205609 Nurse Mary Alice "Mae" Loughran Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps from:Armagh, Northern ireland My aunt, Mary Alice Loughran, left Northern Ireland between 1936 and 1939 and is suspected of going to help in the Spanish civil war. We know she was in St James Hospital and Whipps cross hospital in London in the early fortees. She lived or worked in Walthamstow. Mary Alice went England with her sister Margaret Loughran.
I found a letter from aunt Mary Alice recently which she wrote during Hitler's advance in Europe and she said she was considering marriage to a Doctor in her hospital, but equally fancied a RAF man in a military hospital she was being seconded to. The family say a telegram came from the war office to say she was missing, presumed dead. This was after she wrote to say she was returning to Carricklane house, Armagh. But she never turned up.
In the eightees I found what looked like an older photo behind an old press and took them to NI Forensic dept. I got a call to say they thought they had info but before I got there the dept was blown up by the IRA. Later an army officer rang to say he had info that she may have been in wrac and to make contact. But the details were lost in vandalism in house. The search is on again now and we have a search firm looking for records.
All her siblings died this year except my mum who is 86 years and we would like to draw closure. The Red Cross 15 yrs ago said they had no record of my aunt and the Salvation army drew a blank. I have one photo of her in uniform with a broad white head dress and small cross and trailing v shaped head dress and white dress and red cross. blue/grey shirt. It would be so great to get details of her resting place or any other next of kin.
It was always thought she died in the blitz or on a boat to Belfast. I hope there is someone somewhere who has a memory of her. Her disapperance was a heart break and has blighted my life also as I can find no closure to my aunt's whereabouts.
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