SRD Posted 2 January , 2014 Share Posted 2 January , 2014 I have a wedding group photograph that includes the following servicewoman standing in the bride's family group. The wedding date is somewhere between January 1919 and December 1921 and depicts the wedding between one of my Hillman ancestors and a woman with one of the surnames Millar, Gearing or Ellis. Can anyone identify the uniform or, at best, the individual depicted? I'm afraid that I no longer have the original photo but I do have a much larger copy than that posted here although it it is still pretty blurred. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalredcross Posted 3 January , 2014 Share Posted 3 January , 2014 Looks to me like a VAD, but I'm sure Sue will confirm. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobspark Posted 3 January , 2014 Share Posted 3 January , 2014 Looks like a Red Cross badge on her hat ,and possibly a length of service stripe on her arm?A VAD but as Norman says Sue will confirm. Also wonder about the large badge on her arm ,not clear enough to make out? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRD Posted 6 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2014 Thanks very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 January , 2014 Share Posted 7 January , 2014 There's no doubt she's a VAD - she appears to have one overseas service stripe, and the badge on her forearm will almost certainly be a Joint War Committee badge - divided down the middle with symbols of BRCS on one side and St. John on the other. She might well be a General Service VAD as opposed to a nursing VAD. There were many, many women with those surnames and I think you'd have to pin her down to find out more. I would also say that much more likely to be in the early part of the period you state - not that likely to be after the end of 1919. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRD Posted 7 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 7 January , 2014 Thanks Sue, that means she's probably a Gearing with a sister Emma and the wedding was in the Jan/Feb/Mar quarter of 1919. Is that a badge just below her right lapel? And is her cap badge standard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 January , 2014 Share Posted 7 January , 2014 The detail's not visible, but the shape of the cap badge looks standard, and the words 'inter arma caritas' would be on the swag/bar at the bottom (I'm sure there's a proper name for that bit, but I don't know it!). I can't see enough of the ?badge on the right-hand side to make a guess. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 January , 2014 Share Posted 7 January , 2014 Looking at your other topic, I have to backtrack a bit, because if the man in the photo is wearing service medals ribbons, which is looks as though he is, that would have to push the date later ... I really would have thought though that the vast majority of VADs had been demobilised by then, but maybe a few still working in hospital. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRD Posted 7 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 7 January , 2014 In which case the wedding is more likely to be in the first quarter of 1920, between Ernest James Hillman & Grace Lily Millar. Assuming the VAD is Grace's sister there are a few possibilities: Maud M born 1883, Jemima J born 1886, Annie born 1889, Alice born 1890, Rose born 1895 Ruth born 1900. All born in Camberwell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRD Posted 8 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 8 January , 2014 You can scrub Ruth, she died in 1902. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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