By REBECCA BILLS
SHE was a trailblazer for women in the military, and has dedicated her life to the service.
Now a retired major, Isabel Frederick joined the Australian Army to further her education.
Inspired by the Anzacs’ demonstration of the military virtues of ‘duty, courage, teamwork, resolution and self-sacrifice,’ Ms Frederick said those same qualities led her to join the Australian Army at the tail end of the Vietnam conflict.
“My family was poor, and we didn’t have any money to pay for further education, so I needed to support myself independently,” she said.
“It felt like I would be doing something meaningful while being paid to learn useful skills.
“I had never been on a plane and I was definitely a ‘Mummy’s girl’ when I left but I certainly grew up in the army.”
Ms Frederick graduated as officer and said she was trained in IT.
“I didn’t even know what a computer was when I joined in 1973,” she said.
“I’ve spent the last 20 years of my working life in IT so that early grounding was a key foundation to my professional career.”
After leaving the Regular Army in 1977, Ms Frederick enlisted immediately in the Army Reserve.
“I’d joined the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) that same year and rose to the rank of corporal – I was also approached to become an officer,” she said.
“Once commissioned as an officer I was put into pay corps because I was doing a degree in accounting as well as working full-time.
“Although I made some great mates in pay corps, I wanted to do something more active and in those days women were not allowed to join the arms corps – infantry, artillery, armour or engineers – but I could join the transport corps, and I did.”
Ms Frederick said looking back she was never discriminated against for her gender, however she is proud that young women today can join all corps.
“While I served with some wonderful men over my military career, I believe there is a strength that comes from diversity, in all its forms, that forges great teams,” she said.
“It continues to amaze me what can be achieved by teams of people who have the resolve to make things happen.
“The army taught me that if you’re going to do something, you do it properly, and you complete the task.”
This Anzac Day, Ms Frederick will be Parade Marshal for the Upwey/Belgrave RSL.
“We remember on this day those who fell in both world wars, in conflicts in Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam, and more recently in Afghanistan,” Ms Frederick said.
“That Anzac spirit reinforces in all of us the values of independence, freedom and fairness and above all a willingness to defend these things if need be.
“If we do celebrate anything on Anzac Day, it is the legacy that those who fought at Anzac Cove gave us, which those who followed them strengthened and enriched.”
