VAD with WO399 file

[TEW]

Perhaps this is not unusual but not seen this before.

 

Eleanor Frances Orford has a BRC VAD card; Rank = Nurse and she died in service 3/9/17.

 

She also has a WO399 record which confirms she was 'Probationer  E F Orford VAD'. Most of her file relates to her death, estate and effects and originates from the TFNS.

 

I assume she was somehow doing VAD duties at 1st Western MH while training for qualification?

 

TEW

[micmic74]

Hi TEW,

 

If I have it right Probationers were directly employed by the War Office and they were not affiliated with the VAD which was supervised by the BRC and the Order of St.John. In practice both had the same duties. Perhaps it was not uncommon for a VAD nurse to be employed as Probationer later in the war. If you see the photo of the Britannic survivors posted on the other thread, Sheila Macbeth had captioned most of them as Probationers, while many had VAD cards.

 

Michail,

[Jim Strawbridge]

Her name is on the Order of St. John of England Roll of Honour as E.F. Orford, nursing sister, Voluntary Aid Detachment, Kingstown Division.