WINIFRED M. BURTON 

The R.o.H. plaque at St. Mary’s Weaverham records a Winifred M. Burton. Also listed on the R.o.H. are a C. E. Burton and a R. A. Burton. These lads are Winifred’s brothers as shown in the census data.

Cheshirebmd records the birth of a Winifred M. Burton in 1888 in Weaverham. Following the family through the Census information, the 1911 census has Winifred age 23, single, visiting the James Caldwell family at 41 Albion St. New Brighton. Winifred was born in Weaverham. The 1901 census has the Burton family living at “The Limes” in Weaverham with Margaret, wife, Winifred daughter and Clifford son. We need to go back to the 1891 census to find Richard, son who was then just one. There is an older sister Margaret (G) who was 6 years old at that time. The family then living on Grange View, Weaverham.

Information supplied by the Cheshire Military Museum for Margaret Gleave, specifically a copy of a supplement to The London Gazette, being the Sixth Supplement of Tuesday 8th July 1919, and which includes reference to Winifred, “Burton, Sec. Leader Miss W.M. Motor Amb. Convoy, V.A.D.” This looks like Weaverham’s Winifred M. Burton.

N.A.M.C. have a medal card for a Winifred M. Burton, Voluntary Aid Detachment British Red Cross Society awarded 15 Star medal with the Date of Entry 7-11-15.

Winifred M. Burton was found on vad.redcross.org.uk, there were two cards, the first records; Miss Winifred Burton of Tilston Hayes, Weaverham, Cheshire, Age 27. Date of Engagement 7:11:15; Rank Chauffeuse; Date of termination 9:2:19; Honours awarded, Mention. Pay at Termination: N/A; Particulars of Duties: N/A; Whole of Part Time: N/A; Additional Information: Allied Forces Base Hosp. Etaples 7/11/1915, Transferred to Paris Convey 27/7/1918 to 9/2/1919; Department: J.W. V.A.D.; Commission: London/146; Certificate No: N/A; Honours Awarded: N/A;

The online forces war information records Winifred Mary Burton Cert. No 6877 Passport No 56102 Chauffeur, year 1914 Red Cross.

There is a VAD Card dated 10/6/1919 with a received stamp dated 17th July 1919. Confirms data above plus Honours Awarded “Mention 23/5/18.” Also a card for Period of Service, which confirms data above, Allied Forces Base Hosp. Etaples 7/11/1915, Transferred to Paris Convey 27/7/1918 to 9/2/1919; A second page starts by confirming the address; Service from Enrolled 14/10/1915; Rank at Engagement Section Leader (jc); Engagement 04/1916 and still working Feb 1919. Particulars of Duties Motor Driver – Motor Unit – France.

With the help of a Weaverham lady, contact was made with Mr. David Burton, Winifred was David's Aunt, David had just a little information he was able to share; “Soon after her war time service ended she moved to London, where she worked for a stockbroker. I would visit her occasionally and Winifred would take me to lunch at the V.A.D. club. [The Club's first home was at Queen Anne House, number 28 Cavendish Square - Marshall Thomson's Hotel, mentioned in Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair'.] This is where she would talk, with her friends and colleagues, about the horrors she witnessed of the wounded soldiers coming back from the trenches. David said, like his father, Richard, Winifred and many of those returning from France did not like to talk about their experiences. Winifred did not marry or have any children.”

The 1921 Census has Winifred living in Lambeth, a boarder, she was working as a secretary.

The following is general detail about the number of hospitals operating in Winifred's area of operation and a little information of V.A.D. work for Motor Units in France. It is very likely that it would be these hospitals that Winifred would be based at or driving the wounded to and from.

Long Long Trail details the following Military Hospital at Etaples; No 6 British Red Cross July 15 – June 18; No 7 British Red Cross Aug. 15 – Nov. 15; No 23 General June 15 – Nov. 16; No 23 General June 15 – Nov. 19; No 24 General June 15 – July 19; No 46 Stationary July 15 – June 19; No 51 General (VD) Oct. 16 – Oct. 19; No 56 General May. 17 – Apr. 19; St Johns Ambulance Brigade Hospital July 15;

Then at Paris; Detention Hospital Aug. 16 onward; Stationary Hospital June 18 – May 19; There were also Operating Centres based in Paris; Abbecourt: Jan. 18 – Mar. 18; Authie: Jan. 17 – Feb. 17; Estaires: Oct. 18 – Nov. 18; Harbarcq: May 16 – July 17; Pozieres: June 16 to Dec. 16 and Mar. 17 onward; Warloy: Apr. 16 – Jan. 17.

Thelka Bowser wrote the book “The Story of BRITISH V.A.D. WORK in the Great War”. The book was issued in 1917 and seems to be a V.A.D. promotional piece of work. Thelka Bowser was a V.A.D. nurse and about Motor V.A.D. Units in France and the following is information from the Commandant; “We are a Convey of thirty-seven ambulances, one small lorry and one workshop, with a staff of forty V.A.D. members, one orderly, four mechanics, and one man officer, called Transport Officer. Our ambulances deal with stretcher cases chiefly, as buses still run for sitting cases; but we also do lots of odd jobs. We feel that it is a great honour for our girls to be allowed to drive at funerals, though it is very trying work when relatives sit on the front seat of the ambulances. The girls do all the work on their cars exactly as men do, cleaning, oiling and greasing them and changing tyres; but they do not do adjustments as the men on the Conveys are not allowed to do that either. Our girls drive very carefully and well.”

Thelka Bowser goes on to say “In a motor unit roll call is at 7:30am, at which all the girls must be present, even though they may have been out driving part of the night. They work on their cars, except for an interval for breakfast, till 10:30am, when the Commandant holds engine inspection. The Convey is divided into two sections, with a Section Leader and Sub-Section Leader to each. One section does all the odd driving for the day, whilst the other section provides all the orderlies who have to do the cleaning duties in the house. The sections alternate their duties day by day. For convoys or evacuations the whole strength of the unit is out.”

Research Bob H.