Kit McNaughton

Catherine "Kit" Ryan, was a decorated Australian nurse who served in the First World War. She kept a detailed diary of her experiences, the basis of which was later published by Janet Butler as Kitty's War.

Military service

McNaughton was mentioned in despatches in 1917, and awarded the Royal Red Cross in 1919.

In popular culture

McNaughton's diaries were the subject of the 2013 book Kitty's War, written by historian Janet Butler. The book won the New [South Wales Premier's History Awards#The Australian History Prize|New South Wales Premier's Australian History Prize] in 2013 and the WK [Hancock Prize] by the Australian Historical Association in 2014.
McNaughton was one of the six Australians whose war experiences were presented in The War That Changed Us, a four-part television documentary series about Australia's involvement in the First World War. Her war experiences also formed the basis of the characters in the ANZAC Girls television series.