Sisters in Arms proud to serve
ARMY Reservist Elizabeth Smith wears her medals on her left side, with pride.
So do fellow Defence Force Sisters in Arms singers Samantha Morley and Leigh Robke and they all know the frustration of being told, by unknowing civilians, that they wear them wrong.
“On ANZAC Day this year I got to wear both of my medals in civilian dress,” Lance-Corporal Smith said.
“Someone came up and said ‘oh, you’ve got your medals on the wrong side love’ or ‘whose medals are they’ and you just have to say ‘they’re mine — why wouldn’t they be?’
“It’s really frustrating. We put in the same amount of work and were deployed and trained hard, so it’s such an important message to spread.”
Ms Smith, 25, grew up in the Blue Mountains of NSW with a long history of female family members serving in the Army, so wearing her medals on her left, where serving members do, is important to her.
So important, that the Sisters in Arms have made On the Left their debut song on After The War – a military-inspired CD and a follow-up to Australia’s best selling album in 2015.
They performed the important song at the recent launch of News Corp’s launch of a limited edition Spirit of ANZAC coin collection at the Australian War Memorial.
The second of 15 coins is available today, costing $3 with the paper. The release of the coin collection coincides with the recently launched #ThanksForServing campaign and will lead up to the centenary anniversary of Armistice Day on November 11.
For more information on the Anzac coins visit anzaccoincollection.com.au