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used
Guiding as the basis for the AWAS, and this practice drew both praise and criticism. She also supported the Australian Government's policy that members of the AWAS not operate weapons, arguing that "these girls will be the mothers of the children who will rebuild Australia. They must not have the death of another mother's son on their hands". Irving did not support the Government's restriction against servicewomen being deployed to operational areas in the
277:, to lead the newly formed Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS). This appointment was mainly made on the basis of her family background and guiding experience, and Irving later acknowledged that she had "no qualifications at all" for the position. She was appointed Controller of the AWAS in October and immediately travelled around Australia to recruit officers. She was promoted to
292:
Irving was based at the AWAS' headquarters in
Melbourne throughout the war. One of her officers described her as "Impressive. She could be abrupt, decisive and self-assured in the public arena in a way women were not expected – or trained to be in those days, and this stood her in good stead". She
304:
in
February 1943, and had 20,000 women serving under her when the AWAS reached its peak strength in 1944. At the end of the war, she encouraged AWAS members to undertake further training to find jobs in the civilian labour force, but only a small proportion of servicewomen did so. Irving left the
313:
Irving returned to social work after completing her military service. In 1947, she became general secretary of the
Victorian Division of the Red Cross and held this position until 1959. She was also appointed Honorary Colonel of the
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253:
voluntary aid detachment in
Australia. In 1924, she became secretary of the Girl Guides' Association, Victoria, a position she held until 1940. In 1935, she was one of the two founders of the
318:(WRAAC) when the Army re-formed its women's service in 1951. In 1960 and 1961, she took a 13-month-long holiday in Britain and Europe, during which time she resigned from the WRAAC in 1961.
305:
Army in
January 1947 when the AWAS was disbanded. She later wrote to all her former officers to inquire after their welfare and ask what they were doing in the post-war world.
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333:. Following her death Irving's friends and former colleagues raised funds for memorials to her in all of the Australian capital cities.
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218:. She served in this position from 1941 to 1946, and was active in charity and social organisations until she was aged 74.
242:. The family moved frequently as her father was posted to new positions, and she was educated at schools in most states.
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265:. Irving left the Girl Guides Association in 1940 to work as Assistant-Secretary of the Victorian Red Cross Society.
210:(25 February 1897 – 28 March 1973) was an Australian military officer who was the founder and controller of the
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in
January 1942, and successfully established a framework into which 24,000 female soldiers eventually enlisted.
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organising elderly citizens' clubs until she retired in 1971. She died on 28 March 1973 at her home in
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591:"Archibald Prize Archibald 1943 work: Col Sybil H Irving, MBE, controller of AWAS by Nora Heysen"
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In
September 1941, Irving accepted an offer from the Army's Adjutant-General, Major General
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694:(Second ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand.
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Irving worked in several social welfare positions after leaving school. During
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Irving inspecting a parade of new AWAS members in
Brisbane during August 1942
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261:(MBE) on 2 January 1939 for her services to social welfare services in
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and worked for this organisation until her death. She was appointed a
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After returning to
Australia Irving worked as a consultant for the
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General secretary, Victorian division of the Red Cross (1947–1959)
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Consultant, Victorian Old People's Welfare Council (1961–1971)
238:, was an Army officer who later held senior positions in the
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is in the Australian War Memorial collection in Canberra.
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Secretary, Girl Guides' Association, Victoria (1924–1940)
234:. She was the oldest of three children and her father,
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Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire
692:
The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History
297:, and succeeded in having this overturned in 1945.
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728:. National Foundation for Australian Women. 2008
431:. National Foundation for Australian Women. 2008
457:. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
329:and was buried with full military honours at
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648:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography,
380:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography,
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766:Australian Army personnel of World War II
259:Member of the Order of the British Empire
164:Member of the Order of the British Empire
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255:Victorian Society for Crippled Children
226:Irving was born on 25 February 1897 at
16:Australian military officer (1897–1973)
623:. Melbourne: Thomas Nelson Australia.
323:Victorian Old People's Welfare Council
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336:A 1943 painting of her by war artist
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690:Dennis, Peter; et al. (2008).
316:Women's Royal Australian Army Corps
136:Women's Royal Australian Army Corps
645:Australian Dictionary of Biography
377:Australian Dictionary of Biography
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776:Military personnel from Melbourne
562:. Department of Veterans' Affairs
786:Australian women in World War II
781:Women in the Australian military
726:"Irving, Sybil Howy (1897–1973)"
710:"Colonel Sybil Howy Irving, MBE"
640:"Irving, Sybil Howy (1897–1973)"
477:"Colonel Sybil Howy Irving, MBE"
429:"Irving, Sybil Howy (1897–1973)"
372:"Irving, Sybil Howy (1897–1973)"
536:Adam-Smith (1984), pp. 296–297.
527:Adam-Smith (1984), pp. 354–355.
509:Adam-Smith (1984), pp. 250–252.
212:Australian Women's Army Service
131:Australian Women's Army Service
100:Australian Women's Army Service
650:Australian National University
382:Australian National University
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500:Dennis et al. (2008), p. 287.
59:Victoria Barracks, Melbourne
37:1943 portrait by war artist
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619:Adam-Smith, Patsy (1984).
580:Adam-Smith (1984), p. 368.
545:Adam-Smith (1984), p. 365.
712:. Australian War Memorial
595:www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
518:Adam-Smith (1984), p. 253
479:. Australian War Memorial
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560:World War 2 Nominal Roll
621:Australian Women at War
300:Irving was promoted to
295:South West Pacific Area
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638:Bassett, Jan (1996).
370:Bassett, Jan (1996).
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106:Years of service
556:"Irving, Sybil Howy"
761:Australian colonels
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279:lieutenant colonel
63:Colony of Victoria
701:978-0-19-551784-2
659:978-0-522-84459-7
391:978-0-522-84459-7
228:Victoria Barracks
203:Sybil Howy Irving
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730:. Retrieved
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216:World War II
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154:World War II
150:Battles/wars
74:(1973-03-28)
25:Sybil Irving
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756:1973 deaths
751:1897 births
732:11 February
716:11 February
681:11 February
600:10 December
566:15 February
483:11 February
461:14 February
435:11 February
413:11 February
338:Nora Heysen
327:South Yarra
269:War service
247:World War I
222:Social work
81:, Melbourne
79:South Yarra
39:Nora Heysen
745:Categories
613:References
309:Later life
86:Allegiance
52:1897-02-25
668:1833-7538
400:1833-7538
251:Red Cross
232:Melbourne
170:Relations
109:1941–1946
89:Australia
676:70677943
408:70677943
263:Victoria
176:(father)
124:Commands
94:Service/
302:colonel
214:during
118:Colonel
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160:Awards
96:branch
344:Notes
734:2009
718:2009
696:ISBN
683:2009
672:OCLC
664:ISSN
654:ISBN
625:ISBN
602:2023
568:2009
485:2009
463:2009
437:2009
415:2009
404:OCLC
396:ISSN
386:ISBN
138:(as
114:Rank
69:Died
46:Born
230:in
207:MBE
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
