208036 Wren Gertrude "Paddy" Canning Women's Royal Naval Service HMS Quebec from:Ballindrait, Lifford, Ireland (d.30th Jun 1942) I would like to let you know of my Aunt Gertrude Canning in the hope that there are still some of her old "chums" with us today. We, Gertrude's family, have been looking for someone that served with her on HMS Quebec the Special Operations Training Camp in Inveraray, Scotland. Unfortunately, her time in the service,WRNS,was tragically cut short. Gertrude was coming back to her base on June 30th 1942 when she was murdered in woods close to her camp. She became the subject of a 4 day search. When her body was found in undergrowth, close to the "Marriage tree" it was discovered that she'd been shot 4 times with a .38 revolver. Her killer was never found despite a nationwide investigation and thousands of ballistic tests on revolvers. It is thought her killer was probably a casualty of the disastrous Dieppe raid. Next June 30th my family will travel to Inveraray to dedicate a bench and brass plate to her memory on the 70th anniversary of her death. I am pleased to share this information with all. If anyone wants to read about the case, please go to the web and type,"Gertrude Canning murder". I hope to get some feedback through this and especially from a Wren, soldier, or civilian that knew her in Inveraray back in 1942. Sadly,many servicemen and women of that time have passed on, but I live in hope as they say. Gertrude's story has recently been told in the Argyll Advertiser,The Scottish Herald and The Scottish Daily Mail. Strathclyde are still treating it as a live enquiry and the case is now the subject of a review.
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