No CWGC Record?

[davidbartlett]

Terry, I cannot find a record for Nurse Laura Marion Gailey on the CWGC register. She is commemorated on the City War Memorial in Londonderry. The details posted below are extracted from a forthcoming publication on Londonderry's Great War Dead.

"Nurse Laura Marion Gailey.

Voluntary Aid Detachment. Died of pneumonia on March 24, 1917, at the City Hospital, Liverpool. Youngest daughter of William Gailey, stationer, and Margaret Elizabeth Gailey, 6, Bayview Terrace, Londonderry.

Miss Gailey, who was one of the first Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses to volunteer, had been engaged in military hospital duties for about eight months. Some four weeks before her death she had an attack of measles, which developed into pneumonia, and this proved fatal.

At the close of the evening service in Great James Street Presbyterian Church, on Sunday, March 25, 1917, the Reverend Dr James Thompson made a touching reference to Nurse Gailey's death. She whose early removal we mourn this evening, he said, was dearly loved in the family to which she belonged, and was held in high esteem by all who knew her. She heard the call of her King and country to do something in the crisis through which we as a nation are passing. When accepted she went right willingly to the work that fell to her lot, and faithfully she discharged the duties devolving upon her until sickness intervened and stayed her hand. There are elements of comfort for the bereaved in the fact that death came to their dear one when she was engaged in such noble and self denying service, ministering to the necessities and assuaging the sufferings of those who were wounded in their country's defence and service."

Is she entitled to commemoration by the Commission? If so, how can that be done?

Thanks in advance

Ian

[Terry Denham]

Ian

VADs were one of the Recognised Civilian Organisations and, as such, casualties had to meet two extra qualifications for war graves status.

They had to die on duty (or as a result of duty) and of a war cause or increased threat brought on by war. A disease contracted as a result of duty in a military hospital would qualify if the disease was definately caused by her service (ie by the conditions or exposure to other sufferers) and not merely coincidental.

In your case this is not clear as being so. An illness contracted in the normal course of life would not qualify her. There had to be a causal link between the war service and the illness. Catching the illness whilst a VAD would not be sufficient in itself.

Either the authorities did not agree with her death being war related or the case was never put to them. It is not unknown for local memorials bear names of such cases.

If you wanted to try to make a case for commemoration, you would have to start with the death certificate and try to build a case for MoD consideration that her death was due to war service.