The lives of seven Copeland women who died serving in World War Two have been remembered as part of a national project, as Julie Morgan discovers.

Joyce Bennett and Mary Taylor, of Cleator Women’s Institute, used information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s ‘Living Memory Project’ to research the background to women whodied while in uniform.

Over several months they researched their stories, helped by local historian Joe Ritson and Cleator Moor Town Council.

Last year, a service was held at Cleator Moor Methodist Church on Remembrance Sunday, which saw crosses laid at the war memorial, by local children and relatives of the women, in their memory.

Joyce said: “We believed it was important to remember these women and to ensure they would not just be a statistic. We wanted it to be more personal.’’

In the booklet, which was distributed to WI members, with a copy sent to the Living Memory Project, it says: “There tends to be a misconception that casualties in the World Wars were invariably young men who served in the Armed Forces.

“Yet many young women also served in war and gave their lives in the service of their country.’’

Catherine (Kathleen) Williamson, 20, was a supply assistant with the Women’s Royal Naval service.

She was the daughter of Mrs C Williamson, of Ehen Road, Cleator Moor. Kathleen had only been in the WRENS for two months (passing her exams with distinction) and was appointed auditor in the naval supply department.

Previously, Kathleen had worked as a clerk at the Cleator Moor food office, after missing out on an opportunity to go to teacher training college in 1940, which was put on the back burner when her dad died that year.

She was stationed at HMS Ferret, a shore establishment which was home to the Royal Navy’s intelligence branch, which was heavily involved in the Battle of the Atlantic.

In 1944, she was found unconscious beside a railway line near the River Foyle ferry. The inquest decided she had been struck in the darkness by a train during the blackout, on the way to the naval barracks to report for duty.

Kathleen is buried at the Londonderry Cemetery in Northern Ireland.

Edith Elizabeth Martin (nee Southam) was a 21-year-old private with the auxiliary territorial service.

She was the daughter of Alfred and Mary Southam, of Bigrigg, and was married to Raymond Martin on December 18 1943 at St John’s Church, Bigrigg.

It was believed Edith served in the ATS in the Croydon area. She died on July 20 1946 and is buried in Egremont Cemetery.

Elizabeth (Betty) Cowan served with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

She was the second of four daughters born to Walter and Elizabeth Cowan (nee Ritson).

During the Second World War, Betty enlisted to the WAAF with the rank of leading aircraftwoman.

Based in the London area, she suffered bomb blast injuries at the end of 1944 or early 1945.

This was the first time southern England was subject to V1 and V2 attacks.

Betty was released from hospital and she was cared for at home in Whitehaven by her family.

She died aged 30 at home on October 24 1945 the cause of death being given as as asphyxia, bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis.

Betty is buried in Whitehaven Cemetery.

Ella Esterina Eldon was a aircraftwoman first class with the WAAF.

She married James and had a son, John, in 1940.

Ella enlisted in March 1943 leaving her young child in the care of her parents at Whitehaven.

Unfortunately, James died at the Lancaster Royal Infirmary on February 2 1944 and was buried at St Mary’s RC Church five days later.

Within two months, Ella, 28, was accidentally killed while cycling to the airfield in Newark where she was attached. She was buried at Whitehaven Cemetary on April 15 1944.

Gladys Edith Hadwin was an aircraftwoman second class with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

Born in London, she married Daniel Hadwin, of Hensingham, in 1942. She died aged 26 at the Meathop Sanatorium, Grange-over-Sands, on October 5 1945. Gladys was buried at Whitehaven Cemetery.

Although Daniel subsequently remarried, when he died in 1979, he was laid to rest in the same grave as Gladys with a separate memorial stone.

Grace Anne Cummings was a Wren in the WAAF. The booklet states: “Not a lot is known about Grace, possibly because such a lot of wartime records were destroyed....nevertheless our admiration for her is immense.’’

Grace, whose mother had died when she was a child, was attached to HMS Nightjar on the Fylde coast in Lancashire.

She died, aged 19, on September 15 1943 and was buried at Egremont Cemetery.

Grace has a niece who lives at Woodend, who believes her auntie’s death due to complications following an infection.

Florence May Hunter was born in 1907 the daughter of Mr and Mrs Henry Hunter, of Rosebank, Hensingham.

Before enlisting as a leading aircraftwoman, she worked as a cook for 10 years as a cook at Seatoller House, Borrowdale.

While in the WAAF, she worked as a medical orderly at bases across the North of England.

The booklet states: “At the time of her death she was stationed at York. The tragic circumstances of her death are not fully known.’’

Missing from her base she had travelled to Scarborough where her body was found three days after her death. Foul play was ruled out and the cause of death was given as a result of exposure and exhaustion.

According to The Whitehaven News report of her death, ‘she had many friends in the Hensingham district who held her in high esteem’.