ABSTRACT
After World War I, an intricate world of unpaid family support, struggle and survival was hidden underneath Australia’s first repatriation bureaucracy and overshadowed by its individualistic rhetoric about war disability. Wives and mothers typically took a leading role in the home treatment of those disabled by war. Many ex-servicemen simply could not have survived without their family network of support.
The Centenary of World War I has seen an increasing openness to “real” stories. One of the hallmarks of Australian museum exhibitions has been a move towards a more profound exploration of the personal impact of war on combatants and their families, underpinned by a substantial body of scholarship by Australian and international historians. Recognition of the significant role of contemporary caregivers has been a notable achievement of the Centenary and is found both in museum settings and in the efforts of those who continue to care for veterans.
