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250586
Olive Elizabeth Cunningham
Womens Timber Corps
from:Cooks Road, Stratford, London
My mother, Olive Cunningham was a Lumber Jill during World War 2. Unfortunately I don't know too many details of her time with the Timber Corps. I believe she joined after her husband (of less than a year) Thomas Fitzpatrick was killed in action in Sicily in 1943. She was married a day after she was 20 in 1942 and widowed at 20 on 3rd of August 1943.
She spent her time in either Norfolk or Suffolk and was billeted with a lovely family, who I met when I was quite young.
While she was in the Timber Corps she became friends with her future sister in law, Marjorie Gaine. Marjorie went on to marry my Mum's brother, Thomas. Through Marjorie she was introduced to my father, Stanley Gaine, who was Marjorie's brother.
Unfortunately my mum died fairly young, aged 50, in 1972, followed closely by my dad in 1973 (age 45).
I have some photos of her in her uniform out in the fields and some of the friends she made, during what was a very difficult time for her.
It's so sad I didn't get to talk or reminisce about her life but am pleased, that through her tragic loss, she met my dad and had a short but happy life with 4 children.