In 1947 The Australian Women's Weekly correspondent Anne Matheson was crossing the grassy plains of South Africa on the King's train; her tape recorder clutched in her whitegloved hand. Despite the oppressive heat, she and her press corps peers maintained an impeccable standard of dress. Anne's dispatches included the only press interview the Queen consort ever gave, but Anne had discretly omitted spotting Princess Elizabeth sneaking out each morning to take a secret call from her beau, Philip Mountbatten. "There we were by the Zambezi River, with crocodiles nibbling our toes and the Queen in champagne georgette and frills," Anne recalled in 1976.
Africa was the first of dozens of royal tours Anne covered after proving her mettle in World War II. Female war correspondents were rare, unless you read The Weekly, who sent Adele Shelton Smith to Malaya in 1941, and Dorothy Drain to cover the war crimes trials in Tokyo in 1946. Dorothy was later deployed to Korea and Vietnam. These journalists blazed a trail for female war correspondents today.
Despite the war office's orders that female correspondents write from a woman's perspective, Anne insisted on covering all aspects of conflict. Her report on the capture of German Vice-chancellor Hermann Göring in 1945 was syndicated across the world.
"When he crossed his legs, I could see Hermann was wearing grey silk socks nearly as long as a woman's stockings. They wrinkled around his fat ankles," she observed of the Nazi who created the Gestapo.
Esta historia es de la edición September 2023 de Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 2023 de Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Spotlight on Vitamin D
Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but safe sun exposure is still essential.
Coming up roses
Driven by a renewed interest in the flower’s power, a rose renaissance is dawning.
'I was given a 5% chance of survival'
When Caroline Laner Breure was hit by a car in an horrific accident on a Spanish holiday with her boyfriend, her body and her dreams were shattered. Somehow she found the will to go on living.
Time to celebrate our mothers
Author Kathy Lette gives a heartfelt thank you to her magnificent mum, Val - a baker of fairy cakes with the patience of a saint.
"I am lucky to be here" ”
Since the day she walked onto the MasterChef Australia set back in 2009, Julie Goodwin has openly shared her life. But in writing a memoir, she had to examine the demons she'd battled privately... until now.
JAMIE OLIVER at your service
Returning to the set of MasterChef Australia to help steer a path through grief and spread happiness, the celebrity chef is also at a turning point - he opens up about failure, love, second chances and his endless reservoir of joie de vivre.
From one mum to another
Princess Catherine's public announcement struck a chord with mum-of-two Jane Gillard. She shares her story of parenting through cancer- and offers hope for the princess and mums navigating their own health journey while raising primary-aged kids.
The courage of Princess Catherine "You are„, not alone"
It was a rare personal address that she shouldn’t have had to make. But with conspiracy theories swirling and the slimmed-down “Firm” under fire, Princess Catherine silenced critics with searing courage and dignity.
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE
When Tracy Hall fell for Max Tavita, she fell for a mirage. Max was a false identity created by a con man, and Tracy was the latest in a long line of women whose life savings hed stolen.
Amother's GIFT
In December last year, Australia’s first uterus transplant recipient, Kirsty Bryant, gave birth to Henry, a happy, healthy baby boy. The uterus that had made this little miracle possible had been donated by her mother, Michelle. Five months later, their first Mother’s Day since Henry’s birth feels especially precious.