Mabel Mary Tunley

Place of birth: Pontypridd, 1870

Service: Acting Principal Matron, QAIMNS, 1903 - 1925

Notes: After serving in the Boer War, Mabel Tunley joined QAIMNS in 1903 as a staff nurse, rising to become Acting Principal Matron in France and Flanders during WWI. Among other awards, she received the Military Medal for 'exceptionally good work in assisting getting all the patients, 260, down to the cellars, so that when the Clearing Station was eventually hit not one of the patients received a scratch. Her cheeriness and courage were instrumental in keeping everyone who came in contact with her up to the mark. She was slightly wounded and remained at duty.' Bethune, 7th August 1916.

Sources: http://anurseatthefront.org.uk/names-mentioned-in-the-diaries/other-people/medical-colleagues/mabel-mary-tunley/

Reference: WaW0087

Mabel Mary Tunley

Matron Tunley

Mabel Mary Tunley (reverse)

Matron Tunley (reverse)

Mathilde Augusta Lilian Laloe

Place of birth: Carmarthen

Service: Administrator, SWH, 1916 - 1920

Notes: Lilian Laloe was the daughter of Auguste Felix Laloe, a teacher from France who became headmaster of the Queen Elixabeth Grammar School in 1874. She joined the Scottish Womens Hospitals as a cook, but was rapidly promoted to Adminstrator.

Sources: http://scottishwomenshospitals.co.uk/women/

Reference: WaW0086

Lilian Laloe (rear, second left).

Lilian Laloe (rear, second left) with Doctors from the Scottish Women's Hospital, Salonika, 1917?.

Elsie Towyn Jones (Taylor)

Place of birth: Cwmaman

Service: Administrator, WAAC, 1917 - 19

Notes: Elsie was the elder daughter of the Rev Josiah Towyn Jones, MP for East Carmarthen. As an MP’s daughter, her name appears quite frequently in Welsh newspapers. She became an ‘Official’ in the WAAC in October 1917. After a spell as transport officer, responsible for the travel arrangements of WAACs, in March 1918 she was promoted ‘quartermistress’ of the WAAC in France, responsible for all uniform supplies. In June she survived a bombing raid, and by August was back at WAAC headquarters in London using her ‘invaluable technical knowledge’ to advise Sir Douglas Haig. She became engaged to Geoffrey Moore in February 1917.

Reference: WaW0236

Newspaper article

Report of Elsie becoming a WAAC ‘Official’’, Carmarthen Journal 19th Oct 1917.

Newspaper report

Report of Elsie’s promotion to Quartermistress. Herald of Wales 23rd March 1918

Newspaper report

Report of bombing raid in France. The Cambria Daily Leader 4th June 1918

Newspaper report

Elsie Towyn Jones at WAAC headquarters. Amman Valley Chronicle 15th August 1918

London Gazette

Elsie Towyn Jones’s promotion to Administrator in August 1918, London Gazette 28th February 1919.

Elsie Towyn Jones

Elsie Towyn Jones, Amman Valley Chronicle 25th October 1917

Margaret Irene John

Place of birth: Penygraig

Service: Administrator, lady superintendent , Womens League

Notes: Margaret John, a teacher of domestic arts in Monmouthshire, who had trained in Aberystwyth, Cardiff and London, joined the Women’s Legion in 1916 as one of their skilled cooks. After some months as Lady Superintendent in Wiltshire she was sent to France as ‘area administratrix’ in October 1917.

Reference: WaW0380

Newspaper report

Report of local JP’s daughter Margaret John being posted to France. Rhondda Leader 27th October 1917.

Mary Evans

Place of birth: Trawsfynydd, 1890?

Service: Agricultural student

Notes: Mary Evans was the sister of the poet Hedd Wyn, Ellis Humphrey Evans. She was studying at Madryn Agricultural College, near Pwllheli. This letter, written in Autumn 1917, asks for money, talks about her life, and expresses hiraeth for her late brother.

