Hi All, A bit of an obscure post here I feel. Agnes McGeary, a Matron at the 19th Casualty Clearing Station in Assam (Imphal, I think), is famous for tending the sick and wounded Chindits from both operations in 1943/44. She was with the Q.A.R.A.N.C. and was awarded the MBE for her services to these men. She was very well regarded by all the Chindit soldiers and is famously remembered for nursing Wingate back to health in early 1944, when he had contracted typhoid from a dodgy water source in North Africa. Firstly, is there any in depth detail written about her anywhere? Secondly, has anyone ever come across a photograph of her? Lastly, does anyone know of any other Nurses or medical staff who tended the 1943 Chindits in particular, in this location during WW2. Many thanks. Bamboo.
Steve I found this QARANC - Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps look under the heading about the Royal Red Cross there is a mention of her there.
Jason, Many thanks for that find. She is a bit of a star in Chindit cirlces. Good to have a couple of books to source, with the chance of some more names from her nursing team. Cheers. Bamboo.
Hi Steve, Imperial war Museum hold a silver cigarette case presented to her by Orde Wingate for tending the Chindits. Also, this lady also nursed the chindits, not sure about which CCS though (think 19 was an Indian Army CCS?) This is Ivy Pritchard Pete
Hi Pete, Thanks for that one. All I am doing is trying to extend my Longcloth Roll into other related areas. I know Agnes McGeary nursed the original 1943 Chindits at Imphal. She then tended to Wingate himself, just before the off in 1944 and then obviously the sick and wounded from that campaign. I wonder if the cigarette case was a personal gift or one that represented the whole scenario. Apparantly she was one of the very few people who could control Wingate and issue him instruction. Bamboo.
Sorry to digress, but was Wingate connected in some way to Woolwich in London. Saw mention of a memorial headstone at Woolwich Cemetery, but could not find it. I know he's buried at Arlington National Cemetery, so curious to know. Cheers - Rob
From Wikipedia Orde Wingate was originally buried at the site of the air crash in the Naga Hills in 1944. In April 1947, his remains, and those of other victims of the crash, were moved to the British Military Cemetery in Imphal, India. In November 1950, all the remains were reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia in keeping with the custom of repatriating remains in mass graves to the country of origin of the majority of the soldiers. and little more from here: Orde Charles Wingate, Major General, British Army In many ways it would have been fitting to have left this interment undisturbed hut in due course the British War Graves authorities removed the remains to lmphal. Later, without consent or knowledge of my family the remains were again dug up and removed to Arlington Cemetery, Washington, USA. This was done upon an agreement made between the British and American Courts, that where bodies were buried unidentified in a mass grave the Americans had the right to have re-interment in the States if there were more Americans than British concerned. Accordingly such remains (and none, I repeat, were identifiable) of my brother as may have been found and interred with the rest are now in Arlington Cemetery.
Hi All, When the decision was made to move the entire remains of the crash site to the U.S. it did upset quite a few people, not least the Wingate family. But as Sol has correctly stated it was the strict repatriation policy of the United States that resulted in Wingate, his Adjutant George Borrow and the English journalists all being remembered at Arlington. Rob, Wingate was originally a young officer in the Royal Artillery, so I guess that is where the Woolwich connection is from. Bamboo.
I am led to believe that Orde Wingate may have lived in Sidcup, Kent for part of his life (this I have yet to confirm). Not a million miles from Woolwich. Although the area was becoming heavily developed during the 1930's, which I suspect was around the time he would have lived there. I would assume he may have lived in one of the bigger properties as Sidcup was a rural place prior to the 1930's. Orde Jonathan Wingate (O.C. Wingates son) was married in Maidstone district in 1976. Again this is not a great distance from Sidcup and I'm wondering if OC's wife lived / stayed in Sidcup after OC's death. If anyone knows more or can confirm this I would be most grateful. Ed.
Ed I wonder if Wingate's name appears on the War Memorial in Sidcup, It's opposite the Registry Office and next to the green where they occasionally have funfairs. Have also got to go to Woolwich Cemetery again as rain stopped play last time I went. Will look for the Wingate Memorial again. Interesting also how Wingate's remains and those of the others got to end up in Arlington. Going off thread here, so apologies to Matron Agnes McGeary. Rob
Just getting back to matron McGeary - i just read about her in Col. Michael Hickey's book, The Unforgettable Army, (p93). She was known as 'Sister Saf Karo' (make it clean), and even nursed Mountbatten the Supreme Commander.
Hi Peter, Many thanks for this piece of information. That is a nice little gem for my notes on Matron McGeary. I have just picked up some more information on her from the War Diary of the 19th Casualty Clearing Station, Imphal in 1942-3. She was a very strong and determined lady and like many Matron's of her era, ruled with a rod of iron. The Chindits and their leader owe a great debt to this nurse. Welcome to the forum and thanks again. Bamboo.
Well, it is six years since I posted this thread and I have finally written something about Matron McGearey: http://www.chinditslongcloth1943.com/matron-agnes-mcgearey.html
Bamboo, that's a wonderful write up. Reminds me of my sister and how she used to run her wards and the type of nurse she learnt her skills from. Sadly most nursing is now learnt in colleges and the majority of training is no longer ward based. She was in despair in recent years over this change as newly qualified nurses came onto the wards refusing to clean up bodily fluids etc believing this to be a cleaners job. Many giving up their career as this aspect of nursing they thought beneath them, while the foreign nurses are still being trained to this level of care. Your article reminds me of this BBC program on iplayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07k7rbn/matron-medicine-and-me-70-years-of-the-nhs-4-miriam-margolyes I'm now out of credits for Scotlandspeople but Agnes was born 1909 in the Bellshill District and she appears to be in the Dennistoun District as a two year old on the 1911 Census. Next time I get credits I'll open these records for you. The McGearey spelling is the correct one by the way. Thanks for sharing that excellent piece of work.
Thanks Maria. Realising the correct spelling was McGearey opened up some more details for me on Ancestry. In every book, official document and even on Wingate's gift of the silver cigarette case, it features without the second e. Anything you might find would be most appreciated. She was a truly wonderful woman, such a shame my own grandfather did not return to India, to be nursed back to health by her efforts.
