The Scottish War Graves Project

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

I am mystified - Would the letters "R.W.S." following the name of a lady on her headstone in Scotland have any relevance to a qualification or Scottish organisation?

Tony

spoons · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:46 am Post subject:

not one I've seen, can you post a photo of an example?

\Paul

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

Tony

Not a Scottish organisation, it's the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours. Now known officially as the Royal Watercolour Society

Adam

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

Paul and Adam

Sorry Paul cannot post the photo, it is not officially mine, you will have to wait until Anne Anderson posts her cemetery survey, however q.v.

Thanks Adam, I will get Anne's permission to post her name as she may well be a well known artist.

Thanks for your interest

Tony

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Lady in question.

I've left in the first line of the inscription stating she was 'daughter' of as I think Ray is usually the male version of the name, and Rae, the female. (Just so there's no doubt)

Anne

P.S. It'll be a wee while before I get round to starting a Cadder thread, I've still to transcribe most of the photos and then sort them all out in the usual order of CWGC then non-CWGC and Ray, unfortunately will be one of the last on the list.

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

Thanks Anne

So! Anybody any information as to how successful an artist she was?

Regarding her death; Weymouth was a large naval base in WW2, I am now trying to ascertain whether a major incident was the result of her death.

Tony

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

The Archivist of the Royal Watercolour Society has confirmed that there is no record of a Ray White having been a member of their society and suggests that RWS, in her case, must refer to something else.

Hoping NAAFI can come up with a suggestion that it is one of their titles!

Tony

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Grasping at straws here - Rail Way Something - Staff?

I've Railway abbreviated to RW in the past and thought maybe . . . . . ?

Anne Confused

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

Adam

I have now already considered that possibility but until NAAFI answer my question as to whether they have a Museum or Archives, don't know.

However I am in contact with a naval expert - http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1003-Intro.htm - who has researched all WW2 naval casualties and incidents and he has no record of any major incident on that particular date in Weymouth Naval Depot. He has also researched all NAAFI casualties of WW2 and has no record of that name plus he has searched death registers, not sure for where, but she does not appear there also. he is now as eager, for his own records, as I am for mine to solve this one.

Between us we have come to the conclusion that "RAY" is probably not a given name but a family pet name. Time will tell.

As I said in my email to Anne, "Killed on duty" in wartime suggests all sorts of enemy action but I have six WAAFs, 4 murdered and 2 killed by a train, all classed as "Killed on duty". If she was killed by enemy action I shall be asking CWGC why she is not recorded as a civilian. I have checked all the Whites for 1944 but no civilian for Weymouth.

I have just emailed Anne to ascertain if there is a local archive with burial records that I can contact and a local newspaper.

So a few more sleepless nights

Tony

spoons · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject:

My understanding is that for civilians to be included on CWGC they must be killed by enemy action. There is a NAAFI lass on the Dalry memorial and she is not listed on CWGC. Also there is a grave to T E Perks in Troqueer cemetery, he was a civilian engineer on an RAF plane that crashed in a training accident, even he is not given CWGC status although he does have a War Office provided stone and is buried next to his pilot who is given CWGC status.

\Paul

spoons · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 1:03 pm Post subject:

My best guess is that RWS is the Army unit she was serving with at the time of her death.

Queens (Royal West Surry) Regiment ?

http://www.1914-1918.net/queens.htm

\Paul

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

Possibility if they had a depot there in WW2. Will put a question on WW2Talk

Tony

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

Hello All!

Having now recieved her Death Cetificate the initials R.W.S. after her name are in fact her rank/status in NAAFI = Restaurant and Welfare Superintendent.

We live and learn!

Cause of death in the Cemetery posting.

Tony

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

We live and learn right enough! Laughing

What's the chances of coming across that again?!

Anne