Page 26 - QARANC Vol 16 No 1 2018

24 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Corps Heritage Matters
June Christine HOSKINS RRC TD
One of the many benefits to the Association following the setting up of the Heritage and Chattels subcommittee has been our increased ability to respond to enquiries of an historic nature, as well as to respond to enquiries about previous members of the Corps. I certainly enjoy replying to the many historical enquries and relish the challenge of helping people with their family history research. It’s evident that former members of the Corps relish their time in the Armed Forces, and keep their medals and other Corps memorabilia to pass on to their descendants. Sadly, some families fail to realise the personal significance of medals and other items, and many find their way on to eBay and other auction sites. Military memorabilia belonging to women seems to attract a high premium, and many items sell for sums far in excess of similar items belonging to men. We are grateful therefore when families contact us for advice about disposal of memorabilia, and we are fortunate indeed when a family makes the decision to gift items to the Association.
Regimental HQ was contacted in late 2017 by Stephanie Evans of British Columbia, Canada, who is the sister of the late June Christine Hoskins. Stephanie had inherited June’s medals, including the RRC awarded to her in
1978 (New Year Honours List, 1978). She was keen that the medals were not put up for sale, and wished them to be cared for in perpetuity. Lt Col (Retd) Keiron Spires, Chair of the Association Heritage and Chattels Committee began corresponding with Stephanie, and as a result, June’s medals were very kindly gifted by her family to the Association.
The package of medals arrived from Canada in early January 2018 and, included with her RRC and Territorial Decoration (TD), were her training school badge and QARANC Association badge. These four items help to tell the story of an interesting career in the NHS and QARANC, and Stephanie kindly provided a summary of her sister’s life and career.
June was born in 1933 in Tenbury Wells, Worcester, and became a pre- nursing student at the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital, Taplow in Berkshire. From here she progressed to SRN, training at Birmingham General Hospital. Stephanie reports that June was appointed as a ward sister at the very young age of 21.
June joined QARANC in 1962 on a four year short service commission, and served in BAOR at BMH Berlin and BMH Rinteln. On completion of her commission, she was accepted into the QARANC Territorial Army, serving with Midland General Hospital. She
was appointed Deputy Matron and then Matron, retiring in 1978, when she was decorated by the Queen with the RRC.
From 1980 she worked in South Shropshire in charge of the district midwifery, health visiting and district nursing service. She became the project manager for the reorganisation of community nursing and midwifery services for all of Shropshire.
June was active in her retirement, becoming a town councillor for Craven Arms, Shropshire, and a district councillor for South Shropshire, where she took an interest in planning issues. She was instrumental in the restoration of the Craven Arms War Memorial, and helped to establish the Secret Hills Discovery Centre. She also ran a local Bridge club, and trained as an English Bridge Advisor.
June died on 9 July 2017 at the age of 84 years.
The Association is very grateful to Stephanie Evans for the gift of June’s medals, and it is hoped that they can be put on temporary display at RHQ in Robertson House, Camberley.
Major (Retd) Alison Spires QARANC Association Heritage and Chattels Committee
Channel 5
Hidden Histories
RHQ has received the request below from Channel 5 TV. If you are interested please contact Celine Fitzmaurice direct (details below) and not RHQ.
Hidden Histories is a series presented by Michael Portillo on Channel 5 TV. Across the five episodes, Michael accesses abandoned and disused buildings to unearth their rich histories, showing us what they looked like in their heyday through archive photographs and film; but these places only truly come alive when he meets the
people who once lived and worked there, hearing their unique stories. As many of these buildings are soon to be redeveloped or demolished, this series offers us a last chance to peek inside before they change forever.
One of our possible locations is the Cambridge Military Hospital. We would love to hear from anyone who used to work there, to hear your experiences and memories of the place.
Please contact: Celine Fitzmaurice Celine.fitzmaurice@transparent.tv Tel: 07932 783 195