Which woman was the sole survivor of the 1942 Banka Island massacre?

• A. Nancy Wake
• B. Vivian Bullwinkel
• C. Kate Sheppard
• D. Edith Cowan

Answer: (B)

This question focuses on recalling a specific World War II event and identifying who stood as the lone survivor among a group of Australian nurses. In 1942, on Banka Island off Sumatra, Japanese forces killed most of a group of Australian Army nurses; Vivian Bullwinkel was the only nurse who survived the massacre. Her survival allowed her to give the eyewitness account that documented what happened, and she became a prominent figure in Australian war history and memorial efforts. The other names listed were notable figures in different contexts (rural reform and suffrage, or resistance work in Europe) and are not connected to this event.