Martha Heafield and Ellen Quinn - Maltby War Book

Discussion in 'The Women of WW2' started by JRCowie, Dec 9, 2010.

  1. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Hi All

    Maltby in South Yorkshire produced a "War Book" after WW2 - I am currently researching all the names therein, plus the local War Memorial on the Crags, the local Church and the Colliery Memorials.

    There are two women mentioned in the War Book - for which I would like more information - the ladies in question are:-

    Miss Ellen Winifred Quin and Martha Heafield

    Any help will be much appreciated

    Thanks and Regards

    John
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    hello John

    there is the name Quin mentioned below
    the number next her shows she was in Royal Army Service Corps

    Sister ELLEN WINIFRED QUIN

    213355, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
    who died age 41
    on 02 July 1943
    Daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Quin.
    Remembered with honour
    BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL

    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35381/supplements/7099/page.pdf

    not sure if this is the person you are after
     

    Attached Files:

  3. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Hi CL1

    Thank you so much for the information - vey much appreciated - I am guessing that as Sister Quin is commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial - she died at sea?

    Regards

    John
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    hello John

    have attached the Brookwood memorial panel for you

    regards
    Clive
     
  5. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    John
    There were three Nursing Sisters died on the same date and commemorated on Brookwood Memorial. I have not been able to ascertain their causes of death or a possible connection as to the cause of death.
    The other two are Sister Eileen Eliuzabeth Rhoden, QAIMNS & May Whitehead, TANS.

    Be interested in what you discover

    Tont
     
  6. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Thanks Clive
    And so quick - do you live near the Memorial?
    Much appreciated.

    As an integral part of my research - I am trying to find photos of each man and woman plus graves where known and/or Memorials - OK with you if I include your photo, suitably referenced of course...

    Regards

    John
     
  7. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Hi Tony

    I too am looking forward in what can be discovered - will of course post all findings...

    Regards

    John
     
  8. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    John

    A search of the list of naval casualties for 2nd July 1943 only shows a 'Steamship Hoiho' sunk that day with the loss of four ABs and one Naval Chaplain.

    Although the list would not show non naval personnel I have my doubts that our Nursing Sisters would have been passengers on this vessel so it appears that 'Lost at sea' may not be the case but that is an educated guess, also the three sisters may not have died in the same incident just a coicidence.

    Tony
     
  9. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    John

    I blush with shame, I misread my list, there were four Nursing Sisters =

    Ellen Quinn and Eileen Rhoden, QAIMNS

    Annie Joblin and May Whitehead, TANS

    Tony
     
  10. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    John

    Back again after a four hour search of the web.

    I found nothing of use regarding Martha Heafield other than the Maltby Parish Church page. Also nothing further on Ellen Quinn, although CWGC and Brookwood spell it with one 'N' but Google prefers two.

    Whilst there were only five RN casualties recorded on the naval list there were 144 casualties altogether out of a total of 94 crew, 7 Gunners (probably RN) & 48 passengers.

    I have to eat my words regarding no nursing casualties on the HOIHOW as I discovered a posting on Rootsweb where somebody was seeking advice on a relative (Sister Annie Jobling) who died in the sinking.

    Further informtion on another site quoted the passengers as including "some Queen Alexandra Corps and some military medical personnel" so there is the possibility that the other three Nursing Sisters could also have been among the casualties. More research required.

    Tony
     
  11. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Hi Tony

    Thanks for information - I will try and find a full casualty list for the SS Hoihow to confirm if the four Sister's were on board - I guess you have also found a photo of the SS Hoihow (I will try and post it later) - Which was a British Cargo Steamer of 2,798 tons. On the 2nd July 1943 when on route from MAURITIUS for TAMATAVE she was torpedoed by German sunmarine U-181 and sunk with the loss of 144 persons from a compliment of 149.

    Thanks again

    Regards

    John
     
  12. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Hi Tony

    Thanks for the information, next task is to find a casualty list for the ship - one must exist - to confirm if the four Sisters were on board.

    SS Hoihow was a British Cargo Steamer of 2,798 tons on route from Mauritius to Tamatave, Madagascar she was torpedoed by German submarine U-181 and sunk on 02 July 1943, 144 people lost from a total of 149 on board.

    Thanks and Regards

    John
     
  13. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Thanks Clive
    And so quick - do you live near the Memorial?
    Much appreciated.

