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White Coolies cover art

White Coolies

By: Betty Jeffrey
Narrated by: Beverly Dunn
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Editorial reviews

A harrowing but ultimately inspiring account of Australian Army nurses attacked and imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II. In her dignified and matter-of-fact-voice, Australian actress Beverley Dunn reads a secret diary kept by one of the nurses, Betty Jeffrey, written while imprisoned in the Sumatran jungle. Jeffrey's account of tortures, starvation, murder, and humiliation is hard to hear, although it’s brightened by the courage and perseverance of these brave women, and their determination to find humor and even joy in the bleakest of times.

Publisher's Summary

It is October 1942. From the doorway of this small three-roomed cottage, which houses 32 of us, we look out beyond to a steaming jungle in Sumatra. In 1942 a group of 65 Australian Army nursing sisters was evacuated from Malaya a few days before the fall of Singapore. Two days later their ship was bombed and sunk by the Japanese. Of the 53 survivors who scrambled ashore, 21 were murdered and the remaining 32 taken prisoner.

White Coolies is the engrossing record kept by one of the sisters, Betty Jeffrey, during the more than three gruelling years of imprisonment that followed. It is an amazing story of survival and deprivation and the harshest of conditions. An account of the true story which inspired the film Paradise Road starring Glenn Close.
©2004 Betty Jeffrey (P)2008 Bolinda Publishing
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
Biographies & Memoirs Military
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Profile Image for Melissa

Riveting!!

Superb listening. Beverly did a wonderful job on this book and it felt like it was herself in the book. Such a compelling journey of endurance and comraderie.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

This should be required reading for all Australian Students

I met Sister Jeffreys and Matron Bulwinkle. My mother was a nurse who worked with all these heroic women but was not fit to be sent to Singapore due to Measles.
Thank you for listing this incredible diary in the collection

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  • LET
  • 02-12-2019

Forget me not

This is the most moving story and we should be very proud of these women.

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Profile Image for L Holyoak

A must listen

I've ready the paperback of this many, many times.

an incredible story, that everyone should hear once in their lives. I found myself incredibly moved by this edition, beautifully read & presented.

the horrors, that we as humans do to each other is disturbing & incredible.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.