Unknown female stewardess

[stephen binks]

As part of our "SomeKindHand" pilgrimage, my wife and I visited Janval Communal Cemetery, in Dieppe in October 2022. The cemetery register indicates that there are three burials in the French/Belgian military section; plot U. After an extensive search we were only able to find two CWGC burials: Melrose and Ashbee. We came away believing that we had missed a burial or that the CWGC register was out of date; not unusual with distant burial grounds.

Fast forward to last month. Whilst researching for a book, I emailed CWGC to enquire about "a missing grave". In the meantime, I had checked the online burial record to discover that the missing grave was that of an unknown women stewardess. CWGC answered promptly, asking me for an image of the other two graves, which I sent them. They replied that they would have to contact local people at Janval, as they could not confirm the grave existed.

I would be grateful if anybody has knowledge of this unknown stewardess. The online cemetery information does not include any unknown graves; again not unusual.

Thank you

Steve and Nancy Binks

[LDT006]

26 minutes ago, stephen binks said:

CWGC answered promptly, asking me for an image of the other two graves, which I sent them. They replied that they would have to contact local people at Janval, as they could not confirm the grave existed.

She is on the CWGC documents:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/238905/george-walter-ashbee/#&gid=1&pid=2

and
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/238905/george-walter-ashbee/#&gid=2&pid=1

 

Edited 9 April by LDT006

[Jim Strawbridge]

Unfortunately unknown to me. The date suggests that she may have been on HMTS Salta which struck a mine on the 10th April 1917. I have identified the one unknown female named on the Salta Memorial as Jane Roberts, QAIMNS, which the CWGC has accepted and amended their records, so not her. The only other female one that I have noted in the cemetery is Annie Smith, QMAAC. This "unknown" is said to have a CWGC headstone but she could be anywhere in the cemetery as it is shown as in scattered grave 3. If you revisit I would welcome a photograph of her grave marker.

Edited 10 April by Jim Strawbridge

[stephen binks]

Jim,

I walked all the military plots, but didn't have the time to walk the entire cemetery. The register, in situ, stated plot U, which is the French/Belgian plot. I will have to wait for the CWGC to come back to me with an answer, but I suspect its a case of records that have not been updated and that she may have later been listed as a civilian and not entitled to a CWGC headstone, through cause of death. I will let you know. In the meantime I have attached an image of Worker Annie Smith's grave.

 

Steve and Nancy Binks

[Jim Strawbridge]

Thank you, Stephen. Much obliged.