Ellen Savage and the Heroes of AHS Centaur

Few disasters have touched Australia as profoundly as the sinking of the hospital ship Centaur – one of the deadliest wartime attacks ever on Australia – killing 268 souls on a mission of mercy.

Before dawn on 14 May 1943, the Centaur was cruising north from Sydney to bring home troops wounded fighting the Japanese in New Guinea. Under the rules of the Hague Convention, all of the Centaur’s lights were shining brightly against its brilliant white hull, clearly displaying the bright red crosses painted on its sides.

But off the coast of Brisbane, a Japanese submarine commander fired a torpedo into the Centaur’s heart. The ship sank in three minutes, claiming the lives of most on board.

Ellen Savage, a fearless nurse from country New South Wales, was the only woman to survive. For more than 34 hours, she and other heroes fought off sharks and helped the injured until rescuers arrived. She was awarded the George Medal for her bravery.