Search on for tales of our war heroines

The search is on for the stories of the Blackpool women who died for their country.
Blackpool CenotaphBlackpool Cenotaph
Blackpool Cenotaph

The Blackpool Civic Trust is creating a list of all sandgrown women who lost their lives while serving in the First and Second World Wars.

Trust secretary Sharon Sanderon-Roberts, who is leading the search, has so far discovered the names of 12 women who died during active service. Some of the women’s names can be found on the war memorials in Blackpool and Carleton, while others were traced with the help of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

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Sharon said: “We are doing Civic Week focusing on inspirational women. I thought there must have been women who died in the First and Second World War. I’m surprised by how many I have found so far.”

Four Blackpool aircraftwomen from the Women’s Air Force lost their lives in war.

These include J Tyldesley, who died on November 6 1941, Penelope Kathleen Jung, who died on December 11 1943, Barbara Dale-Baugh, who died on August 2 1945, and Dorothy Barton, who died on December 4 1946.

From the Auxiliary Territorial Service, Private Irene Hardman died on December 21 1941, Lance Corporal Olwen Coupe died July 1 1943, Corporal Margaret Kathleen Slade, died on January 20 1944, and Private May Leeming died on February 3 1945.

Nurse Doris E. George died on September 23 1942.

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Sister Annie Jobling, of the Territorial Army nursing service, died on July 2 1943. It is believed she was serving on board a ship that was torpedoed off Mauritius.

Annie Forshaw, of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, died on October 11 1946.

Mary Clough, a nurse with the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, is the only known Blackpool woman to die on active duty in the First World War. She died in Malta on October 12 1916.

Sharon said: “I would like to find the families of these women and find out more about the people. We want to tell the stories of these women as well as the other inspirational women in Blackpool.”

n Can you help in Blackpool Civic Trust’s search for our war heroines? Call Sharon on (01253) 315162, or email [email protected].