Barbara is the sister of the author of Mary Poppins PL Travers
Barbara died Wybenia Nursing Home.
Married: 26 December 1927 at St James Anglican Church, Sydney, New South Wales
Barbara 'Biddy' Moriarty was a dedicated and caring welfare worker who devoted her life to the Red Cross.
Biddy left her Ipswich home in 1940 for the Middle East, following her husband, Boyd, who was a member of the Australian Army's 2nd Imperial Force. She worked in camps throughout Palestine as a representative of the Australian Comforts Fund, which distributed items such as pyjamas, sweets, games and magazines to help keep the 'fit man fit'. Biddy also worked as a cipher officer for the Royal Navy in Alexandria, Egypt from late 1940.
After her husband's death in action at Crete in 1941, she joined the field force of the Australian Red Cross, working with the Australian General Hospital in Kantara, Egypt. Throughout 1943, she continued her work with the Red Cross, helping repatriated Prisoners of War (POW) from the Middle East, before joining the Australian Army staff in London in 1945 to assist returned Allied POWs at the end of World War II. Biddy's next role was to lead the 2nd POW reception in Singapore, before returning to Australia with the last of the freed troops in 1946.
For her lifetime of devoted service to the Red Cross, Biddy was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal in 1947.
_____________________________________
Biddy Moriarty went to the Middle East as an Australian Comforts Fund representative to be closer to her husband, who was serving with the 2/1st Battalion AIF. Tragically, Captain Boyd Moriarty was killed by a German sniper on 22 May 1941 while leading his men in battle on Crete.
Now a war widow, Mrs Moriarty devoted herself to the welfare of other soldiers and joined the Australian Red Cross Society's field force in Egypt. In 1942 she came home and travelled extensively for the Red Cross. Next year she was sent back to the Middle East to help recovered prisoners of war.
In 1944 Moriarty was attached to the Australian army staff in London. After the surrender of Germany, she worked with the AIF Reception Group, helping to repatriate former prisoners of war. She came home with some of the liberated men in August 1945.
Not home long, she was next sent to Singapore to assist the 2nd POW Reception Group, handling men who had been held by the Japanese. She later recalled, "a group of men just as we found them… naked to the waist, ulcered [sic] limbs roughly bound, stomachs distended by bad diet; but every friendly face grinning and animated." She returned to Australia with the last of the released troops in November.
Few Australians saw as many war theatres as Moriarty, and she was always welcome. "Full of energy and charm. Even in uniform she dressed with flair. She was very good at achieving the impossible." For her war work she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal.
After the war Moriarty wrote of her experiences for the annual services' publication As you were 1947, was involved in war widows' activities and worked for David Jones Ltd in Sydney until 1965.
Barbara died Wybenia Nursing Home.
Married: 26 December 1927 at St James Anglican Church, Sydney, New South Wales
Barbara 'Biddy' Moriarty was a dedicated and caring welfare worker who devoted her life to the Red Cross.
Biddy left her Ipswich home in 1940 for the Middle East, following her husband, Boyd, who was a member of the Australian Army's 2nd Imperial Force. She worked in camps throughout Palestine as a representative of the Australian Comforts Fund, which distributed items such as pyjamas, sweets, games and magazines to help keep the 'fit man fit'. Biddy also worked as a cipher officer for the Royal Navy in Alexandria, Egypt from late 1940.
After her husband's death in action at Crete in 1941, she joined the field force of the Australian Red Cross, working with the Australian General Hospital in Kantara, Egypt. Throughout 1943, she continued her work with the Red Cross, helping repatriated Prisoners of War (POW) from the Middle East, before joining the Australian Army staff in London in 1945 to assist returned Allied POWs at the end of World War II. Biddy's next role was to lead the 2nd POW reception in Singapore, before returning to Australia with the last of the freed troops in 1946.
For her lifetime of devoted service to the Red Cross, Biddy was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal in 1947.
_____________________________________
Biddy Moriarty went to the Middle East as an Australian Comforts Fund representative to be closer to her husband, who was serving with the 2/1st Battalion AIF. Tragically, Captain Boyd Moriarty was killed by a German sniper on 22 May 1941 while leading his men in battle on Crete.
Now a war widow, Mrs Moriarty devoted herself to the welfare of other soldiers and joined the Australian Red Cross Society's field force in Egypt. In 1942 she came home and travelled extensively for the Red Cross. Next year she was sent back to the Middle East to help recovered prisoners of war.
In 1944 Moriarty was attached to the Australian army staff in London. After the surrender of Germany, she worked with the AIF Reception Group, helping to repatriate former prisoners of war. She came home with some of the liberated men in August 1945.
Not home long, she was next sent to Singapore to assist the 2nd POW Reception Group, handling men who had been held by the Japanese. She later recalled, "a group of men just as we found them… naked to the waist, ulcered [sic] limbs roughly bound, stomachs distended by bad diet; but every friendly face grinning and animated." She returned to Australia with the last of the released troops in November.
Few Australians saw as many war theatres as Moriarty, and she was always welcome. "Full of energy and charm. Even in uniform she dressed with flair. She was very good at achieving the impossible." For her war work she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal.
After the war Moriarty wrote of her experiences for the annual services' publication As you were 1947, was involved in war widows' activities and worked for David Jones Ltd in Sydney until 1965.
