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Remembered Today:

WAAC/QMAAC Worker Gertrude Sherwood 29682:


MERLINV12

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I am hoping one of the many helpful and knowledgeable people on here may have succeeded where I have failed.

 

I am looking for additional information and photo of my Great Aunt, Worker Gertrude Sherwood 29682 WAAC/QMAAC. She served in France from 23/03/1918 until 24/01/1919. 

 

As with many I presume her Service Record was destroyed accidently or deliberately, I found MIC & Medal Roll, and have read the War Diaries available, with the usual lack of success due to her being an OR/Worker.

 

As a novice at Great War research I wonder if there is anything further to be found, other than the info I have from the obvious sources ? 

 

I have a photo of her taken in June 1919, however this is not in uniform, a photo of her in uniform is the holy grail for me, as it is for many other people.

 

I am in the process of producing a memorial display of her, I have hat badge, buttons, correct shoulder strap, medal ribbons, just need photo to complete.

 

Any info or guidance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Edited by MERLINV12
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Hello Merlinv12

 

Try this class at Kew:

WO 398 War Office: Women's (later Queen Mary's) Army Auxiliary Corps: Service Records, First World War (Mic ...  1917-1920  240  
 

I assume that Mic... is short for microfilm or microfiche. I don't know whether these have been digitised but it might be worth a try - once Kew gets back to normal opening times.

 

Ron

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Ron,

 

Thanks for the reply, by MIC I meant Medal Index Card.

 

Will checkout your recommendation at Kew.

 

Many Thanks,

 

Michael.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you cannot find a photo of her perhaps you could use a miniaturised poster as the centre piece instead.

 

Or you could use the splendid B&W photo enclosed.

 

 

 

 

5D49D90F-4803-47A3-9A06-F6DFC3C37783.jpeg

05DCF8C5-6ED6-4245-A266-569F95C1610A.jpeg

 

05E1FCDE-34E7-4F8C-9617-653F58626EA4.jpeg

6E1F1C6E-1713-4F2D-8893-CB74B60022D5.jpeg

5CEBA758-8157-4094-A210-90666B0B6C67.jpeg

Edited by FROGSMILE
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Hi All,

Merlinv12, Michael, Can you give me more details for Gertude, D of B, parents, siblings, etc and I will have a look.

Was she born 1895? If so  on 2.7.1919 she was on board "Minnedosa" from Liverpool to Quebec. Occ. Nurse.

Regards Barry

EDIT..found her here....https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/158056796/person/202169201858/facts...searching for photo.

I note from your post remembering 16714 Charles Sherwood, just a point full name Charles William Sherwood....looking at all the relations.....

????Did your grandfather become a Police Constable after the war. if so see....here....https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/18564969/person/270109231989/facts...apologies if you have all this...other relatives usually have the answers....but some trees are NOT correct.....searching

Edited by The Inspector
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12 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

If you cannot find a photo of her perhaps you could use a miniaturised poster as the centre piece instead.

 

Or you could use the splendid B&W photo enclosed.

 

Thanks for the images, it now appears that a photo does exist of her in uniform, however the album it is in is the subject of a family feud, amongst some distant relatives who actually have no right to have it.

 

I have emailed, facebooked, snap chatted, a mother and two daughters, who have possession of the album, but they have ignored me. I hasten to add that I had never heard of them until a few weeks ago, and have never met them, so I have not upset them............................what is it they say, you can choose your friends....................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

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11 hours ago, The Inspector said:

Hi All,

EDIT..found her here....https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/158056796/person/202169201858/facts...searching for photo.

I note from your post remembering 16714 Charles Sherwood, just a point full name Charles William Sherwood....looking at all the relations.....

????Did your grandfather become a Police Constable after the war. if so see....here....https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/18564969/person/270109231989/facts...apologies if you have all this...other relatives usually have the answers....but some trees are NOT correct.....searching

 

Thanks for your efforts, yes aware of the full name, the family actually called him Will, never Charles, but I thought it best to use Charles as that is what he used on enlistment.

 

Sorry, I no longer have a Ancestry subscription, must be coincidence, but my grandfather on the other side of the family was a policeman through and after the war.

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1 hour ago, MERLINV12 said:

 

Thanks for the images, it now appears that a photo does exist of her in uniform, however the album it is in is the subject of a family feud, amongst some distant relatives who actually have no right to have it.

 

I have emailed, facebooked, snap chatted, a mother and two daughters, who have possession of the album, but they have ignored me. I hasten to add that I had never heard of them until a few weeks ago, and have never met them, so I have not upset them............................what is it they say, you can choose your friends....................................

 

 

 

 

 

 


I would suggest as a last resort the old fashioned course of a handwritten letter explaining what you are doing with the badges, etc and perhaps with some photos of what you’ve done so far.  You might even make them feel involved by asking for suggestions about layout should they be able to provide a copy of the photo.

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1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:


I would suggest as a last resort the old fashioned course of a handwritten letter explaining what you are doing with the badges, etc and perhaps with some photos of what you’ve done so far.  You might even make them feel involved by asking for suggestions about layout should they be able to provide a copy of the photo.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have an address, only a road name, so seems I need to travel, and bang on some doors to find which one she lives at. Have already called all the landlines in that street, but nobody seems to know her (57 houses in street). 

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Just now, MERLINV12 said:

 

Unfortunately, I don't have an address, only a road name, so seems I need to travel, and bang on some doors to find which one she lives at. Have already called all the landlines in that street, but nobody seems to know her (57 houses in street). 


It’s worth trying the “electoral register”, available at public libraries and possibly on line too.

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Hi All,

Michael...you probably know this.....

Such a pity...have looked at all the trees on Ancestry, not much known about Gertrude, baptised as Gertie on 24.7.1896 at the same time as Charles William. Father Warren occ. a shepherd. Address Bigley's Yard, Irthlingborough.  According to one tree Gertrude died Dec.1973, Wellingborough, Northants.

PM me the lady's name and the road name and I will see what I can find.

Regards Barry 

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1 minute ago, FROGSMILE said:


It’s worth trying the “electoral register”, available at public libraries and possibly on line too.

 

Tried that, no entries after 2008. (must have opted out of public registers).

 

I only know the current address due to her appearing in a local paper for doing 71mph in a 30mph limit !!!!

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Hi Michael,

Sent you a PM

Barry

Fast Lady,  68 in a 40  Northampton.. 2018..6 points.!

EDIT.. PM'd with a number. Fingers crossed.

Edited by The Inspector
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  • 3 weeks later...

The family lead above has come to a dead end, so back to square one :(.

 

So could anyone with photos of WAAC/QMAAC's in France (March 1918 to Jan 1919), please share them with me.

 

I have photos of her in civvies shortly after coming home, so should be able to spot her in uniform.

 

TIA.

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