Theirs was one of the largest losses of female life connected to the Second World War but few people know about the two Aberdeen women – and 17 others – who disappeared when their Lancaster Bomber vanished over the Mediterranean in 1945.
For Remembrance Day, with the help of north-east historians, I set about piecing together the heartrending stories of Sister Jane Curran and Private Rhoda Fraser, to pay tribute to these Granite City women anew.
The journey toward finding Jane and Rhoda began with historian Dr Alison McCall.
Part of the team behind Mapping Memorials of Women in Scotland, Alison had spotted Private Rhoda Fraser’s name – the only woman amid columns of men – on a Holburn war memorial.
“It’s not all that common to see women’s names up there,” she explained.
“As they were rarely sent to the front line, but when I started looking into it, an incredible story emerged.”
What she discovered was heartbreaking.
Just one month after VJ Day, Rhoda was returning to base from leave in Aberdeen when disaster struck.
The six-man aircrew, alongside two nurses, herself and 16 women of the Auxilliary Territorial Service, disappeared on course for Naples. Their bodies were never recovered.
Operation Dodge was their final act of service
Alison believed that Rhoda was not the only passenger on the doomed flight to come from Aberdeen. Another woman, Jane Curran, may also have been a passenger.
Seeking confirmation from the International Bomber Command Centre, I was given verification that both ladies were on board and were being ferried back to Italy as part of Operation Dodge.
A British air operation, “Dodge” sought to repatriate commonwealth and British troops of the 8th Army, and prisoners of war. The operation ran from July 1945 until May 1946.
The Aberdeen girls’ flight took off on October 4 1945.
‘The timing is particularly sad’, says historian Callum Stuart
With confirmation that both women were on board, I began searching for local clues.
I found a website image of a baptismal font with Jane Curran’s name carved into it.
The image was supplied by Aberdeen ancestry expert Callum Stuart. Through elders of the church where the font was originally stored, I was able to find Callum.
For local history talks, he had already begun his own deep dive into Jane and Rhoda’s lives.
“It feels particularly sad to me, ” he said, “that the war had just ended.
“It would have been such a lovely trip home, knowing conflict was over, only to lose their lives on the way back to helping others.
“The font is a beautiful reminder of a fascinating and tragic story to delve into.”
It should have been a time of celebration, not mourning
Sharing some of his own research with me, and after appealing to the NHS Grampian archives, I was able to research further.
Here’s what I found out about Jane’s life story.
Sister Jane Curran probably arrived back in Aberdeen just a day or two after the official end of the Second World War.
After surviving a torpedo attack on her ship heading to North Africa, then serving in Salonika and Italy, Jane was just 31 when she was granted 28 days’ leave.
However, her return trip from Glatton Airfield near Peterborough to Italy on October 4 1945 would be the last act of service she would carry out.
Such sad news so soon after Second World War ending
Accompanied by matron Gertrude Sadler, of the South African Military Nursing Service, Rhoda Fraser, and 16 other women, it took more than a month for the news of those missing to hit the Aberdeen papers.
“There seems to have been a sort of media blackout around the story,” said Alison, “though family members of others on the flight did place adverts in newspapers appealing for information.
“I think because it was such a significant loss of female life, so soon after the end of the war, such bad news wouldn’t have been readily shared.”
Nurse Jane Curran trained as a midwife before war broke out
Daughter of Ann, Jane – known as Jean – was born on June 21 1914 at 11 Fraser Road, Aberdeen. She and her mother later lived at 2 Esslemont Avenue, Aberdeen.
Jane began training as a nurse aged 18, at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Three years later she left to join Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and passed the Central Board of Midwives exams in July 1937.
From there Jane moved to the Northern Nursing Home in Aberdeen but as war began in 1939, she moved to Stracathro where a military hospital had been set up.
Jane was commissioned as a nursing sister in Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) on July 13 1942. From there she served in North Africa and Europe.
‘Terrible tragedy for the family’
Thanks to Callum’s help creating a family tree for Jane, I managed to track down some of her relatives, Norman Annand and his sister Kathleen. Their father James “Jimmy” Annand and Jane were cousins.
“My father was a gunner in the Royal Artillery, set to be stationed in Italy. He actually applied and got permission to visit Jane.
“It would have been a terrible tragedy for the Currans as they all lived together in the one block of flats in Esslemont Avenue.
“My grandparents lived in the basement, my great uncle James and Ann lived in the first-floor flat, then myself and my sister Kathleen, and my parents James and Helen, were in the top floor flat.”
Aberdeen nurse ‘had everything in front of her’
The visit Norman refers to is documented in a letter Jane wrote to her mother dated Nov 3 1944.
In it she says she wasn’t supposed to be allowed a day off but matron granted it.
She adds that Jimmy is looking “well nourished” and that she missed him. She said seeing him was “one of the happiest days” she’d had.
The sentimental letter also mentions her sweetheart Ron, asking what her mum thought of him.
