Vivian Bullwinkel, the sole survivor of the Bangka Island massacre in 1942, has died in Perth aged 84.

Nurse Bullwinkel was one of a group of nurses who fled Singapore just before its fall only to find their ship bombed and sunk.

The nurses along with some troops from the ship, made it to Bangka Island where they surrendered.

The soldiers were marched off and bayoneted while the Japanese marched the nurses into the sea and then shot them. The others died.

A bullet passed through Nurse Bullwinkel's body but she feigned death holding down her own vomit for fear the rise and fall of her shoulders would indicate to the Japanese she was still alive.

Eventually the waves washed her ashore where later she hid in the jungle as a squad of rifle-carrying Japanese troops marched by.

Soon afterwards she found a wounded soldier and tended him until both were captured.

Nurse Bullwinkel was a prisoner of war for three years.

Upon return to Australia she began an outstanding career as a nurse and as a hospital administrator.

She was given a state funeral at St George's Anglican Cathedral in Perth.