Lady Ethel Lucy Perrott A Remarkable Women.

[Bob Bedward]

Lady Perrott was a very distinguished resident of ‘my village’

Both before, during and after the great war she was Lady Commandant-in-Chief of St. John Women's Voluntary Aid Detachments,

and Lady Superintendent-in-Chief of Nursing Corps and Divisions of St. John Ambulance Brigade.

Her Times Obituary in July 1939 records that amongst all her other work she went to work in the St John Ambulance Brigade Hospital in France and was there when the hospital came under enemy fire.

The questions I would appreciate help with are -

Where was the hospital? and does anyone know when it came “under enemy fire”?

Thank you and best wishes from a very wet South Devon.

Old Jack

[Sue Light]

The St. John Ambulance Brigade Hospital was in Etaples, and was bombed on the night of 30/31st May 1918.

It might have come 'under fire' at other times, but this is the only occurrence that I can find that was of a serious nature, and for which a whole clutch of Military Medals were awarded to members of the Nursing Staff there.

Sue

[Stebie9173]

Lady Perrott gets a few mentions in the RCN Archive, though nothing specific. Her name is mentioned in relation to Etaples a few times.

http://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/

Steve.

[royalredcross]

Lady Perrott is one of our special St. John heroines. She was Lady Supt. in Chief throughout the War and for a long period her husband, Sir Herbert, was our Secretary General. They were a St. John family to the extent that her grand-daughter is a member of the Order today.

She made two visits to the St. John Hospital at Etaples on inspection tours and received the British War Medal only. Whether one of these visits coincided with the raid as detailed by Sue, I can't say but her reports at St. John's Gate may well reveal that.

Norman (OStJ)

[Bob Bedward]

Hello All - Thank you all for your help. Lady Perrott truly was a remarkable woman from a very well connected family.

She had a younger sister Hilda Hare who was a SJAB VAD Nurse in the Newton Abbot VAD Hospital from August 1914 until August 1917 followed by duty at Halkin House from December 1917 until May 1918.

Is it possible that she too spent time in France between her work at Newton Abbot and her time at Halkin House?

Thank you again for your help as always.

With best wishes

Old Jack.

[royalredcross]

The name Hilda Hare does not appear on the roll of those who served at the Brigade Hospital.

Norman