    As an integral part of my research - I am trying to find photos of each man and woman plus graves where known and/or Memorials - OK with you if I include your photo, suitably referenced of course...

    Regards

    John

    Hello John

    I took photos of all the panels at Brookwood
    please feel free to use ,just give WW2talk a mention if you dont mind.

    regards
    Clive
     
  14. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    John
    You already have a lot of this info, but I haven't found a crew list for the Hoihow (or Hoi How) but have put this together which may be of interest to others.

    001 BEAUMONT EG 1426573 25 COAST REGT 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    002 BROWN J 168374 1 COAST REGT MAURITIUS 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    003 BUDD FG 40188 2ND BN 02/07/1943 RIFLE BRIGADE
    004 CORBETT J 7377739 - 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS
    005 CUSHING HV 146886 1 COAST BTY MAURITIUS 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    006 DOYLE JO 11666 FORMERLY CDG 5TH AA NORTH STAFFS REGT SECONDED TO GENERAL STAFF EAST AFRICAN COMMAND 02/07/1943 NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT
    007 JACKSON JE 11005382 25 COAST REGT 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    008 JOBLING A 213643 - 02/07/1943 TERRITORIAL ARMY NURSING SERVICE
    009 JOHNSON G 6102288 302 BTY, 95 LT AA REGT 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    010 LAWRENCE RHP 1787193 25 COAST REGT 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    011 LAWSON GE 856679 25 BTY, 1 COAST REGT 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    012 MARSHALL J 2699599 - 02/07/1943 SCOTS GUARDS
    013 NORRIS NF 856678 25 COAST REGT 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    014 QUIN EW 213355 - 02/07/1943 QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S IMPERIAL MILITARY NURSING SERVICE
    015 QUINN E 1422839 1 MAURITIUS COAST REGT 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    016 RHODEN EE 213356 - 02/07/1943 QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S IMPERIAL MILITARY NURSING SERVICE
    017 SCOTT JAC 177419 - 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY
    018 STOKES W 4036055 - 02/07/1943 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    019 WATT RAS 244049 - 02/07/1943 ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS
    020 WHITEHEAD M 215742 - 02/07/1943 TERRITORIAL ARMY NURSING SERVICE
    001 BERRY AG - SS HOIHOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    002 CHRISTIE WM - SS HOIHOW LONDON 07/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    003 CONSTABLE GB - SS HOIHOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    004 RYDE RLB - SS HOIHOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    005 THORNE HA - SS HOIHOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    006 VAN MILLINGEN JHT - SS HOIHOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    007 WENSLEY GR - SS HOIHOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    008 WORSLEY J - SS HOIHOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY
    001 GAMBLE JL - SS HOI HOW LONDON 02/07/1943 MERCHANT NAVY

    Name: HARE, WILFRED REGINALD. Rank: Civilian. Age: 34. Date of Death: 02/07/1943
    Additional information: Admiralty. Son of Maud Hare, of 5 St. John's Terrace, East Boldon, Co. Durham, and of the late Richard L. Hare. Reporting Authority: S.S. "HOI HOW"

    Name: MUMFORD, HUGH CHARLES. Rank: Civilian. Date of Death: 02/07/1943
    Additional information: Husband of E. M. Mumford, of 11 Long Walk, Scarborough, Yorkshire.
    Reporting Authority: S.S. "HOI HOW"

    Name: WOOD, HARRY MELVILLE. Rank: Civilian. Date of Death: 02/07/1943
    Additional information: Admiralty. Son of Joseph and Amy Wood, of 35 Westbourne Grove, Harpurhey, Manchester. Reporting Authority: S.S. "HOI HOW"

    McNaughtan, Francis Colin, Merchant Navy Second Engineer Officer
    001 MCNAUGHTAN FC - SS HOIHOW LONDON, ENGLAND 02/07/1943 CANADIAN MERCHANT NAVY

    Name Hoihow. Type Steam passenger ship. Tonnage 2,798 tons
    Completed 1933 - Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co of Hong Kong Ltd, Hong Kong
    Owner China Navigation Co Ltd, London Homeport London Date of attack 2 Jul 1943 Nationality: British