Barbara is the sister of the author of Mary Poppins PL Travers
Barbara died Wybenia Nursing Home.
Married: 26 December 1927 at St James Anglican Church, Sydney, New South Wales
Barbara 'Biddy' Moriarty was a dedicated and caring welfare worker who devoted her life to the Red Cross.
Biddy left her Ipswich home in 1940 for the Middle East, following her husband, Boyd, who was a member of the Australian Army's 2nd Imperial Force. She worked in camps throughout Palestine as a representative of the Australian Comforts Fund, which distributed items such as pyjamas, sweets, games and magazines to help keep the 'fit man fit'. Biddy also worked as a cipher officer for the Royal Navy in Alexandria, Egypt from late 1940.
After her husband's death in action at Crete in 1941, she joined the field force of the Australian Red Cross, working with the Australian General Hospital in Kantara, Egypt. Throughout 1943, she continued her work with the Red Cross, helping repatriated Prisoners of War (POW) from the Middle East, before joining the Australian Army staff in London in 1945 to assist returned Allied POWs at the end of World War II. Biddy's next role was to lead the 2nd POW reception in Singapore, before returning to Australia with the last of the freed troops in 1946.
For her lifetime of devoted service to the Red Cross, Biddy was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal in 1947.
_____________________________________
Biddy Moriarty went to the Middle East as an Australian Comforts Fund representative to be closer to her husband, who was serving with the 2/1st Battalion AIF. Tragically, Captain Boyd Moriarty was killed by a German sniper on 22 May 1941 while leading his men in battle on Crete.
Now a war widow, Mrs Moriarty devoted herself to the welfare of other soldiers and joined the Australian Red Cross Society's field force in Egypt. In 1942 she came home and travelled extensively for the Red Cross. Next year she was sent back to the Middle East to help recovered prisoners of war.
In 1944 Moriarty was attached to the Australian army staff in London. After the surrender of Germany, she worked with the AIF Reception Group, helping to repatriate former prisoners of war. She came home with some of the liberated men in August 1945.
Not home long, she was next sent to Singapore to assist the 2nd POW Reception Group, handling men who had been held by the Japanese. She later recalled, "a group of men just as we found them… naked to the waist, ulcered [sic] limbs roughly bound, stomachs distended by bad diet; but every friendly face grinning and animated." She returned to Australia with the last of the released troops in November.
Few Australians saw as many war theatres as Moriarty, and she was always welcome. "Full of energy and charm. Even in uniform she dressed with flair. She was very good at achieving the impossible." For her war work she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal.
After the war Moriarty wrote of her experiences for the annual services' publication As you were 1947, was involved in war widows' activities and worked for David Jones Ltd in Sydney until 1965.
Barbara died Wybenia Nursing Home.
Married: 26 December 1927 at St James Anglican Church, Sydney, New South Wales
Barbara 'Biddy' Moriarty was a dedicated and caring welfare worker who devoted her life to the Red Cross.
Biddy left her Ipswich home in 1940 for the Middle East, following her husband, Boyd, who was a member of the Australian Army's 2nd Imperial Force. She worked in camps throughout Palestine as a representative of the Australian Comforts Fund, which distributed items such as pyjamas, sweets, games and magazines to help keep the 'fit man fit'. Biddy also worked as a cipher officer for the Royal Navy in Alexandria, Egypt from late 1940.
After her husband's death in action at Crete in 1941, she joined the field force of the Australian Red Cross, working with the Australian General Hospital in Kantara, Egypt. Throughout 1943, she continued her work with the Red Cross, helping repatriated Prisoners of War (POW) from the Middle East, before joining the Australian Army staff in London in 1945 to assist returned Allied POWs at the end of World War II. Biddy's next role was to lead the 2nd POW reception in Singapore, before returning to Australia with the last of the freed troops in 1946.
For her lifetime of devoted service to the Red Cross, Biddy was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal in 1947.
_____________________________________
Biddy Moriarty went to the Middle East as an Australian Comforts Fund representative to be closer to her husband, who was serving with the 2/1st Battalion AIF. Tragically, Captain Boyd Moriarty was killed by a German sniper on 22 May 1941 while leading his men in battle on Crete.
Now a war widow, Mrs Moriarty devoted herself to the welfare of other soldiers and joined the Australian Red Cross Society's field force in Egypt. In 1942 she came home and travelled extensively for the Red Cross. Next year she was sent back to the Middle East to help recovered prisoners of war.
In 1944 Moriarty was attached to the Australian army staff in London. After the surrender of Germany, she worked with the AIF Reception Group, helping to repatriate former prisoners of war. She came home with some of the liberated men in August 1945.
Not home long, she was next sent to Singapore to assist the 2nd POW Reception Group, handling men who had been held by the Japanese. She later recalled, "a group of men just as we found them… naked to the waist, ulcered [sic] limbs roughly bound, stomachs distended by bad diet; but every friendly face grinning and animated." She returned to Australia with the last of the released troops in November.
Few Australians saw as many war theatres as Moriarty, and she was always welcome. "Full of energy and charm. Even in uniform she dressed with flair. She was very good at achieving the impossible." For her war work she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal.
After the war Moriarty wrote of her experiences for the annual services' publication As you were 1947, was involved in war widows' activities and worked for David Jones Ltd in Sydney until 1965.
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