Nurse Jennifer Maude Owens Served F+F

[geraint]

I'm attempting to locate where my great aunt would have been located. DOB 12 Feb 1890, born at Pwllheli, Gwynedd.

VAD resignation acceptance letter states that she ended Special Service on 7 Oct 1919. A number - o.426 is handwritten on the letter.

I have a photo of her with other VADs taken at "Harrowby Camp, Machine Gun Centre, Grantham, Lincs" but no date to the photo.

This is all I have. Family history states that "she was on the Somme", and that she tended to some of her hometown injured soldiers, and later married one, who died a few years later.

Any information would be sincerely appreciated.

[Sue Light]

There's a bit of a puzzle here. I can't find a medal index card for your great-aunt, which would indicate overseas service. Perhaps a longer search, might show something up, but certainly nothing under either 'Owens' or 'Owen'. I can think of things she could have been doing with the French, but then she would not have come across home-town men, so that aspect points to the British nursing services. No British VADs served 'on the Somme' as their service was restricted to British Base or Red Cross Hospitals, mainly situated on or towards the coast, so that little bit of family history is not quite accurate - Abbeville of course is situated on the river of that name, but nowhere near the battlefields.

You don't mention the origin of the resignation letter, but if you have not already done so, the best plan would be to contact the British Red Cross Society for a copy of any surviving service record they have for her - hopefully that will give her postings with dates.

British Red Cross personnel records

Sue

[geraint]

Sue

Thanks for the info. The letter reads

Joint Women's VAD Dept

52 Grosvernor Gardens London

7-10-19

Dear Madam

I beg to inform you that your resignation has been placed before the Selection Board. Understanding that you do not wish to serve again the Board have accepted your resignation from Special Service; at the same time please accept the grateful thanks of the Joint Societies of the British Red Cross and the Order of St John for your past services.

Yours truly

Margaret Ampthill

To Miss JM Owens 0.426

What exactly does 'Special Services' mean?

Also, what is the significance of the group photo at Harrowby Machine Gun Camp?

Havn't contacted Red Cross yet, but will do asap!

Appreciated!

Geraint

[Sue Light]

Geraint

I believe that 'Special Service' refers to the type of contract she had with the BRCS, rather than a description of the actual duties she undertook, but I don't have exact details of the conditions it involved. After the Armistice many of the camps in the UK were still functioning for some time, and VADs were employed to work in the sick bays, minor injury units and recreation facilities. I imagine that Harrowby Camp was one of these places where they continued to work until either demobilisation or camp closure.

Sue

[geraint]

Sue

Appreciated!!!