Dorothy Vlieland

[sleepybarb]

Morning everyone, I am hoping someone may be able to guide me in the right direction. The church I belong to has Dorothy Vlieland on our war roll of honour. We know she was a nurse, however she died in Exeter in June 1917. I am wondering if she may have been evacuated back to a hospital locally from the Front. Is this likely.
 Barb

[groom]

This is interesting if you haven't seen it http://jnvlieland.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/dorothy-vlieland.html   It doesn't give cause of death though as far as I can see.

There is mention elsewhere of her being awarded a military medal, perhaps if this could be traced it might give more background information?

[sleepybarb]

Thanks Groom, yes I've seen the blog. There are several trees on Ancestry, so I thought I would contact a couple and see what they know. We are currently revamping the church and the vicar has asked me to write a piece for the parish magazine. I know where she's buried and will walk to Higher Cemetary one day to see if I can find her grave.
Barb

[Treetotal]

Hi Barb...If you go to Ancestry in..."Pictures" there is a clip of her birth cert, and grave and also a couple of other notices.
Carol

[sleepybarb]

Hi Carol, thanks for that.
Barb

[Scarletwoman]

Far more likely that she was working somewhere in the UK. There were a considerable number of auxiliary military hospitals in the Exeter area, though her work could have taken her anywhere and her body returned to her home area after her death.

She has no medal index card at The National Archives which signifies no overseas service.

As for the Military Medal - that's a complete red herring.  Very few were awarded to women during the First World War and are well documented, but Dorothy Vlieland is definitely not among them so it can be discounted.

Sue

[sleepybarb]

Thanks Sue, that's what I thought as I have had a look at the medal roll. I am going to have a look and contact one of the tree owners on Ancestry. I suspect that the family attended St. Davids , which is why she's there. It's not the parish church for the family, but then I don't live in the parish either.
 Barb

[whiteout7]

No.2 VAD Hospital (is that Kings Gardens, Hove, East Sussex? Where did she work?Double check the location of number 2 V.A.D)
This one was used as weekend convalescent homes for blinded officers.

Fellow workers from No.2 V.A.D sent flowers.
The grave was lined with laurels and ferns. Laurels a symbol for recognition? Ferns a symbol of sincerety towars others perhaps?
Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD)
Is it likely she died of influenza or TB, which her patients may have brought home with them?

Death certificate would be interesting

[groom]

Wasn't the Spanish flu epidemic a bit later? I'm wondering what she did to have her name on the war roll of honour, was it just the fact she was a nurse during the war, was this normal practice?