Evelyn Mary Mackintosh
Evelyn Mary Mackintosh began her service with the Women's Royal
Naval Service in February 1918 and ended when she died in
December of the same
year.
Evelyn was born 22nd October 1895 to Duncan H. and Louisa M.
Mackintosh in Tientsin, North China where her father worked for
the Hong Kong
and Shanghai Bank. She was described as “a very healthy
jolly looking girl of the Officer type” who was "very
keen to go to the East" by Edith A May, Divisional Director
for Scotland, W.R.N.S.
Detail from Evelyn Mackintosh's WRNS medical
certificate.
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At the time she was appointed
to the WRNS she was living in Inverness and her first
appointment was as "Assistant Principal for non-administrative
duties" at
the Naval
Transport
Office at
Inverness. Her salary was £150 a year and in addition she
received a £20 uniform grant and a hat badge, which she collected
from Madam Elsmere, 146 Brompton Road, London.
Detail from Evelyn Mackintosh's performance report dated June 30th 1918.
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In November 1918 she volunteered
for service at Bizerta, a strategically important seaport in
Tunisia, as a decoder and was highly recommended by
her commanding
officer, Captain H.J. Rowley. She was turned down
as
she "had no decoding
training". This inspite of a report written by Edith A May
describing the nature of her work in Captain Rowley's office
as being "decoding
and
confidential
transport work".
Detail from letter of reference for Evelyn Mackintosh from Captain H.J Rowley.

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She
went to London to visit her mother on leave on November
30th 1918 and she came down with influenza.
This
developed
into pneumonia
and
on 18th December she died, aged 23, at 82
Campden Hill Court, Kensington, her mother’s London
home.
Detail from Death Cerificate of Evelyn Mackintosh.
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The cause of death is listed on her death certificate
as "Influenza 10 days. Double pneumonia 5 days with cardiac
failure". She is buried at Daviot Parish Churchyard, Invernesshire,
Scotland in the family
burial
plot.
Evelyn Mackintosh's service records, held at The National Archives
(catalogue reference: ADM
318/169 ),
are a fairly typical example of what you might find in the service
records of any member of the Women's
Royal Naval Service during World War I.
They include:
- Form of application & enrolment for admission
as an officer
- Certificate of moral character
- Certificate of medical examination
- Certificate of enrolment
- Appointment as officer in Women’s
Royal Naval Service
- Letters of reference
- Medical certificate
- Report of her death to Director WRNS
- A letter from Mackintosh’s
mother to Director WRNS
- Letters concerning her application for
employment as a decoder at Bizerta
- Letter appointing her Assistant
Principal for non-administrative duties at the Naval Transport
Office at Inverness.
Details of Evelyn Mackintosh's commemoration from the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Name: Evelyn Mary Mackintosh
Rank: Assistant Principal
Service:
Regiment: WRNS
Date of Death: 18-12-1918 (age 23)
Nationality: Scottish
Additional Information: Daughter of Duncan H. and Louisa
M. Mackintosh, of Drumalin, Invernesshire
Cemetery: Daviot Parish Churchyard, Invernesshire
Grave or reference panel no: South of Church
This information can be viewed at http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=327555
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