Midge Gillies - Army Wives: From Crimea to Afghanistan: the Real Lives of the Women Behind the Men in Uniform

From Crimea to Afghanistan: the Real Lives of the Women Behind the Men in Uniform

Midge Gillies

First published in Great Britain 2016 by Aurum Press Ltd

7477 White Lion Street

London N1 9PF

Copyright Midge Gillies 2016

Midge Gillies has asserted her moral right to be identified as the Author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Aurum Press Ltd.

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of material quoted in this book. If application is made in writing to the publisher, any omissions will be included in future editions.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Digital edition: 978-1-84513-551-4
Hardcover edition: 978-1-78131-289-6

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

Printed and bound in Great Britain by

CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY

This book is dedicated to the memory of Renee Winifred Gillies
(19222013), with love

(in alphabetical order)

Armstrong, Carol. Womens Royal Army Corps officer and wife of Richard, Major Royal Signals, who served in West Germany during the Cold War.

Baker, Phyllis. Wife of Captain Barry Custance, of the Royal Corps of Signals, 27 Line Section, who served in the Far East during the Second World War.

Boardman, Irene (Renee). Wife of Tom, Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC), who served in the Far East during the Second World War.

Booty, Dolly. Wife of Ernest, private in the Durham Light Infantry held as prisoner of war in Europe during the Second World War.

Butler, Lady Elizabeth. Painter and wife of William, Brigadier-General and career soldier, who served around the world.

Butler, Ellen (or Nell). Wife of Michael, a private in the 95th Derbyshire, who served in Crimea.

Carnegie, Diana. Wife of James, Second Lieutenant in the 352 Search Light Battery, Royal Artillery during the Second World War .

Churchill, Clementine. Wife of Winston, served 191516, Western front with Grenadier Guards, appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding 6th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers.

Cove, Ethel. Wife of Gunner Wilfrid, Royal Garrison Artillery, who served in the First World War.

Cresswell, Adelaide. Married to captain in the 8th Hussars, who served in Crimea.

Dhonau, Rachel. Mass Observation diarist living in Norfolk and wife of Ernest, Jakob, a private in the Intelligence Service during World War Two.

Duberly, Fanny. Diarist and wife of Henry, Paymaster to the 8th Royal Irish Hussars, who served in Crimea, India and other parts of Britain.

Duffield, Daisy. Wife who passed on messages from German radio during the Second World War to relatives of soldiers held as prisoners of war.

Erroll, Lady Eliza. Wife of officer in the 60th Rifles, served in Crimea.

Evans, Elizabeth. Wife of William, who served in Crimea and India with the 4th (Kings Own) Regiment of Foot.

Forrest, Annie. Wife of Major William of the 4th Dragoon Guards, who served in Crimea.

Gillies, Agnes. Wife of Alec, driver in B company, 17th Division, Royal Field Artillery in the First World War.

Gillies, Rebecca. Wife of Donald, 1st Dunbartonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps and, later, sergeant in the 72nd Field Ambulance in the First World War; father of Alec.

Gillies, Renee. Wife of Donald, Sergeant Major in the Scots Guard during the Second World War; son of Alec.

Hannay, Margaret Campbell. Wife of Lieutenant Simon Fraser of the 50th Regiment Native Infantry, who spent his career in India.

Inglis, Lady Julia. Wife of Brigadier John, who commanded the garrison at Lucknow in India.

Kaye, Mollie. Novelist and wife of Goff Hamilton, an officer in Queen Victorias Own Corps of Guides; daughter of Sir Cecil Kaye.

Kelly, Peggy. Wife of Brian, a commando in the Second World War, and later, a police officer.

Leland, Lena. Wife of Captain Herbert John Collett, 1st South Staffordshire Regiment, who served in the First World War.

Macnaghten, Hazel. Wife of Angus, an officer in the Black Watch in the First World War.

Middleton, Sue. Wife of Richard, Captain in the Royal Artillery, who served in Cold War Germany and elsewhere.

Sheridan, Clare. Sculptor and wife of William Frederick Wilfred, captain in the Rifle Brigade during the First World War.

Speller, Elizabeth. Novelist and wife of Roger Bolter, Second Lieutenant who served in Cold War West Germany.

Stephens, Eleanore. Wife of Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald of the 2nd battalion of Rifle Brigade, who served in the First World War.

Tolkien, Edith. Wife of John Ronald Reuel, 2nd lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers, served in the First World War.

Tytler, Harriet. Diarist and wife of Robert, officer in 38th Native Infantry, who served in India and the Andaman Islands.

Wells, Frances Janet or Fanny. Wife of Walter, who was a doctor in the 48th Native Infantry, who served in India.

Wilton, Barbara. Wife of Chris, an officer in the Army Air Corps (AAC), who served in Northern Ireland, Cold War Germany, Canada, the Middle East and Africa.

Wright, Ada. Wife of Robert Thomas, 23rd battalion, Lance Corporal, County of London, who served in the First World War.

Theres something about a soldier

Theres something about a soldier

That is fine fine fine

He may be a great big general

He may be a sergeant major

He may be a simple private of the line line line

But theres something about his bearing, something about his wearing

Something about his buttons all a-shine shine shine

O a military gent seems to suit the ladies best

Theres something about a soldier that is fine fine fine.

(composed by Noel Gay, performed by Cicely Courtneidge in the film Soldiers of the King, 1933 )

B arbara Wiltons spice rack is over forty years old. But she has no intention of replacing it. While the jars promise a now slightly jaded taste of the exotic through ginger, pepper and paprika, the foreign names scribbled on the back still vividly conjure up the wandering life of an army wife. The list also represents an alternative narrative of recent British foreign policy, through the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the Cold War to a new world of diplomacy.