“It makes me quite sad thinking about all Jean had in front of her. She was going to be married.
“It’s very, very sad. An awful thing for her mum,” added Kathleen. “It’s still a tragedy.
“We didn’t know very much as a family because it wasn’t talked about. I’m grateful to know this new information.”
Flight information makes for harrowing reading
More detail was found concerning the fateful journey too.
On October 4, a converted 1945 Lancaster I PA278, with room for 25 people took off at 12.30am, heading for RAF Pomigliano, Italy.
According to Aircrew Remembered, the aircraft’s engine failed or was hit by lightning. Evidence points to the aircraft crashing into the sea off Corsica, but after an extensive search, no wreckage or bodies were ever found.
With no heating or oxygen on board for the passengers, Flight Lieutenant Taylor radioed that he was turning back to Marseilles due to engine difficulties.
Nothing further was heard.
The pilot of another Lancaster reported seeing a flash in the sea at 4.40am, around the time the 103 Squadron Lancaster carrying Jane and Rhoda is thought to have crashed.
The day after the presumed accident aircrews were sent the instructions: “Don’t take your eyes off the ground. An aircraft is missing and we must find it.
“But don’t let your passengers know about it. The missing Lancaster was carrying 17 ATS girls to Italy from Glatton airfield, near Peterborough. It took off on October 4 and was never seen again.”
Rhona Fraser left Aberdeen fish curers to join the war effort
Private Rhoda Alice Fraser, also on board, was born on February 7 1921 at the Lodge, Newbold, Forres. Though born in Moray she grew up in Oyne, Aberdeenshire.
By 1945 she and her parents, Georgina and John Fraser, a gardener, were registered to 15 Allenvale Road, Aberdeen.
Press and Journal archives show John seeking planning permission for a greenhouse.
Rhoda joined the Auxilliary Territorial Service in 1941 having previously worked in the office of Messrs Mowatt and Sons, fish curers on South Esplanade West.
Her sister Sheila, born in 1923, served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
Rhoda was just 24 and had also been on leave when she made the calamitous return trip over the Mediterranean.
Painstaking search finds Rhoda’s family members
Callum’s belief that Rhoda’s sister had a family set me off digging through Find My Past family trees. Eventually, I found William (Bill) Cormack in Norfolk, Rhoda’s nephew.
“My mother spoke of Rhoda but I think there was a conflict of emotions, however. She was obviously devastated by the loss of her sister, but her wartime experience was a very positive one.
“It’s an odd thing, isn’t it, to know you enjoyed a time in your life that ultimately took the life of your only sister.”
‘An agonising wait for bereaved families’
It took until the following May (1946) for relatives to be given the dreadful news that their loved ones were presumed dead.
“It’s a terribly long time to wait for news,” Kathleen added, as she showed me pictures of her family.
“I do remember Jane. I was just little myself, but she was a lovely girl.”
“And we must keep remembering people like Jane and Rhoda,” added Alison.
“That women lost their lives in the aftermath of war, to help others, is no small thing.”
We will remember them…
On Remembrance Day we remember all those who lost their lives in the 103 Squadron bomber crash.
Pilot Flt Lt Geoffrey Taylor 189687 RAFVR Age 24
Flt Eng: Sgt Richard George Steel 1818104 RAFVR Age 20.
Nav: Flt Sgt Jack Anthony Reardon 1626816 RAFVR Age unknown.
WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt Norman Reginald Robbins 1894110 RAFVR Age 20.
Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt William John Kennedy 2208930 RAFVR Age unknown.
Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Lt John Percy “Johnnie” Whymark DSO DFC 53481 RAFVR Age 25.
Senior Matron Gertrude Irene Sadler, 254580 South African Military Nursing Service Age 41.
L/Cpl Williamina Allan W/23244 ATS Age 37.
Pte Phyllis Kathleen Doris Bacon W/77415 ATS Age 34.
Cpl Heather Cosens Cosens W/184715 ATS Age 25.
Pte Stefania Courtman W/PAL/203386 ATS Age early 20s.
Pte Barbara Diana Cullen MiD W/252761 ATS Age 30.
Sister Jane Simpson Annand Curran 236425 Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Age 31.
Pte Agnes Edwards W/258692 ATS Age 28.
Cpl Jill Goring W/237256 ATS Age 23.
Pte Rhoda Alice Fraser W/155271 ATS Age 24.
Pte Bessie Goodman W/143732 ATS Age 25.
L/Cpl Sheila MacLeod W/170036 ATS Age 27.
Pte Joan Larkin W/154454 ATS Age 24.
Pte Alice Lillyman W/74459 ATS Age 22.
L/Cpl May Eleanor Mann W/236937 ATS Age 23.
Pte Betty Evelyn Precious W/147946 ATS Age 24.
L/Cpl Enid Dacia Rice W/144264 ATS Age 24.
S/Sgt Jessie Ellen Semark MiD W/7326 ATS Age 29.
Pte Marion Taylor W/99752 ATS Age 22.
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