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Remembered Today:

Killed In Action 30-5-18


SOMMESOLDIER

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Hi There, :)

While doing some research, I came across these 9 women and would love to know their story.

Mary Mclachlan Blaikley KIA 30-5-18

Beatrice Campbell KIA 30-5-18

Margaret Selina Caswell KIA 30-5-18

Catherine Connor KIA 30-5-18

Jennie Mckerral Grant KIA 30-5-18

Annie Eliizabeth Moores KIA 30-5-18

Ethel Frances Mary Parker KIA 30-5-18

Alice Thomasson KIA 30-5-18

Jennie Watson DOW 30-5-18

They are buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension.

Cheers

Tim.

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They were all killed on the night of 29th- 30th May 1918 when enemy bombs were dropped on Camp 1. One bomb fell into a protection trench where they were sheltering. No. 2 Army Supply Depot workers killed were 31503 M. M. L. Blaikley, general domestic; 31673 B. V. Campbell, general domestic; 34767 C. Connor, general domestic; 31918 J. McK. Grant, postal clerk; 15695 A. Moores, cook; 35588 A. Thomasson, general domestic; 9048 E. F. Parker, waitress, Officers Club, EFC; 15703 M. S. Caswell, waitress, Officers Club, EFC. 34864 J. Watson, general domestic, died of wounds. A further seven women were wounded.

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Hi Jim, :)

Very, very many thanks for that, it is fascinating information, and far more detail than I thought there would be.

I not sure why, but this has really captured my interest and I think I will try to find out more about them.

Thanks again.

Cheers

Tim.

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Hi Jim, :)

Very, very many thanks for that, it is fascinating information, and far more detail than I thought there would be.

I not sure why, but this has really captured my interest and I think I will try to find out more about them.

Thanks again.

Cheers

Tim.

Hi Tim, If you find more information I would be pleased if you would keep me in the loop, Regards, Jim

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Worth adding that four members of the QMAAC won the MM for their part in restoring order and rescuing the wounded.

Charles M

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Hi Jim, :)

As soon as I find out anymore, I'll let you know.

Hi Charles, :)

Many thanks for that information. Do you know any of the citations ?

Cheers

Tim.

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  • 1 year later...
Hi There, :)

While doing some research, I came across these 9 women and would love to know their story.

Mary Mclachlan Blaikley KIA 30-5-18

Beatrice Campbell KIA 30-5-18

Margaret Selina Caswell KIA 30-5-18

Catherine Connor KIA 30-5-18

Jennie Mckerral Grant KIA 30-5-18

Annie Eliizabeth Moores KIA 30-5-18

Ethel Frances Mary Parker KIA 30-5-18

Alice Thomasson KIA 30-5-18

Jennie Watson DOW 30-5-18

They are buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension.

Cheers

Tim.

Don't know if you're still interested, but Mary McLachlan Blaikley was my great-aunt. She came from Gartcosh, a small village in Lanarkshire, Scotland and is the only woman whose name appears on the War Memorial.

I know very little about her, other than that. How did she come to your notice?

Liz

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Hi There, :)

While doing some research, I came across these 9 women and would love to know their story.

Mary Mclachlan Blaikley KIA 30-5-18

Beatrice Campbell KIA 30-5-18

Margaret Selina Caswell KIA 30-5-18

Catherine Connor KIA 30-5-18

Jennie Mckerral Grant KIA 30-5-18

Annie Eliizabeth Moores KIA 30-5-18

Ethel Frances Mary Parker KIA 30-5-18

Alice Thomasson KIA 30-5-18

Jennie Watson DOW 30-5-18

They are buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension.

Cheers

Tim.

Should also have mentioned, Mary McLachlan Blaikley won the Distinguished Conduct Medal, though I have no idea what happened to it.

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Should also have mentioned, Mary McLachlan Blaikley won the Distinguished Conduct Medal, though I have no idea what happened to it.

I have to raise an eyebrow at her winning the DCM. It seems improbable. She was a general domestic within the QMAAC. She happened to have died in a protection trench during a bombing raid so would have had little opportunity to earn it. I would love to be proved wrong.

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Worth adding that four members of the QMAAC won the MM for their part in restoring order and rescuing the wounded.

Charles M

Charles

Do you have their names by any chance

Tony

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I think it may be three MMs rather than four, the names being

Forewoman Clerk Ethel Grace CARTLEDGE

Dr. Phoebe CHAPPLE RAMC attd. QMAAC

Assistant Administrator Sophy CROSS

All three had similar citations and were Gazetted on 19 October 1918.

There were two other MMs to QMAAC, but in different Gazettes.

Norman

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The citations read:

Phoebe Chapple

For gallantry and devotion to duty during an air raid. While the raid was in progress Dr Chapple attended to the needs of the wounded regardless of her own safety.

Elizabeth Sophy Cross

For gallantry and devotion to duty during an enemy air raid. Whilst in charge of a camp a bomb fell, killing several women and wounding others. She was knocked down, but immediately got up, and, after obtaining assistance, worked with the doctor amongst the killed and wounded while the raid was still in progress

Ethel Grace Cartledge

For gallantry and devotion to duty during an enemy air raid. She was of the greatest assistance in keeping the workers steady. Although both her shoes were blown off during the explosion, Forewoman Cartledge continued to carry out her duties after being wounded in the foot by some fallen wreckage.

The phrase 'keeping the workers steady' conjours up a great picture of Miss Cartledge, who was, at that time, just 22 years old.

Sue

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Sue

Am I correct in saying that this incident was the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital, Bologne where three Canadian Nursing Sisters were killed or was this another incident on the same date.

Tony

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Tony

I think they were two separate incidents. A short biography of Ethel Cartledge gives the location as:

'At Mautort on the night of 29-30th May 1918'

And Mautort is, I think, near Abbeville. So assuming that all three women were involved in the same action [no reason not to believe it!] it was not the Canadian Hospital.

Sue

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No woman won the DCM during the 1914-18 War. They were not eligible.

Norman

Apologies all round - I was quoting what I remembered my father saying about his aunt - but obviously he and I were wrong. This would also explain why there is no trace of the medal now!!

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Hi Jim, :)

Very, very many thanks for that, it is fascinating information, and far more detail than I thought there would be.

I not sure why, but this has really captured my interest and I think I will try to find out more about them.

Thanks again.

Cheers

Tim.

Tim

This might be of interest. I put it together from bits and pieces posted on the forum.

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  • 1 year later...

barrowford1914

Excellent! But can you give me the name of the publication and date please to include with the cutting for Alice.

Tony

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Fallen in the fight - Farnworth and kearsley men who died in the great war 1914-1918 by neil and sue richardson published 1990

isbn 1852160586

published by neil richardson

andy

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