From colonial Fiji to decades of quiet service in Melbourne, Louise Frewen’s life has been shaped by care, community, and enduring loyalty. In this candid conversation, she reflects on her nursing career, life as a defence wife, and why mateship still matters in the healing of Vietnam veterans.

What do you value most about the RSL Club community?

I have been involved with the RSL for 30 years. I went along because my late husband, John, was president.

Back then we did monthly lunches for the older members. They were lovely people. Many had actually constructed the RSL building. Their families grew up as members, and many of them lived to be 100. The last two were 104 and 101.

The best part was that it was somewhere they all got together after the war. Families became part of the RSL family. It was a lovely social environment.

John went to Vietnam, and at the time Vietnam was not seen in a good light. Afterwards, many servicemen did not join the RSL initially because of the unpleasantness. When they came back, many were reluctant to admit they had been there. They were treated badly. It was not their fault, as so many of them had been conscripted.

Vietnam veterans are very loyal to each other because of that. That mateship is especially important. It is part of the healing process.

Twenty-five years after the Vietnam War, in 1987, Vietnam veterans marched in Sydney, and the Australian population finally acknowledged that they had treated them very badly. I went with them, and I saw how good it was for them to feel recognised.

John was with the 8th Field Ambulance group that met every year. They still send me messages.

Could you share about your family life from your perspective?

I have three sons. My oldest was regular army and just retired as a General. He led the COVID medical response. My youngest was an SAS Colonel and is now CEO of CareFlight. The middle one is a TAFE teacher. He did Fine Arts and is also a sculptor and artist.

I have grandchildren in Canberra and Sydney. We have large family Christmases and we celebrate together somewhere different each year.

The room at the back of the RSL building is named after John, who died eight years ago.

The RSL club needs to be kept going because that spirit and support network are so important. It’s in a dry area, so it was never like the places that rely on poker machines. That is its saving grace.

What career path did you pursue throughout your life?

From 1959 I did nursing at St Vincent’s. I still see the girls I trained with. Every Wednesday I play bridge with one of my best friends from that time.

I married John at age 22, after my three years of training. He was in the army and didn’t believe married women needed to work. We had a baby straight away, so I didn’t return to work until the children went to school.

When we were living at Bandiana Army Barracks near Wodonga, the hospital matron said, “Why don’t you come back to nursing?” I said I couldn’t possibly, I didn’t remember how! She said, “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re very good at it.”

So, I started with night duty, just following others around. It was good for me because you are thrown in and you have to do it.

Later, I worked at Vickers Ruwolt doing industrial nursing. There were about 1,000 men building huge industrial furnaces. It was extremely dangerous work. I felt so sorry when they closed. All these Greek, Italian, Russian, and Vietnamese employees were clever men whose families had worked there for generations and they were suddenly out of work.

What did you and John do after retirement?

John got involved in military history and antiques. We opened The Antique Centre of Hawthorn with another couple. It was in a beautiful old bank building. We ran it for 12 years.

I absolutely love antiques. John used to say, “You are bringing home more than you sell!”

What aspects of your profession were the most fulfilling?

Nursing was the most fulfilling. It is demanding work, but fun. I loved helping people and making wonderful friends. After nursing you can always find something to do wherever you are. It stays with you always.

What guidance would you offer someone following in your footsteps?

I do not know if I would push anyone towards nursing these days because it has become very difficult, although we do need nurses badly.

People who study nursing at university find it hard when they first go into hospitals because they have not had much practical experience.

When I trained, we were really involved in looking after people. We came out feeling capable. These days, nurses are more focused on the scientific side, while nursing aides do the real care work. We did the real work, and it was fun.

We were paid poorly, but we lived in the nursing home and everything was provided. There was a lot of swapping shifts. That created networks and friendships. If you don’t have to rely on anybody, you tend not to make those friends.

What is something about your life story that might surprise people?

I was born in Fiji. My father’s family had lived there for generations. They were of German and English descent. My mother came from Melbourne originally. I still have my sisters here in Melbourne.

We had a wonderful childhood. Every three years, government workers like my parents went back to England for a year. We would sail through the Suez Canal.

We were sent to boarding school in Scotland. It was a beautiful old country house in Kildonan run by Catholic nuns. It was fabulous. For little girls from the tropics to suddenly be in freezing cold Scotland, it was quite a shock, but wonderful. We spent holidays on islands with the other families, just running around.

What personal hobbies or interests are important to you?

I am a huge bridge player and I used to play tennis.

I also love to read. I have just finished a wonderful book my son sent for Mother’s Day. It was The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester. It is about a French Resistance leader during the war. I could not put it down.

If you could only eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

It would be veal, followed by chocolate soufflé. One of the ones that melts on the inside!

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