    Fate Sunk by U-181 (Wolfgang Lüth) Position 19.30S, 55.30E - Grid KG 4937. Complement 149 (145 dead and 4 survivors).
    Route Port Louis, Mauritius - Tamatave, Madagascar. Cargo Passengers
    History Notes on loss: At 21.07 hours on 2 Jul, 1943, the unescorted Hoihow (Master William Mackensie Christie) was hit by two torpedoes from U-181 and sank by the bow within 3 minutes 105 miles west-northwest of Mauritius. At 02.00 hours on 1 July, the U-boat had spotted three freighters in the harbour of Port Louis, Mauritius and waited for them to leave. Two of them left in the morning on 2 July, the second was Hoihow which was then chased for about 10 hours and sunk. The master, 90 crew members, seven gunners and 47 passengers were lost. Three crew members and one passenger were picked up by the American steam merchant Mormacswan and landed at Montevideo on 25 July.

    Possible additional victims...

    Name: HILL, LINDON. Rank: Gunner
    Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery. Unit Text: 1 Maritime Regt.
    Age: 28. Date of Death: 02/07/1943. Service No: 3252533
    Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 80, Column 3. Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

    Name: MINTON, EDWARD JOHN. Rank: Gunner
    Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery. Unit Text: 1 Maritime Regt.
    Age: 26. Date of Death: 02/07/1943. Service No: 6289056
    Additional information: Husband of Joyce Minton, of Maidstone, Kent.
    Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 80, Column 3. Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

    Possibly others such as on Chatham Memorial, HMS President III or East African AMC/ASC etc who are commemorated on various Memorials may have been aboard.
    Geoffs Search Engine also turns up 78 Indian crew for Hoihow.
     
  15. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Thanks Kevin

    That confirms that all four Nursing Sisters were casualties of the sinking.
     
  16. Rita

    Rita Junior Member

    SISTER ELLEN WINIFRED QUIN
    Hello John.
    I am also researching Ellen Winifred Quin who was born at Clowne in Derbyshire. I have found the information about the HOIHOW which was sunk in the Indian Ocean on 2 7 43.I have been in touch with the Imperial War Museum to ask for help. I have also e-mailed G Duncan in Australia. He wrote the book "More maritime disasters of WW2" but as yet have received no reply I can let you have any more information that I have about ellen.

    Rita
     
  17. museum

    museum Junior Member

    Hello

    I am researching all the men on my town war memorial, Chesham in Bucks & Ronald is one of the WWII casualties. I knew little about the circumstances of his death, other than he 'died at sea' until I came across these threads so thanks very much.

    He was born 1906 in Amersham, Bucks to bricklayer's labourer Harry & Harriet Lily (nee Glenister) & was the only son of their 7 children. By 1911 the family were in Chesham. In 1933 he married Catherine Mackenzie & at the time of his death she was living in a village in the Rhondda Valley in Wales.

    He is commemorated at Brookwood so I would very much appreciate photos of the panels, also fo the ship. I should of course credit WW2Talk.

    Why was 25 Coast based at Mauritius, does anyone know?

    Many thanks for info & for your excellent site.
     
  18. Bertiesmum

    Bertiesmum Junior Member

    Hi Rita
    Have you discovered anything more on Ellen Quin? I believe she was my mothers Great Aunt.
    Kind regards Karen
     
  19. mariew61

    mariew61 New Member

    Hi My name is Marie Walker, i was born in Clowne, Ellen Quin is a direct relative of mine. I have just received a suitcase full of my Great Uncle Leo Quin's slides and paperwork, in it i have found letters from Ellen to Leo from the war, she is in Mauritius in the letters i have read so far at this time. the envelopes are marked opened by censor, im in totally in awe of this find they have been locked up in a suitcase since my Uncle Leo died in 1986. My dads mother was Agnes Quin, and it is with 1 N. I am happy to scan and send any information required. I believe a memorial was set up in Clowne for her. She was killed on one of the ships during the war i believe.
     
  20. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Hello and welcome.
    Thanks for confirming the spelling and you'll find a lot of information in the earlier posts in this thread that can help clarify things for you.
    Tonym and others spend a lot of time ensuring that None are Forgotten and I'm sure he'll appreciate any further information you can provide.
    It's one of the reasons why we post up a lot of Names, so that relatives can find links when searching the internet.
    Glad you found us and seems you have a little treasure trove to remember Ellen by.
     

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