Reference: WaW0097

Mary Evans letter 1

Letter from Mary Evans to her parents 1

Mary Evans letter 2

Letter from Mary Evans to her parents 2

Mary Evans letter 3

Letter from Mary Evans to her parents 3

Mary Evans letter English

Translation of Mary Evans's letter into English

Catherine Jane (Kit) Evans (Grainger)

Place of birth: Llanasa, Flintshire

Service: Agricultural worker, Womens Land Army

Death: 1969, Cause not known

Notes: Catherine, born 1896, was one of 10 children – 6 sisters and 3 brothers. At 15, in 1911, she was working at the Afon Goch Inn, Trelogan. In 1917 she joined the WLA, and seems to have been posted to the Machynlleth area. There she met and married Pte G V Grainger of the South Lancashire Regiment in 1918. Thanks to Sue Hickman.

Reference: WaW0448

Photograph

Photograph of Catherine Evans in WLA uniform with four of her sisters, left to right Harriet, Rebecca, Sarah and Miriam

Photograph

Photograph of Catherine and her future husband George Grainger.

Constance Fane Roberts

Place of birth: Llandre

Service: Army Remount Service: Gwasanaeth Ail-farchogaeth y Fyddin

Death: 1917-10-09, Motor accident/Damwain car

Memorial: Grave, Llandre, Cardiganshire

Notes: aged 22, died together with her fiance Captain Brereton Ockleston Rigby

Sources: http://www.wwwmp.co.uk/ceredigion-war-memorials/

Reference: WaW0018

Llandre Church

Grave of Constance Fane Roberts, llandre Church

Margaret Lindsay Williams

Place of birth: Cardiff

Service: Artist

Notes: Trained in Cardiff and London, Margaret Lindsay Williams lobbied to become an official war artist attached to the Welsh Division in France. This was not allowed, and she was also unsuccessful in an application to work for the Department of Industry. However she devoted her time to fund—raising for the Welsh Hospital at Netley with several exhibitions. She also had several commissions for very large works. These included Cardiff Royal Infirmary during the Great War painted in 1916, and an enormous (20 x 16 foot) painting of the Welsh National Service held in Westminster Abbey in June 1918 in support of the Welsh Prisoners of War Fund.

Sources: Margaret Lindsay Williams, 1888 – 1960: Wedded to her Art. Angela Gaffney. University of Wales 1999. https://artuk.org/discover/artists/williams-margaret-lindsay-18881960

Reference: WaW0338

Margaret Lindsay Williams

A self-portrait of Margaret Lindsay Williams, 1909

Cardiff Royal Infirmary during the Great War, 1916

The woman on the left is Elizabeth Montgomery Wilson [qv], Territorial Force Nursing Service, Principal Matron, 3rd Western Hospital. The other woman is Sister Mary Jones [qv] also Territorial Force Nursing Service.

Mary Olwen Evans

Place of birth: Llangadog, April 1896

Service: Assistant (Cook) : , QMAAC

Death: 1919-03-23, Influenza?/Y Ffliw?

Notes: aged 20, buried Ebbw Vale

Sources: http://www.wwwmp.co.uk/carmarthenshire-war-memorials/

Reference: WaW0013

Mary Ann Evans

Place of birth: Ebbw Vale

Service: Assistant cook, QMAAC

Death: 1919/03/23, Percy House Auxiliary Military Hospital, Isleworth, Middlesex, Influenza ? / Fliw ?

Notes: According to the 1911 census, Mary Ann probably came from a Welsh speaking family. Her father was a colliery foreman. She was working in Middlesex when she died, probably of influenza. Her name has recently been recorded on a commemorative headstone at Risca cemetery.

Sources: http://firstworldwar.gwentheritage.org.uk/content/catalogue_item/mary-ann-evans

Reference: WaW0283

Commemorative headstone

Headstone commemorating Mary Ann Evans, Risca cemetery.

Grave record

Grave record of Mary Ann Evans