White Coolies


White Coolies is a 1954 memoir by Australian nurse Betty Jeffrey about her experiences in World War Two. This included surviving the sinking of the Vyner Brook, escaping a massacre, and being in a camp on Sumatra.

Background

It was based on a diary she secretly kept in the camp.

Reception

The book was a best seller, selling more than 70,000 copies in Australia.
The book was adapted into a hugely successful radio serial.

Radio serial

The book was adapted into a 1955 radio serial.
It was one of the most acclaimed Australian radio serials of all time. There was a mostly female cast and a female writer and director, which was rare for the time.

Cast