White Coolies

Betty Jeffrey (1908–2000) trained as a nurse at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne from 1937 to 1939. In September 1941 she joined the Australian Army Nursing Service and was posted to the 2/10th Australian General Hospital, then in Malacca, Malaya. Evacuated to Singapore, Betty's group of nurses were captured by the Japanese and began life as prisoners of war. Throughout her captivity, Betty kept a diary hidden from the Japanese, which became the book White Coolies. After 1947 Betty campaigned to raise funds to establish a nurses' memorial centre in Melbourne, and became the centre's first administrator in 1949. Betty Jeffrey was awarded the Order of Australia for services to ex-servicemen and women in 1987.

Beverley Dunn is one of Australia's most distinguished actresses. Her acclaimed work in theatre, television, radio and film has taken her all over Australia and overseas. Among her many television credits are two years in The Flying Doctors, and she also toured Australia for hit stage productions of Hotel Sorrento and A Happy and Holy Occasion, which won her a Green Room Award in 1993. She was also the narrator of White Eye by Blanche d'Alpuget, the 1994 TDK Australian Audio Book of the Year, and White Coolies by Betty Jeffrey, which was shortlisted at the Audie awards and won the Golden Ears award.