A History of Caring
Hollywood Private Hospital has a proud history dating back to the 1940s. It was originally built during World War II by the Commonwealth Government as the 300 bed 110 Military Hospital. The hospital was built to care for service men and women and it was first occupied in 1941.
In 1947, control of the hospital was passed to the Repatriation Commission to provide acute care for veterans and war widow/ers and it became the Repatriation General Hospital (RGH) Hollywood.
History was made when Australian owned company Ramsay Health Care became the owner-operator on February 24, 1994.
In 2010, Hollywood Private Hospital published the book “Everyone’s a Hero”. It is the first book about the history of the hospital and contains transcripts, letters and photographs.
For more information and to order your copy click here.
Honouring our Heroes
Hollywood continues to honour our special links with the veterans, war widows and widowers of Western Australia.
All wards and some procedural units have been named after servicemen who were awarded the Victorial Corss and George Cross Medals of Honour and who either resided at the time of enlistment, died or were buried in WA.
There are four wings and 26 procedural units who have a historical connection to nursing.
Ramsay Clinic Hollywood and the hospital’s procedural units are named after nurses who have a historical connection to nursing.
Ward/Unit Names
Named after
Sister Vivien Bullwinkel Australian Army Nursing Service AO MBE ARRC ED Florence Nightingale Medal FRCNA
Citation
Mrs Statham (nee Bullwinkel) was in the Australian Army Nursing Services and was posted in Singapore during World War II. She was a survivor of wartime Japanese atrocities and has been described as a war hero.
Named after
Captain Sylvia Perry Australian Army Nursing Service MBE, Life member of the Returned Ex-Service Women’s Sub-Branch of the RSL.
Named after
Marjorie Brislee worked for Ramsay Health Care for more than 30 years and was instrumental in Ramsay’s extraordinary success.
She was appointed to the Board of Ramsay Health Care in June 1997 and retired from the position in November 2005.
Named after
Mrs Anne Leach FNM OAM had a long standing association with Hollywood which commenced during World War II. She worked at Hollywood as a nurse in the 1940s and maintained a close relationship with the hospital through her involvement in Hollywood’s Remembrance Day service for more than 10 years.
Named after
Lieutenant Frederick Bell of the West Australian Mounted Infantry was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions on May 16, 1901 at Brakpan, Transvaal.
Citation
At Brakpan, May 16, 1901 Lieutenant Bell noticed a man had dismounted and sought to offer him assistance.
The horse unable to support their combined weight, fell with them.
Lieutenant Bell then remained behind and covered the man until he was out of danger.
Named after
Lieutenant Lawrence McCarthy, of the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F. was awarded the Victoria Cross for his action on Ausgust 23, 1918 near Madam Wood, East of Vermandovillers, France.
Citation
At Brakpan, May 16, 1901 Lieutenant Bell noticed a man had dismounted and sought to offer him assistance.
For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and leadership during an attack.
Named after
Private Martin O’Meara, of the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F. was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions from August 9 to 12, 1916 at Pozieres, France.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery during four days of heavy fighting.
Named after
Arthur Bagot was a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during WWI. He received a George Cross.
Citation
Arthur Bagot and Lieutenant Robin Hoare battled flames to remove depth charges from a ship after its engine room exploded. The pair were credited with potentially saving lives by preventing a further explosion.
Named after
Lieutenant Charles Pope, of the 11th Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on April 15, 1917 at Louverval, France (posthumous award).
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in command of an important post.
Named after
Lance Corporal Thomas Axford of the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on July 4, 1918 at Vaire and Hamel Woods.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery and initiative during operations
Named after
Captain Henry Murray, of the 13th Australian Infantry Battalion, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions from February 4 to 5, 1917 at Stormy Trench, North East of Gueudecourt, France.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery when in command of the right flank company in attack.
Named after
Lieutenant-Commander Leon Verdi Goldsworthy (R.A.N.V.R.) was awarded a George Cross
Citation
For skill and courage of a high order during a series of underwater mine recovery operations extending from June 12, 1943 to April 10, 1944, which led to the recovery of four German ground mines, three magnetic mines and one acoustic mine.
Named after
Private Arthur Stanley Gurney, of the 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion A.I.F. was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions on July 22, 1942 at Tel el Eisa, Egypt (posthumous award).
Citation
For gallantry and unselfish bravery in silencing enemy machine gun posts by bayonet assault at Tel el Eisa.
