding of her sister, Nea). This was a period full of backlog for bookings for sea travel, with delays of many months in place. Through her connections, she was able to be added to the passenger list for the trip from Australia to England. However, she was not as fortunate for her voyage home to Australia.'
Desperate to return to Australia as soon as she could, Beryl took an innovative approach, responding to an advertisement calling for two airmen to help fly a Proctor III from England to Australia. Able to convince the pilot that her army service made her an ideal travelling companion, she was given a seat on the plane in 1949, with the role of attending to injury and illness during the journey.
The journey took 39 days, of which they had 46 landings.
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Upon her return in 1950, Beryl became the Matron of Yass Hospital. Then in 1952, at the age of 38, she became the Matron of the Tweed District Hospital in Murwillumbah. In 1957, Matron Bonfield’s application to be the foundation Matron of the Sutherland Hospital was accepted. At the time, Sutherland Hospital was a brand new, unoccupied 200 bed hospital, and Beryl accepted the responsibility of furnishing & staffing both this facility, and the adjoining nurses’ home. She brought the same regimentation to her new role, as she had in the army. In her role as the matron of The Sutherland Hospital (TSH), she was responsible for approximately 250 nursing staff as well as the staff from domestic services. She worked to ensure that the TSH Nurses Training School was equipped to be the best in the state and worked tirelessly to seek funding to obtain high quality instruments and equipment. Beryl received Honorary Membership of the NSW College of Nursing for her meritorious service to nursing by, being the first to ever do so.
She retired in 1979, at around the same time she received an Order of Australia Medal, for her contribution to nursing & community. Throughout her career, Beryl had cared for thousands of people across the globe, focusing on providing care to the various communities she served.
She was instrumental in organisations such as the State Emergency Services Nurses Unit, Girl Guides, Quota Club, St. Johns Ambulance, Presbyterian Sunday School and the Cronulla Musical Club.
In 1961, Beryl joined the Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch, where she was granted life membership. Beryl passed away in 2004, at the age of 91.
Hear Beryl’s story.
In a two part episode of Cronulla RSL Podcast Series ‘Friends By the Beach’, we delve into the extraordinary journey of Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch Life Member, the late Beryl Bonfield.
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Stan Grimshaw (Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch, Memorabilia Officer) gives us insight into Beryl’s service record. Beryl saw more overseas service during WWII, than many of the soldiers.
We also recall her incredible journey from England to Australia in 1948, as a passenger of a single engine Proctor 111 airplane. We read extracts from Beryl’s experience, written by Julie Norman for an issue of ‘The Woman Magazine’ (1949).
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Her dedication to nursing and commitment to her patients, left a lasting impression on all who came across her. We speak to some of the nurses who worked with Matron Bonfield, as they recall her straight-shooting, no-nonsense nature and passion for healthcare.
Available to listen via our website, apple podcast, spotify & google podcasts.
“We would like to acknowledge the profound impact that Ms Beryl Bonfield had on the nursing profession and the community as the founding Matron at The Sutherland Hospital. Throughout her 21 years of service at The Sutherland Hospital, she supported and advocated for the nursing profession, the community that she served and the future nursing workforce; working tirelessly to ensure that The Sutherland Hospital Nurse Training School at the time was supplied with high quality equipment so that it could be the best in the state. She demonstrated courage, integrity, and virtue throughout her extensive and diverse nursing career.”
— Joanne Newbury, Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services, The Sutherland Hospital
“Beryl Bonfield was an amazing person. Her nursing career was, without question, exemplary. From 1937 to 1939, she, along with another nurse, spent 2 years as the only medical staff in Marble Bar and that region, in those years certainly frontier conditions. But then WW2 began. During 1941 she joined the AANS (Australian Army Nursing Service). And as far as the Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch is concerned, many ex-service personnel came to appreciate her stoic, no-nonsense, hard-but-fair stance in matters medical.
Her military nursing career covered many areas, most of which were intense battle zones. She saw, and dealt with, injuries, deaths, wounds, even minor complaints. For a short period she served at Concord Hospital before being sent to the Middle East in 1942. She was close to El Alamein to tend to the many casualties as that battle continued. On one of her many medals (Africa Star) is the small metal clasp ‘8’, indicating she was part of General Montgomery’s 8th Army.
After some leave back in Australia, she was sent to Papua New Guinea in 1943-1944. Twice hospitalised herself (infected hand then later Dengue Fever), she returned to serve in the South-West Pacific region until after the war with Japan ended in 1945.
