Rebecca Rees

Service: Nurse, VAD

Memorial: Capel y Garn Memorial Roll, Rhydypennau, Cardiganshire

Notes: seems to have served and survived

Reference: WaW0049

Capel y Garn

Name of Rebecca Rees, VAD, Bronceiro, who served in the War. Capel y Garn

Red Cross card

Red Cross record card for Rebecca Rees

Red Cross card (reverse)

Red Cross record card for Rebecca Rees

Ryda Rees

Place of birth: New Quay, Cardiganshire

Service: Nurse, VAD, 1915 - 1919

Death: 1919/11/16, illness / salwych

Notes: Ryda, who was 29 when she died, served at the 3rd Western Hospital, Cardiff ‘until her health broke down’.

Reference: WaW0206

Ryda Rees

Ryda’s photograph was collected by the Women’s Subcommittee of the Imperial War Museum as part of its collection of women who died during the War.

Letter

Letter to the Secretary of the Women’s Committee from Ryda’s mother Mary Rees 16th March 1920.

Red Cross record card

Red Cross Record card for Ryda Rees

Red Cross record card (reverse)

Red Cross Record card for Ryda Rees (reverse)

Sarah Ann Rees

Place of birth: Newport

Service: Assistant Cook, WAAC, Ionawr - Mawrth 1918 / January

Notes: Ann Rees applied to the WAAC as a kitchen maid; her current employment was flour packer at Star Mills, Newport. Curiously, though her religion is given as C of E, her references are from Father Hickey, Priest of St Mary’s Church, Stow Hill, and Sister Agnes of St Joseph’s Convent, and she went to Holy Cross school. Apparently she joined the WAAC without her parents’ knowledge or consent early in 1918; following correspondence from her and her mother, Ann was given a compassionate discharge on 14th March 1918.

Reference: WaW0379

Letter

Letter from Sarah Ann Rees asking for discharge from the WAAC. National Archives.

Letter

Letter from Mrs Bridget Rees, Ann’s mother, explaining why she is needed at home [1]. National Archives.

Letter

Letter from Mrs Bridget Rees, Ann’s mother, explaining why she is needed at home [2]. National Archives.

Letter

Letter from Mrs Bridget Rees, Ann’s mother, explaining why she is needed at home [3]. National Archives.

G L Reynolds

Service: Scientist, chemist, 1917

Notes: In 1915 Miss G L Reynolds was the only postgraduate student in the Chemistry department of University College Aberystwyth. At Christmas 1916 she put her research on hold when she went to do work ‘of national importance’ at the dye company Morton Sundour Fabrics in Carlisle. The dye industry had been highly dependent on German chemicals, and British expertise was needed. It is not clear whether she returned to Aberystwyth.

Reference: WaW0464

Departmental Report

Chemistry department report mentioning Miss G L Reynolds

Departmental report

Chemistry department report stating that Miss G L Reynolds had been given leave to undertake ‘research on the manufacture of special dye’ in Carlisle.

Annie Richards

Place of birth: not known

Service: Munitions worker, NEF Pembrey

Notes: Annie was being shown the process of disassembling shells by Mary Thomas [qv], when Mary collapsed and subsequently died. She gave testimony at the inquest. Annie’s address was given as The Girls Club, Alexandra Rd, Swansea, a hostel for working girls.

Reference: WaW0300

Newspaper report

Report of the inquest of Mary Thomas, Annie Richards gave evidence.

Bessie M Richards

Place of birth: Wenallt ?

Service: Girl Guide Commisioner, Girl Guides, 1915 - 1918

Notes: Bessie was obviously a leading Girl Guide, and old enough to have done some volunteering at Aberdare Red Cross Hospital. In August 1917 she was appointed Commissioner for Aberdare and Merthyr, with the object of forming new Companies in the area.

Reference: WaW0412

Newspaper report

Report of Bessie Richards’s appointment as Commissioner for Aberdare and Merthyr. Aberdare Leader 11th August 1917

Edith Richards

Service: Sister

Notes: Mother, Mimmi (Sarah) and sister, Edith, to her left, at Tom’s graveside, c.1920; Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards,‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France, 14 March 1918, aged 20 in northern France, c. 1920

Reference: WaW0080

Edith and Mimmi (Sarah) Richards

Photograph of Edith and Mimmi (Sarah) Richards, Mother and sister of Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards, at his grave in France, c.1920; Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres,France

Thomas Richards

Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France

Ella Richards

Place of birth: Lampeter

Service: Nurse, VAD

Death: 1918-10-14, Salonika, Pneumonia / Niwmonia

Memorial: War memorial, Lampeter, Cardiganshire

Notes: aged 31. buried at Mikra British Cemetery, Salonika

Sources: Cambrian News and Merionethshire/Meirionnydd Standard 9 May/Mai 1919

Reference: WaW0050

Nurse Ella Richards

Nurse Ella Richards in VAD uniform

Lampeter's War Memorial

Ella Richards's name on Lampeter War Memorial

Capel Soar 1

Ella Richards's name on War Memorial in Capel Soar

Capel Soar 2

Memorial plaque to Ella Richards, Capel Soar

Newspaper report

Ella Richards mentioned in despatches, Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard 18th July 1919

Red Cross Card

Red Cross card of Ella Richards

Red Cross Card (reverse)

Red Cross card of Ella Richards

Ethel Maud Lilian Richards

Place of birth: Cwmbran

Service: Waitress, WAAC then WRAF, 1918/03/10 – 1918/10/02

Death: 1918/10/02, Influenza ? / Ffliw ?

Memorial: Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, Shorncliffe, Kent

Notes: Ethel enlisted in the WAAC in Cardiff, and was posted to Winchester. She was transferred to the WRAF when it was established in April 1918. She was 26 when she died.

Reference: WaW0357

Grave record

Record of the grave of Ethel Richards, Shorncliffe Cemetery, Kent.

Grave register

Register including the grave of Ethel Richards in Shorncliffe Cemetery, Kent.

Mimmi (Sarah) Richards

Service: Mother

Notes: Mother, Mimmi (Sarah) and sister, Edith, to her left, at Tom’s graveside, c.1920; Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards,‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France, 14 March 1918, aged 20 in northern France, c. 1920

Reference: WaW0079

Sarah (Mimmi) and Edith Richards

Photograph of Mimmi (Sarah) and Edith Richards, Mother and sister of Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards, at his grave in France, c.1920; Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France

Thomas Richards

Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France