Page 45 - QARANC Vol 18 No 1 2020

The Gazette QARANC Association 43
Obituaries
Kathleen Banes (nee Tate)
27 February 1918 – 17 December 2019
Kathleen was born on 27 February 1918 in Magheramure, Eire and educated at the Convent of Mercy in Cootehill. She joined the General Hospital in Rotherham, Yorkshire in 1938 where she qualified as SRN.
She joined the QAIMNS(R) in 1942 moving to Catterick and then Woolwich prior to embarkation for North Africa. It was an eventful convoy in which the Strathallen was sunk. She recalls that when the ship was drawing alongside in Tunis a shout went up from the quayside ‘any women on board?’ which was answered ‘No, only nurses!’. She served there with 75 BGH, later moving to 103 BGH in Nocera in Italy. She subsequently served in the Facial Maxillary Unit in Barletta, the 104 BGH in Rome and finally in Greece. She met her future husband, George, as a patient in 103 BGH, marrying him in 1946.
She was extremely proud of her service with the QA’s. She leaves three children, four grandchildren, two
Kathleen in her later life
great grandchildren and many friends. She saw more of the world than many people – travelling to India and living in Jamaica as part of George’s work. She witnessed great social and political changes during her lifetime. She was great fun, loved her family, friends, and a good ‘discussion’ over a wee dram.
Kathleen as a young QAIMNS(R) sister
She never forgot her nursing training and continued to care for people unofficially throughout her life.
She died peacefully at home after a short illness on 17 December 2019.
Mary Turner
always so good to see them.
Once the children were at school,
Valerie took many worthwhile voluntary posts. She spent 19 years at the local maternity hospital as a valued volunteer in the ultrasound department, reassuring and chatting to the patients. This was as well as many duties at The Blue Bell, at the same time she worked tirelessly for Animal Rescue Cumbria, often caring for seven cats in the cattery in their own garden. She was a member of the Inner Wheel Club, including Presidency 1994/1995 and was a member of the local Church Parochial Church Council and Mothers’ Union for many years.
We always kept in touch, being godparents to one another’s children. During an arranged holiday in Paphos, Cyprus in 1987, I strolled into the bar to find brandy sours already poured. I shall never forget so much love shown to me and my young children by John
Valerie Mary Chew (nee Bates) 12 August 1936 – 26 October 2019
Valerie was born in Nuneaton where her father worked in the mining industry as a Pit Deputy of which he and the family were very proud. Sadly, an older sibling had died before Valerie was born so she was very special to them. She attended Nuneaton High school. Valerie knew from a tender age that she wanted to be a nurse, so she trained at The George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton becoming SRN, prior to midwifery training at Hammersmith and Nottinghamshire.
After a brief spell back in Nuneaton, Valerie applied for commission in QARANC and her first posting was Catterick. There she met First Lieutenant John Chew, Army Catering Corps, a reluctant national serviceman, before she was posted to BMH Dhekelia, Cyprus, early in 1961 which is where we first met in June 1961. Poor John, braving the chills of North
Yorkshire while Valerie and I worked very hard on Maternity Ward but still had time to explore the history, sights and beaches and beauty of the island which was enjoying the birth of the Republic attained in 1960. Her next move was to Louise Margaret Military Maternity Hospital. She got quite a surprise when she came into the dining room a few months later and saw me sitting there.
After completion of her three year commission, she returned to NHS at Hillingdon where John worked nearby in a hotel. They married in 1965 and moved north to Heversham in Southern Lakeland to run the family hotel. Hotel and family flourished with births of Katherine and Christopher shortly after, plus cats and dogs at all times. I was so lucky as they lived a few yards off the road I used when I visited my parents further north so I popped in, unannounced, and it was