Named after
Private James Woods, of the 48th Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F. was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on September 18, 1918 near Le Verguier, north-west of St Quentin, France.
Citation
For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty near Le Verguir in September 1918.
Named after
Private John Carroll of the 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F. was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions from June 7 to 10, 1917 at St Ives, France.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery during an attack where during the 96 hours he was in the line he displayed great courage.
Named after
Lieutenant Clifford Sadlier, of the 51st Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions from April 24 to 25, 1918 at Villers-Bretonneaux, France.
Citation
For conspicuous bravery during a counter attack by his Battalion on strong enemy positions.
Named after
Acting Wing Commander Hugh Edwards, of the 105 Squadron Royal Air Force, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions on July 4, 1941 in a raid on Bremen, Germany.
Citation
For repeated gallantry of the highest order in pressing home bombing attacks from very low heights against strongly defended objectives.
Named after
Private Leslie Thomas Starcevich, of the 2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on June 28, 1945 in Borneo.
Citation
For outstanding gallantry during attacks that he carried out single handed with complete disregard for his own personal safety.
Named after
Trooper Mark Donaldson, of the Special Air Service Regiment, was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery and exceptional gallantry for his action in September 2008.
Of his own volition and displaying complete disregard for his own safety, Trooper Donaldson risked his own life and moved alone, on foot, across about 80m of exposed ground to recover a wounded interpreter.
Citation
Through his courage, Trooper Donaldson not only saved the life of the interpreter, but he ensured the safety of other members of the combined force.
Trooper Donandson’s actions on this day displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril.
Named after
Private Percival Gratwick, of the 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions from the night of October 25 to 26, 1942 at Miteiriya Ridge, in the Western Desert (posthumous award).
Citation
For unselfish courage, gallant and determined efforts against the heaviest opposition that led to the successful capture of the company’s objective.
Named after
Lieutenant George Gosse R.A.N.V.R. was awarded a George Cross
Citation
For an exceptionally high standard of personal courage, as well as much engineering skill.
Named after
Private Jim Gordon, of the 2/31st Australian Infantry Battalion, A.I.F, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions on July 10, 1941 near Jezzine, Syria.
Citation
For a high degree of courage, fought with equal gallantry.
Named after
Corporal George Howell, of 1st Australian Infantry Battalion, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on May 6, 1917.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery. Seeing a party of the enemy were likely to outflank his battalion, Cpl. Howell, on his own initiative, single-handed and exposed to heavy bomb and rifle fire, climbed on to the top of the parapet and proceeded to bomb the enemy, pressing them back along the trench.
Having exhausted his stock of bombs, he continued to attack the enemy with his bayonet. He was then severely wounded.
Named after
Matron Dot (Margaret Dorothy) Edis was one of the first WA nurses to enlist during the Great War in 1915. She served on the Western Front and in Egypt. Born in Kyabram, Victoria, she moved to Kalgoorlie in 1896 and completed her nursing training there. She helped establish the Australian College of Nursing and was the Matron at the Homes of Peace in Subiaco for many years.
She was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, an MBE and a Florence Nightingale Medal in 1965 (first WA recipient).
Named after
Matron Jean Ferguson, MBE was the 3rd matron of 110 AGH, and was matron when the hospital was transferred to the Repatriation Department. She was the the longest serving matron, from 1947 – 1969 (22 years). Born in Guildford, Perth, she joined the Australian Army Nursing Service Reserve in January 1939. She served in the Middle East, and in PNG. Matron Ferguson passed away on 30 January 1979 at HPH.
She was the recipient of the Associate Royal Red Cross 1953, an MBE 1963 and a Florence Nightingale Medal 1969.
Named after
Ethel Gordon Fenwick was born in Elgin, Scotland. At the age of 24, she became matron of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London and was the founder of the British Nurses’ Association (BNA) in 1887. Ethel led a long campaign to introduce a nurses’ register, culminating in the Act being passed in 1919, protecting the title of nurse Ethel was the first to sign the register, becoming ‘State Registered Nurse No1’ in 1921. Previously part of Hollywood Private Hospital’s nurses’ quarters were called ‘The Fenwick Wing’.
Named after
Matron Molly (Emily Mary) Nickoll was the 1st matron of the 110 AGH, until 1942. Born in Melbourne, Victoria she enlisted 21 December 1917.