A Word From the Writer, Sally McLean

Bayonets & Bully Beef is a play exploring Australian women's roles on the battle fronts of World War 2. While many people are aware of women's roles on the Home Front (which is covered in Bayonets & Bully Beef's companion play PS I Love You), with a large percentage of women working in the Auxiliary services such as the AWAS, WAAAFS, WRANS, the Land Army and others, few are aware of those women who actually served in battle.

This play has been written to celebrate these brave women who fought in New Guinea, France, the Middle East and the Pacific. Characters are based on actual women who served during this time, with extensive research and interviews with those individuals who were able and willing to tell their stories.

A few men are included in the play, to give context to the era, but the play's focus is on the female heroines who deserve full recognition for the services they performed for their country.

Excerpts from the play were performed at the Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne in July 2005 as part of the Your Text Here playwright showcase at the BlackBox Theatre.

To see photos from this performance, click here.

More information about the play will be added to this site as it becomes available.

If you have any stories of women who served in battle for Australia or her Allies, and/or wish to be kept informed about this production, please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can email me by clicking here.

Thank you for your interest, and I look forward to seeing you at the Premier!

Kind regards,

Sally McLean
Writer, Bayonets & Bully Beef