Wartime help leads to lifetime of support

At 95, Norma remains a passionate supporter of The Salvation Army, a relationship that began in 1942 when she was just 18 and caught in a whirlwind of loss, friendship and romance among the backdrop of World War II.

With her father fighting overseas, the passing of her mother, plus the loss of many young friends on far-away battlefields, Norma decided to join the war effort. In February 1942, the Australian Corps of Signals was formed and she was one of 500 young women who joined the army.

After three months training, Norma and three other women were sent to a camp outside Brisbane where she served for three and a half years.

“I was sent to a camp as a telephonist she recalls. “There were 1500 soldiers in the camp, many of whom had served in the Middle East and were later sent to New Guinea.