Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daughter of Ivy Sarah Madeline McLEARY

Olive is a veteran of the Second World War. Before she enlisted, Olive worked for a doctor. Olive joined the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) in November 1944 and served as a stewardess based at HMAS Penguin in Balmoral, NSW. Penguin was then, and still is, a Navy shore establishment on Sydney Harbour. During the war, it was the Navy’s main hospital and convalescence centre for sailors and officers who had been wounded in action, injured, or become ill, including from tropical diseases. It was a large and very busy facility.

Olive says her service life was rewarding and enjoyable. She advises younger serving members that you will meet people you would not ordinarily meet in civilian life, and ‘it gives you a sense of doing something worthwhile for the larger community’. Olive says the best thing about serving was meeting other women and having experiences that led to maturity.

In May 1946, Olive was discharged from the WRANS. She then did a textiles and design course and became a teacher. In 1950, she married Harold Currie, who had been a driver in the Australian Army during the war. The couple went on to have 4 children. Sadly, Harold and one of their children have passed away.

When Olive was younger, she played tennis and did voluntary work for the disabled in Lismore and for her local Baptist Church. Now Olive keeps up to date with current affairs and world events by reading the newspaper. She also enjoys watching Parliament on TV.

Olive says the secret to reaching 100 years of age is good genes and a positive attitude to life.