The following has been published on the Pymble Ladies College website (www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au – War Service Stories). Since 2017, Heritage Archive volunteers and Duke of Edinburgh Award students have researched and written biographies of ex-students in service and transcribed and recorded audio of their letters home to Pymble’s former principal, Miss Dorothy Knox.
Esme Francess Neal (Smyth, 1940)
Esme Smyth was a boarder from Condobolin NSW who attended Pymble Ladies College (PLC) from 1939 – 1940. She was an active member of the community and partook in the College’s netball team, acting as the Goal in the Senior “B” Team and played against teams such as Wenona and Ravenswood.
In 1942, at the age of 19, she enlisted in the Australian Women’s Army Service in Paddington. She went on to work at the 2nd Ambulance Car Company in Kingsford, as shown in her Christmas card to Miss Knox in 1945. After meeting and marrying Richard Neal in 1956, she went on to have two sons whilst remaining an interactive and bright member of PLC, participating at a reunion luncheon in Dubbo on 19th June 1975 and keeping close contact with her friends, including Bettina Gilles (Love) and her two daughters who attended Pymble. Esme Francess Neal (Smyth) passed away on 29 April 2018 at the age of 94 in Condobolin, NSW. Esme’s service records are held in the National Archives of Australia, the image of Esme is from this source. Researched and written by a Heritage Archive volunteer.