The Surgeon of Royaumont

The Surgeon of Royaumont. Susan Neuhaus.

A young Australian woman on the battlefields of World War I finds her calling through her work as a surgeon – and her legacy in compassion. Based on real-life characters and events this thought-provoking novel is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst the ravages of war.

As one of only a handful of female medical graduates working at the Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Clara Heywood refuses to be denied the chance to become a surgeon because of her sex. As her male colleagues, including her unofficial fiance Edward, head off to war, Clara grapples with a sense of her own unfulfilled purpose. In defiance of her own family and all convention, she leaves for France to work at the Scottish Women’s Hospital at Royaumont Abbey, a hospital managed entirely by women on the Western Front.

There, under the tutelage of Miss Frances Ivens, Clara is thrust into the brutal realities of war, the technical intricacies of surgery and the profound ethical and emotional toll it exacts. Surgery tests not only her skills but her values and Clara discovers that her greatest adversaries are not the wounds of war but the internal conflicts that shape her understanding of humanity, and the heavy burden of her own ambition.

Clara’s journey transcends the confines of history, embodying the timeless struggle for identity, purpose, and humanity amidst the horrors of war, and bringing to light the courage and sacrifice of women.

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Praise for The Surgeon of Royaumont

‘In a novel equal parts heart-wrenching and fascinating, Susan Neuhaus tells a riveting story of the hurdles and entrenched and internalised misogyny female doctors faced in their efforts to serve their countries during WWI. Filled with unforgettable characters and moments, made more so because of her own experience as both an army officer and surgeon in contemporary war zones, this is imbued with an insider’s knowledge. An important book that shines a grim light on the battles never spoken about, and the unsung heroines who waged them.’

Karen Brooks

‘Neuhaus shines a light on Australia’s unsung medical heroines with meticulous historical detail. Stunningly told.’

Victoria Purman

They served anyway

For over a century, Australian women have served in uniform — often without recognition, sometimes without permission. Explore their stories across three defining eras.

World War I — doctors on the front line

“There really was nothing that a woman doctor could not do in a war zone.” — Leah Leneman, Medical Women at War 1914–1918

Australia refused to enlist female doctors — so they went anyway. At least 14 women served as surgeons, pathologists and physicians across England, Egypt, France and the Balkans. Two became prisoners of war. Several were decorated by foreign militaries. Their own country gave them nothing.

World War II — legitimacy, at last

“For the thousandth time did I curse the Australian military authorities whose refusal to accept a woman doctor had forced me across the world.” — Major Mary Kent-Hughes, Matilda Waltzes with the Tommies, 1943

In 1940, Australia commissioned its first female army doctor. Women served as surgeons, researchers, physiotherapists and pathologists — some in New Guinea, the Middle East and post-war Japan. The old barriers were cracking, even if the frustration hadn’t fully faded.

Post World War II — walking in their footsteps

“Is it any wonder I ask: ‘Wither women next?'” — Dame Constance Darcy, Deputy Chancellor of Sydney University, 1946

The barriers didn’t fall overnight. Women who pioneered life-saving research were passed over for honours simply for being female.

But across Vietnam, Rwanda, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, Australian women kept serving — and in 2012, Australia finally removed all gender restrictions from combat roles.