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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Topic started by: meath999 on Wednesday 29 March 23 20:11 BST (UK)
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Trying to help trace a Susan Grant, who in 1949 was godmother to a Baptism in Malta. Have photo of her in what looks like a military uniform, holding the baby. The family believed she was Irish. Am trying to help the baby (Peter ) . who is now grown up and trying to trace her relatives. Any help or advice very welcome.
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Might be an idea to post the photo to see if the uniform can be identified.
EDIT
It was usual for a godmother to be somebody known to the family & in many cases a person with whom they would continue to have contact so was she related to the family?
Presume you have the baptismal cert showing her as Godmother?
Were the parents of "Peter" Irish?
Apart from "Susan Grant" and a possible military uniform - not a lot to go on is there? Did "Peter" have any contact with her - birthday or Christmas cards etc??
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Some context would also be very useful. What was the background to the baptism being in Malta?
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Sorry for the confusion, I will clarify the request. I am trying to help a friend of a friend who is named Peter, is Maltese, and living in Malta. When he met an Irish person in Malta recently, he asked , can you help me find any background information about the Irish Lady who was Godparent at my Baptism in Malta in December 1949. Her name was Susan Grant, was Irish and was in the Services.
All he has is a photo, showing him as a baby in Susan Grant's arms. I will attempt ( never did it before), to put up the photo he provided. Perhaps someone can recognize the uniform? Or suggest what databases are searchable for someone who was stationed in Malta in 1949??
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Photo provided by 74 year old Peter of him as a baby in Susan Grants arms
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Does he have his baptismal cert with her name on it?
How does he know that the lady in the picture is his godmother? Is there an annotation on the back of the photo identifying her or some other form of proof?
Was Peters father in the military & was his father Maltese?
I'm not being awkward but at the moment, all you have is a photo & a name. We need to be certain that the lady in the picture is definitely Susan Grant before anybody starts trying to trace her via her uniform
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Photo provided by 74 year old Peter of him as a baby in Susan Grants arms
Unfortunately, the photo is quite nondescript - no identifying marks or badges that I can see. I can't even tell if it is navy, army or air force.
A suggestion - post the photo in the military section of RootsChat, where there may be more expert opinion available on what type of uniform this is.
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If it is a Military uniform it will be British and their WWII service records aren't online yet, however was just reading this in the Common Room https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=871787.0
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A suggestion - post the photo in the military section of RootsChat, where there may be more expert opinion available on what type of uniform this is.
As Wexflyer says, this thread would be better on the Armed Forces board.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/armed-forces/
Just click on 'Report to moderator' and ask for it to be moved.
Note that your photo is only 84.2KB 96dpi and pixelates when enlarged.
You should make an attempt to scan your photograph in full colour, at 300 dpi or more, so that the photo is sharper and larger (keeping your saved image just under 500 kb).
Good luck.
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I can't be certain, but it looks like she is wearing two pips on her left epaulette. That would mean she was a Lieutenant in the WRAC. If she was an officer, it would account for why she isn't wearing any collar affiliation badges, for instance if she was attached to the RASC or Royal Signals.
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Thanks to all who responded to my query on behalf of Peter. I have relayed any pointers back to him. His best hope. (given his limited information ) seems to be a search for a Susan Grant, serving in Malta in 1949 , when the searchable Service Records Database is created by Ancestry.
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There was a Susan Grant joined the WAAF in 1942. Service number 2145322
No idea if from Ireland or served in Malta.
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If I am right about there being two rank pips on her shoulder, the lady in the photograph is an officer in the Army. Her commissioning and promotion details should appear in the London Gazette, although it isn't the easiest site to search.
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I can't be certain, but it looks like she is wearing two pips on her left epaulette. That would mean she was a Lieutenant in the WRAC. If she was an officer, it would account for why she isn't wearing any collar affiliation badges, for instance if she was attached to the RASC or Royal Signals.
She could also be a QA Nursing Sister....
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There was a Susan Grant joined the WAAF in 1942. Service number 2145322
No idea if from Ireland or served in Malta.
The RAF dont wear stars...only the Army, and she appears to have stars
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I can't be certain, but it looks like she is wearing two pips on her left epaulette. That would mean she was a Lieutenant in the WRAC. If she was an officer, it would account for why she isn't wearing any collar affiliation badges, for instance if she was attached to the RASC or Royal Signals.
She could also be a QA Nursing Sister....
I have a gap in my Army List collection (over 130!) between 1946 and 1952, but I do have a Miss S Grant as QAIMNS (R) (became QARANC in 1949) Nursing Sister in the 1945 Army List.
She may have stayed on and become a regular officer after the war.
She is the only female S Grant in 1945 or 1953.
The London Gazette website is notoriously difficult to navigate, and sometimes I cant even find my commission on there!!
QA Nursing Sisiters were also midwifes, which is a possibility.
Sadly the pic is far too poor for a definitive answer. All posted pics for ID should really have the original scanned at 600dpi or even higher
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As an addenda the main army military hospital in Malta was a Mtafa, and is now a school.
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Just on the off chance, this is from a Newry newspaper in July 1947:
NEWRY NURSE FOR PORTSMOUTH
A Newry nurse, Miss Susan Grant, of Cashel, Mullaghbawn, has been appointed as an Alexandra Nursing Sister for S.S.A.F.A. (The Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmens' Families' Association). Miss Grant, who trained at Birkenhead Municipal Hospital and Withington Hospital, Manchester, served with Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. during the war. She has been appointed to Hilsea Barracks, Portsmouth, where she will look after the families of men serving there.
The article goes on to describe how half of the sisters serve in home garrisons, half in garrisons abroad, running ante and post natal clinic, visiting and generally providing the sort of district nursing service that would be provided at home.
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Just on the off chance, this is from a Newry newspaper in July 1947:
NEWRY NURSE FOR PORTSMOUTH
A Newry nurse, Miss Susan Grant, of Cashel, Mullaghbawn, has been appointed as an Alexandra Nursing Sister for S.S.A.F.A. (The Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmens' Families' Association). Miss Grant, who trained at Birkenhead Municipal Hospital and Withington Hospital, Manchester, served with Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. during the war. She has been appointed to Hilsea Barracks, Portsmouth, where she will look after the families of men serving there.
The article goes on to describe how half of the sisters serve in home garrisons, half in garrisons abroad, running ante and post natal clinic, visiting and generally providing the sort of district nursing service that would be provided at home.
Looks like the one I found in the Army Lists... ;D
It all fits though...One in the same with the pic...