Don Regiano Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 I have recently acquired a series of poems I believe to have been written by a woman serving in the Scottish Women's Hospital unit in France and Germany. The first definitive date is 4 July 1916 (in France with the S. W. H.) and towards the end August 1920. There is a reference to Koln in 1919 (31st November) with the initials B. E. L. C. and in January 1920 in Wiesbaden. I have attached a photo which we assume is the lady in question. Any help in solving the mystery would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmania Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 B.E.L.C. is probably the British Empire Leave Club which was in Cologne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 Someone should be able to say what her uniform is, her rank and the decorations. I assume you have nothing to ID her? How certain are you that she's SWH? They have a history available online which doesn't mention Germany or Army of Occupation. Her rank would be quite a help, I may get shot down in flames but is that any kind of nursing uniform? Perhaps a Doctor. There are medal cards to staff of SWH and a collection at London University (Vera Holme) which includes a collection of limericks. Are you keeping her poetry under wraps? there may be clues in her work. Nice photo TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalredcross Posted 21 June , 2016 Share Posted 21 June , 2016 Quote Does not appear to be SWH uniform Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 22 June , 2016 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2016 Thanks for all the replies which were very helpful. Researched the B.E.L.C. and it would fit in with her timings. She mentions as being with the SWH in the heading to one of her poems which are mainly laments about missing Scotland. My wife has done more research and we believe her to be Maude Isolde Smieton - her record and medal entitlement also seem to fit. I will post more later as currently in the middle of clearing up after having had the builders in and don't have the papers immediately to hand. Thanks again. Regards. Reg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 22 June , 2016 Share Posted 22 June , 2016 There is a family tree that includes her on ancestry, died in Bath 1974. Supposedly had one child which I can't find. Do you think the photo is possibly much later? French Red Cross orderly with SWH uniform? TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 22 June , 2016 Share Posted 22 June , 2016 Can anyone identify the medal ribbons? If they are WW1, the photo must be post war. If they are pre WW1, I don't think it can be Maude Isolde Smieton. (born 1891ish) There are some mentions of her in the Dundee Courier. There are also mentions of Maude More Smieton who could well be her since her siblings and father all had More as a second forename. Roger M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmania Posted 22 June , 2016 Share Posted 22 June , 2016 According to a brief published record of the B.E.L.C. these are the details for Miss Smieton: Smieton, Miss M. J. [?] Croix de Guerre, and Bronze Star Seabourne, Broughton Ferry, Scotland. S.W.H. Aug., 1914 to, May 1919 Dundee Supply Depot Comforts for troops, Munitions Canteen, Dundee. Orderly and Assistant Bacteriologist, Scottish Women's Hospital, Royaumont, and Villers Cotteret. B.E.L.C., Guides Department. Promoted Section Leader She was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, Avec Etoile as an Aide-Infirmiere Also awarded by the French, La Medaille Commemorative 1914-1918 De la Societe Francaise De Secours Aux Blesses Militaires Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 22 June , 2016 Share Posted 22 June , 2016 First two medals ribbons are the BWM and VM. The rest would seem to fit nicely with assorted French watered silk ribbons, which would fit well for it being Miss Smieton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 22 June , 2016 Share Posted 22 June , 2016 Probably her Croix de Guerre? Right hand side. At the Scottish Women’s Hospital, known as the Hopital des Armees No.30, installed in the Abbaye de Royaumont Pardon the lack of French accenting. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalredcross Posted 22 June , 2016 Share Posted 22 June , 2016 Served at Royaumont as an Orderly from 4 July 1916 to 22 March 1919. Confirmed in the SWH records as awarded Croix de Guerre and SSBM medal. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 22 June , 2016 Share Posted 22 June , 2016 Any ideas what her role would be in Germany Nov 1919 - Aug 1920, her SWH role seems to end March/May 1919. What are those 5 stripes, section leader?? Or is this another role she's in? TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalredcross Posted 23 June , 2016 Share Posted 23 June , 2016 As you can see from Carmania's post she was on the staff of the BELC in the guides dept. She was doing conducted tours of the area for those on leave in occupied Europe after the armistice. NGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmania Posted 23 June , 2016 Share Posted 23 June , 2016 According to The Glasgow Medical Journal of January 1919 she, along with four other orderlies, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for "having continued the transport of the wounded within the hospital under repeated bombardments, showing devotion worthy of the highest praise". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 23 June , 2016 Author Share Posted 23 June , 2016 (edited) Thanks to all for the help and additional information provided. The first page of her booklet says " To M.I.S. OHMS from P.M.S." So I presume the booklet is a compilation by her sister, Pearl More Smieton, of the poems she sent home. The first poem is headed on Active Service S. W. H. and it's about missing Scotland. It is dated 4 July 1916. The second just says "in France", dated 1916. The third says "as Housemaid, S. W. H. and is about how tired she is and dreams of Scotland (1916). The next is "in Koln, B.E.L.C." and dated 31st 11 1919 (sic). There is then a further poem dated August 1920, entitled "Because" as she loves her country and values freedom. The next is titled "On her birthday 27 January". The last one is 3 verses in German which we have not translated yet and is from Wiesbaden. I think the evidence provided by all concerned does confirm who we believe she is. That being so, she married a Harold Leslie Sanderson who was discharged from the London Scottish in May 1916 (GSW left arm). He was awarded the DCM at Givenchy "for conspicuous gallantry on 22 December 1914. Fired upon by 2 snipers at a range of 20 yards, he rushed at them presenting a pair of wire nippers, which they took to be a revolver, and made prisoners of both - notwithstanding that he was quite unarmed". Regards. Reg Edited 23 June , 2016 by Don Regiano correction of Pearl's middle name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 18 March , 2018 Share Posted 18 March , 2018 Hello - I wrote the website about Arcadia in Angus about the Smieton family, and I am intrigued to know how much more you know about any of the family (including John More Smieton’s children) - I have a concert programme with a photo in profile of Pearl More Smieton and I know there is a copy of some poems she wrote in a library in Dublin... I’d love to hear more about this unknown side of the family - there is a memorial to most of the family in the Eastern Cemetery in Dundee which I will double check next week to see if your girls are in the tomb... best wishes, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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