by JOE-CANNING » Thu Dec 22, 2011 7:03 pm
HI DUGALD,
Iread with great interest the item concerning your bike ride and your stopping just south of Inveraray in 1946.
It was of particular interest to me because you mentioned that,when you spoke to the 2 ex-wrens that ran the tea house,they mentioned that a Wren had been murdered in Inveraray and her killer was never found. I can tell you that it is indeed a fact.The lady in question was actually my late aunt Gertrude.Gertrude Canning was 20 yrs old,Irish,AND from Ballindrait,Lifford,Co.Donegal.She was serving at HMS.QUEBEC and billeted at Admirality House,now the Loch Fyne Hotel.While returning from Inveraray post office to duty ,she was shot 4 times and her body discovered 4 days later.Despite a nationwide hunt and the ballistic testing of thousands of .38 Webley pistols,her killer was never found.One theory suggests the killer may have perished on the disastrous and failed raid on Dieppe.As you know the camps on Loch fyne inveraray was the centre of the covert operations that trained men in landing craft techniques.You mentioned a Jess Sandeman was writing a book about her experiences as a wren in Inveraray in the war.She did indeed finish her book,it was call "BUTE'S WAR.Sadly,I beleive this lady died in 2009 but
has left behind a wealth of memories.I wonder if any others might recall that little tea shop and put a name to the Wrens that ran it,perhaps they served with my late aunt Gerty.Anyhow,thank you for refreshing the memory.Good luck ,Joe Canning.