WRAN Marjorie Tripp, AO
Artist
Belinda Mason
Artist
Dieter Knierim
Date2016
Object number00055215
NamePhotograph
MediumBlack and White Durotran 3D photographs face-mounted on perspex lenticular lens, in perspex LED light box frame
DimensionsOverall: 970 × 665 × 40 mm
Image: 915 × 575 mm
Image: 915 × 575 mm
Copyright© 'Serving Country' portrait series by Belinda Mason and Dieter Knierim
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionA 3D, black and white portrait of late South Australian Ramindjeri Elder, WRAN Marjorie Tripp AO. Ms Marjorie Tripp was the first Aboriginal member of the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service.
Ms Marjorie Tripp AO, started her naval career at the age of 17 in 1963, when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women were not recognised as Australian citizens. She was posted to HMAS CERBERUS in Victoria for initial recruit training and later posted to HMAS ALBATROSS in Nowra as a stewardess prior to being discharged in 1965 after marrying her fiancé.
Throughout her service and following, Ms Tripp remained committed to ensuring that her fellow Aboriginal servicemen and woman were appropriately recognised and represented following their service.
For her work towards the recognition of the first indigenous Australians in the armed forces and her promotion of improved age care and health care outcomes for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, Ms Tripp was recognised as an Officer of the Order of Australia.
HistoryFor more than a century Australian men and women have served in the Defence Force to protect Australia in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. Stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service in the countries defence is still somewhat untold. Despite the fact the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were not counted and recognised as Australians until 1967, they still enlisted to fight for their country in wars since the Boer War.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers, sailors and airmen have made significant contributions to Australia's military history from the Boer War, World War I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and post 1972 conflicts and peacekeeping operations to the present day, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders proudly served their country.
Like their male counterparts, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have also made a significant contribution to the defence of the nation through their service with the armed forces, civilian organisations such as the Women's Land Army or worked in wartime industries.
It is difficult to say just how many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people served because ethnic background was not specially identified in service records of enlistment. It is known that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women served and continue to serve their country with great honour and pride in a range of operations in war, humanitarian disaster relief, peacekeeping, border protection and emergency defence assistance.SignificanceThe photographs by Belinda Mason were supported by Department of Veteran Affairs and City of Sydney for the Serving Country Exhibition which continues to be an ongoing project of documentation of an archive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women.
The photographs serve to acknowledge and recognise the valuable contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women who have served or who are serving in the Australian Defence Force.
