Joice Nankivell LochPrint Page

The Memorial Plaque, erected by the Queensland Government and Hinchinbrook Shire Council, commemorates Joice Nankivall Loch, Australia's most decorated woman for her humanitarian work arund the world. 

Joice Nankivell was born in 1887 on a cane plantation outside Ingham. After her parents went bankrupt Joice and her family went from a plantation homestead to a remote bark hut with a dirt floor in Gippsland. Joice escaped from grinding rural poverty by writing books. After a dangerous time in Ireland during 'The Troubles' she and her husband, Sydney Loch, a hero of Gallipoli, in their quest as journalists writing for publication in Australia escaped possible IRA retribution and returned to London and an alliance with the Quakers.They went to work with the Quakers in Poland where they rescued countless refugees from disease and starvation.

During World War Two, Joice saved the lives of many hundreds of Polish and Jewish women and children. She was awarded more medals (in fact, two more than Nancy Wake, the 'White Mouse' of World War Two fame) than any other Australian woman for her heroism, her humanitarian work, and her innovative programs instituted in various refugee camps throughout Europe. At Joice Loch's funeral in 1982 in Greece she was named by the Orthodox Bishop who officiated as one of the most significant women of the 20th century for saving the lives of hundreds of Poles and Jews, for saving a Greek village from starvation by starting a womens rug weaving co-operative and selling the rugs to Australians and Americans, writing a book about the village and donating the royalties to bring piped water to the villagers of Ouranoupolis.

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