Search for female WW2 army recruit's family ahead of service in Chinnor

Campaigners are searching for relatives of a woman who served in the British Army during World War Two after they successfully lobbied for her name to be added to a war memorial.

Private Molly Sherwell was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service based in Chinnor, Oxfordshire.

She was killed in a bombing raid in 1944 in Beckenham, Greater London, while visiting her parents on leave.

Previously, only men's names were engraved on the Chinnor memorial stone.

But after a campaign by Chinnor Heritage, Ms Sherwell was finally added in June.

The charity believes the private was trained in cypher, wireless procedures, codes and security work, and later went on to teach operatives.

It is hoped her family can be found so they can attend a special service of dedication on 9 September and lay a wreath in her honour.

Zena Baker, one of the campaigners, said: "It is going to be a moment because the whole of the village will hear her name called out and that will be really lovely."

Chinnor Heritage said it approached armed forces charity The Royal British Legion about Ms Sherwell "because there was no known recognition of her service during the war".

The legion agreed her name should be carved on the Chinnor War Memorial along with all who had served and lost their lives in war.

Ms Baker said she thought Ms Sherwell would have been "astounded" because "the majority of women, we don't feel that we are necessarily acknowledged - or need to be acknowledged - for what we do and it's quite true, even today".

She continued: "Women played a huge part [in World War Two]. We all recognise the men, but ladies did keep the home fires burning, they took on all sorts of jobs and they never got recognised and a lot of women in the forces never got recognised."

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