But in 1946, still in the Army, she is sent to Japan as part of the BCOF (British Commonwealth Occupation Force) and for 5 weeks took part in the war trials as a witness re treatment of prisoners of war. She returned to Australia during 1947. In July 1947 her time in the Army completed, she nursed at the Concord Repatriation Hospital, still looking after our veterans.
Eventually, she became Matron of Yass then Tweed Heads hospitals, and then appointed Matron of Sutherland Hospital in October 1957, prior to its official opening in 1958. In January of 1961 she joined the Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch, remaining a member until her passing in 2004, aged 91. Apart from her time in our Sub-Branch, she devoted time to the RSL Women’s Auxiliary. Overall, a gutsy, strong, woman of high repute, and a worthy and respected person. We are proud to acknowledge her life service.”
— Stan Grimshaw, Memorabilia Officer, Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch
Beryl Bonfield
Sister Wallis and Bonfield, appointed to Marble Bar Photo: Battye Library, Perth, Western Australia
Beryl Bonfield Enlistment Photo Photo by CARO Australian Army Solider, Career Management Agency
AANS 2/7 AGH, Rehovot, Palestine 1942. Matron F Johns Photo: Rupert Goodman, Our War Nurses
Colonel Sommers, Mrs Casey, Matron Johns, Beryl Bonfield at Buseilli Camp, awaiting Battle of El Alamein Photo: Greg Knight, Cronulla RSL
The 2/9th AGH Port Moresby, 1943 Photo: Australian War Memorial Canberra
R Sister Bonfield 130 AGH Courtesy: Greg Knight, Cronulla RSL
British Commonwealth Occupation Force, Japan Photo Greg Knight, Cronulla RSL
Beryl Bonfield with proctor pilots. Photo: Nea Dawson
Photo: Sutherland Hospital Nurses, The Leader
Staff Photo, Sutherland, 1958 Photo: Kay Davidson, Denise Kirby
Sutherland Hospital Photo: Denise Kirby
Beryl with Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch members
Life and Lady Members Cronulla RSL Photo: Margaret Fisher
Beryl Bonfield Service Pin
Beryl Bonfields Dog Tags
A similar Proctor III plane Beryl flew in from UK to Australia
Awards & Recognitions
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During her twenty-one years as Founding Matron of Sutherland Hospital, she was awarded the Order of Australia for services to nursing and the community.
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Awarded for six months service in an operations command during the period of 3 September 1939 to 2 September 1945
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Awarded for entry into the operational area on the posted strength of a unit or formation, in Syria, between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943.
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For operational service in territories that have been invaded by the enemy or the allies
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Awarded for serving six months in specified non-operational areas subjected to enemy air attack or closely threatened. Serving for 12 months non-specified non-operational service overseas from or outside Australia.
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Awarded for serving full time operational or non-operational service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. The qualifying total is 28 days.
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Awarded for 30 days full-time or 90 days part-time service at home or overseas in the Australian Armed Forces and the Australian Mercantile Marine between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.
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Awarded for 30 days service in prescribed non-warlike or peacekeeping operations between 3 September 1945 and 14 February 1975. Clasps denoting the area of service are awarded with the medal.
The Order of Australia
Order of Australia Medal
Certificate of Service
Certificate of Membership
PIX - Personality Pix, March 1949
WOMAN Magazine Article - Julie Norman, 1949
WOMAN Magazine Article - Julie Norman, 1949
The Leader - 17th May 1978
Cover Point - Jim Cover - September 1963
“A nurse may only run in case of hemorrhage or fire. At all other times she must walk briskly”.
Beryl Bonfield
Another trait the Matron was quite well known for, was her unique and quirky way of communicating with her nurses. The graduate nurses who shared their stories in our podcast, have provided us with some of the memos written by Beryl.
Special Thanks
Cronulla RSL would like to thank the following for their contribution to the research of the podcast.
Stan Grimshaw, Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch
Robyn Price, Thelma Halyard, Kay Davison, Sandra Jackson, Barbara Hampton, Jennifer Melbourne, Dianne Cooper, Denise Kirby, Carmen Hayhoe, Gail McGroder, Irene Goode and Lenore Saville.
The Sutherland Hospital
Emily Perry - the voice of Beryl Bonfield
The podcast was produced by Emma Duxbury, ED Media Management.
Reference Sources:
‘Beryl Beatrice Bonfield - A tribute by Nan Logie (Braven)
’She flew round the world with the greatest of ease’, Julie Norman, WOMAN (May 30, 1949)
Trove
Sutherland Shire Libraries
National Archives of Australia
Sutherland Shire Library