Help with V.A.D Service locations please

[brett361975]

I have just received the service records from the Red Cross of C Lowry V.A.D.

Can anyone help me with the locations she served at please.

This is my first attempt to research a V.A.D Nurse so please bear with me.

Constance Lowry lived in Coleraine in Co.Derry in Ireland.

Her V.A.D member number was 24768

The Commission or Department or County is given as Derry b.

She enrolled on November 28th 1914 and was selected on May 21st 1915 as a Nurse / clerk.

She was posted on the 12th October 1915 to the 1st Western Gen Hospital Liverpool.

She was mentioned for Services and received a commendation on the 20th October 1917 and recommended for Assistant nurse on 27th March 1919

She also served at 12 0r 121 Western General Hospital.

Service is also seen as a worker at W.H.S Depot Coleraine from December 1917 to 30th November 1918.

Transfered to France on the 8th October 1920 to the Stationary Hospital A.P.O S7 B.E.F France.

Any help with these locations would be much appreciated, also any information on the Derry detachment of the V.A.D would be gratefully received.

Regards

Brett

[Sue Light]

Brett

No.1 Western General Hospital was opened at Fazakerley Hospital, Longmore Lane, soon after mobilisation in August 1914. There were only three Territorial Force Hospitals with the name ‘Western General’ and the other two were in Manchester (No.2) and Cardiff (No.3). No.1 WG would have had satellite auxiliary units, but I don’t know what ‘12’ or 121’ refers to – I suppose it can’t be bad writing for ‘1st’?

I think it may be significant that she is termed ‘nurse/clerk’. At that time most VADs were employed on nursing duties (in the broad sense) but there were certainly a number filtered out on admission to undertake secretarial and clerical duties. These women were normally experienced clerks/secretaries and would be attached to the offices of the Matron of a hospital.

The post of Assistant Nurse for VADs was introduced in early 1918, and allowed for the promotion of suitable VADs to a higher grade. They needed a minimum of two years continuous service, and the recommendation of their Matron and CO as to efficiency and suitability.

W.H.S. is the War Hospital Supply Depot, and again might fit well with her being on the clerical side. The Supply Depots dealt with requests for clothing/comforts/surgical dressings etc., and there were hundreds of them all over the UK.

No idea where the Stationary Hospital might have been, but at that time ? with the British Army of the Rhine. I’m sure there are Army Post Office experts somewhere on the Forum.

And reading back over your previous postings on Constance Lowry, can I just add that I think the references to TB Hospitals are red herrings. I think it’s perhaps more likely that it refers to ‘Territorial Brigade’ or similar. And maybe the ‘London’ bit of that is ‘Londonderry’ rather than ‘London’ – there doesn’t seem to be any sign of a London connection in her service record.

Regards --- Sue

[brett361975]

Sue,

Thank you for the time and effort you have put in to your reply, your answers have helped me very much in my research. Your help is very much appreciated.

Kind regards

Brett