Page 49 - QARANC Vol 14 No 12 2016

THE GAZETTE QARANC 47
Major Joan Battersby ARRC
QARANC Regimental Secretary 1974 – 1988 Vice Patron QARANC Association 1996 – 2016
Born in Derby on 16 April 1928, Joan moved with her family to Plymouth in 1931 before a further move to Leeds in 1936. Schooling with her older sister, Helen, at Allerton High School was disrupted by the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939. Joan’s father was a Territorial Officer in the Lancashire Fusiliers and reported for duty.
Joan’s mother decided to evacuate her daughters and together they all moved in with her mother’s parents in St Anne’s on Sea. The girls attended Queen Mary’s School in Lytham St Anne’s. When Joan’s grandfather died in 1941 the family had to move back to Leeds, and together with her grandmother tried to carry on. They returned to their former school. Her dream at the time was to join the attack on Hitler and Germany and she wanted to be a parachute nurse! Following the School Certificate in 1944, Joan started to fulfil her dream by being accepted for orthopaedic nurse training at Boston Spa Hospital, Leeds. In 1946 her two year course was completed and she started her State Registered Nurse training at Leeds General Infirmary.
Life for Joan was just beginning! Passing her SRN in 1950, she was promoted to Surgical Night Sister and then Sister in charge of a 40 bedded male surgical ward as Day Sister. A change in 1954 saw her join the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Nursing Corps as a Lieutenant and was soon posted to the British Military Hospital in Malaya. She served in Tidworth, Cowglen, Germany, Malta, Catterick, Hong Kong and the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot. Promotion came in 1958 to Captain and 1964 to Major. She was awarded the Associate Royal Red Cross in 1971.
Retiring her commission in 1974 to look after her elderly parents, Joan accepted a retired officer’s position at QARANC, Aldershot where she worked up until her retirement in 1988. Sadly both her parents died in 1991 within 3 months of one another. Her beloved dogs Trudy and Flora had to be put to sleep around this time too.
More sadness was to follow when Joan’s brother in law had a stroke in 1998 and died four weeks later. Joan’s dear sister then was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease just six months later and died in late 1999.
Joan’s good friends were of great help in her bereavement and she enjoyed her involvement with St Peter’s Church, Wrecclesham where she was a Server for some years.
She attended the QARANC functions in Aldershot and was invited to become a Vice Patron of the Association, enjoying the annual reunion luncheon and Annual General Meeting at the Victory Services Club in London.
Deciding to sell her flat in 2010 as arthritis took its toll, she underwent first a knee replacement and then a hip replacement. She moved into Clare Park Residential Home in Crondall and again made many friends.
In December 2013 Joan had sudden heart problems and spent Christmas in Frimley Park Hospital. Unfortunately, in April of last year when she was looking forward to a birthday break at Grayshott Hall, she contracted a nasty bout of shingles and the holiday had to be cancelled. Joan’s continuing poor health meant that she was no longer able to live at Clare Park. After a brief stay in a nursing home in Farnham, she accepted the offer to live with her niece and her husband in West Sussex. She was able to spend her last months in a family environment, celebrating Christmas with her favourite tipple, a glass of champagne, but sadly in the
New Year Joan’s health declined further and she passed away on 8 January.
Joan had a full, happy and productive life, helping others, both in her professional and private life and we will all miss her very much.
(Her deep faith was an important
part of her life. Her own father’s
father was a vicar, Rev’d William Battersby, and Joan followed her father’s example of attending weekly Holy Communion right up to becoming frail. She was visited by the Hospital Chaplain on the day she died who gave comfort to her.)
Joan was very proud of being such a well-travelled professional - she enjoyed her postings to both Europe and Asia. Each destination meant she could explore that region extensively and she had her family enthralled with her experiences of the world in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s.
Her loves and interests can be summed up as her family, her army nursing career, her faith and her love of animals, in particular her many dogs.
Mrs Tricia Dewhurst Niece
Miss Mabel Wood 1925 – 2015
It was with great sadness, I received notice of the death of Miss Mabel Wood in December via her Solicitor/Executor of her will.
She was born in Southampton and had a brother and 2 sisters, very little is known about her early years. Mabel trained in Co Durham and later became a Midwife.
We know she served with the QA’s in Malaya? 29 Field Hospital, from conversations she enjoyed with Ron Britton who served over there during 1947-48.
Mabel joined the Midland Branch in 1970 and held Office as Secretary, Treasurer and Chairman in the Midland Branch during the late 80’s to early 90’s
She could be quite stern and strict but could also be very gentle and humble and generous as when she no longer attended Branch meetings she would send a donation for the Funds. Mable was known to enjoy playing Bridge with Colleagues and Friends.
Mable sadly suffered ill health in her later years and became isolated relying on the Caretaker for shopping etc, she was known to wax lyrical about Morrison’s Bakery.
Thanks to Dorothy and Pat who had previously had contact through the Church they managed to visit late March; Reporting that she was frail and in poor health, enjoyed their company, but diverted conversation when tactfully, enquiries where made about family and whether she would consider any help or support. Dorothy left her contact number with the Caretaker. Unfortunately no further contact was made.
Rest in Peace Mabel.
Sue Reading
Chairman QARANC Association, Midland Branch