Vivian Bullwinkel was one of 65 Australian nurses who boarded the Vyner Brooke in an attempt to flee the Japanese invasion of Singapore in February, 1942. Bombed by Japanese fighter planes, she and other survivors found their way to Radji Beach on Bangka Island where they surrendered. In one of the most atrocious acts of war crimes in our history, 22 nurses were forced to march into the sea and callously machine gunned. The only survivor and witness, Vivian spent the rest of the war in a prison camp before liberation, and her remaining years fighting for recognition of the bravery of her friends and colleagues; their strength and courage in the face of death sustaining her for the rest of her illustrious life. 21 Hearts relays the resilient Aussie humour displayed by the women in the camp and provides a respectful and authentic voice to those who were silenced, remembering them for who they were and not just for what happened to them.
