The Pentland family who lived at the corner of Dunbarton Street were very much involved with the Red Cross. Many people in the town felt that this family should have received some honour for their service to the war effort. They were the owners of the silent picture-house in Gilford where old Mrs Pentland would have accompanied the films on piano.
During the war the Pentland family allowed these premises to be used for picture shows and Red Cross parties. They organised concerts and many other functions to raise money for various causes, e.g. Spitfire Fund, Warships week, Wings and Victory week, Red Cross Parcels etc.
Nancy Uprichard, (mother of Albert), Eadie Davidson and Fleta Law are particularly remembered for their work for the Red Cross. They were responsible for making up the Red Cross parcels which were sent to the soldiers, sailors and airmen from Gilford who were abroad and also serving with the Home Forces. Often the parcels contained soap, condensed milk, tinned meats, cigarettes, and on many occasions hand-knitted socks, mitts or scarves.
The following names are taken from the Gilford Red Cross Diary of 1942, which lists not only names, but further details of the Gilford men who received parcels:-
RED CROSS PARCEL LISTS – JANUARY 1942
NAVY |
|
|---|---|
| JACK QUINN | 37 MESS HMS HEELA |
| B HILL (Count) | 7014614 RAMC 7014018 HMS DORSETSHIRE |
| JACK SMYTH | 55 X 23139 M25 HMS VALIENT |
| CECIL KINLEY | (Leading Seaman) MESS 3 HMS WALKER |
| ROBIN ORR | – |
| FLETCHER (Bobby) | MESS 17 HMS DUNLUCE CASTLE |
| H C MAULE (Harry) | PL/X 3716 51 MESS HMS NEWCASTLE |
| J HILL | 55 X 23144 HMS NORFOLK |
RAF |
|
| GEORGE ADAMSON | AC2 RAF 17950272. 14 COOP STREET BLACKPOOL |
| W J GIBSON | AC 21545635 8 SQUAD 2 FLIGHT, 318 WING, RAF BUTLINS CAMP, FILEY |
| J H GIBSON | 638023 NO 2 SITE NO 1 HUT RAF ANDREAS. ISLE OF MAN |
| SGT THOMAS JOYCE | c/o SGT’S MESS RAF CRANFIELD BUCKS |
| D KENNEDY | 970704 HQ No 9773 RAF HULLAVINGTON NEAR CHIPPENHAM |
| W G LAPPIN | 1481640 HUT 4. No 1 DISPERSAL CAMP RAF DULCROSS, INVERNESS |
| W.G.MCADAM (Harry) | 1549651 AC2 c/o THS CORNER, 46 EGERTREE ROAD BLACKPOOL |
| S SERGEANT | 547962 RAF LAUREL HOUSE CROMARTY ROSSHIRE |
| A CUNNINGHAM (Andy) | 987922 LAC HQ ORDERLY ROOM, RAF, FILEY YORKS. |
| A TURKINGTON | AC1 D SQUADRON 105 FTS RAF SEAL NEAR CHESTER |
| HAROLD SMYTH | 632712 55 SQUADRON MIDDLE EAST FORCES |
| T GARDINER | 573787 M BLOCK B SQUAD NO 107 M U RAF EGYPT |
| J CLAYTON | 1435 970707 RADIO OPERATOR RAF c/o APO |
| HAGAN ?? | 2097866 AC W2 5 FLIGHT NO 1 WING NO WAFF DEPOT BRIDGEWORTH SHROPSHIRE |
ABROAD |
|
| P BYRNE | 6978817 RIF HQ NIB MALTA |
| H CONNING | 7013561 AA COMPANY NIB MALTA |
| N GREENFIELD | 697833 HQ 2nd BATT. RIF MALTA |
| G MCMANUS | B COMPANY 2nd BATT. RIF MALTA |
| B SCULLION | H A COMPANY RIF MALTA |
| S WHITTEN | 5250668 HQ RIF WELLINGTON BARRACKS INDIA |
| T GARDINER | M BLOCK 15 SQUADRON NO 107. M.U. RAF EGYPT |
| S H SMYTH | 632712 55 SQUAD RAF. MIDDLE EAST FORCES. |
ARMY |
|
| J BURNS (GUNNER) | 1488900 B TROOP 12/8 S/L R.A. LYCHARD HOUSE, LYCHARD MILLICENT, SWINDON WILTS. |
| J BYRNE | 73011310 3RD COMPANY. AMPC (MILITARY POLICE) WHITBY AIRPORT, HOWES LANE. WHITBY. |
| SGT T BEATTIE | HARROWBY. LLANBEDROG, NEAR PWLLHELI. NORTH WALES |
| S BAXTER | 7040422 C COMPANY 8TH BATTALION SLI BRISTOL AIRPORT, WHITCHURCH. |
| J BEATTIE | 13017062 1 SECTION 238 COMPANY AMPC. c/o GPO DOVER |
| JAMES BEATTIE | 9952 13TH INFANTRY BRIGADE, CRIEFF. BANFFSHIRE. |
| J BARTLEY | 6926612 A COMPANY RIFLE BRIGADE. WOOLWICH S.E.18 |
| M BYRNE | 7011384 RUR. ST PATRICK’S BARRACKS. BALLYMENA |
| W.J. BURNS | 2720740 IRISH GUARDS DEPOT CATERHAM SURREY |
| SGT BALMER | 202648 334 COMPANY RASC HOME FORCES |
| M CONNOLLY | 7047411 H COMPANY 5TH BATTALION RIF ARMAGH |
| W CLAYTON | 7013562 RAMC BRACEBRIDGE HEATH MILITARY HOSPITAL, NEAR LINCOLN |
| T CURRAN | 6985079 3RD LIGHT FIELD AMBULANCE. RASC. BOWLING GREEN MILL. ROCHDALE |
| R H CAMPBELL | 13053280 222 COMPANY H.Q. STAFF. PIONEER CORPS. HILLSBOROUGH |
| J DALE | 594648 12th S/L R.A. BANWELL ABBEY, NEAR WESTON-SUPER-MARE. SOMERSET |
| J. J. DOAK | 7047296 9TH PLATOON A COMPANY 1ST BATT. R.I.F. CLACTON-ON-SEA ESSEX |
| J FRY | 7903301 7 C SQUAD. NORTH IRISH HORSE. WESTBURY. WILTS |
| THOMAS FLANAGAN | 6979239 HQ COMP. 6TH BN. R.I.F. HAVERFORDWEST. PEMBROKE |
| H FULLERTON | 12/3 S/L LYCHARD HOUSE, LYCHARD MILLICENT. SWINDON |
| A A GARDINER | 895489 225 ARMY FIELD COY. R.E. SUDBURY PARK, NEAR DARLINGTON |
| THOMAS GREEN | 6980205 HQ COMPANY RIF BALLYKINLAR |
| A GARDINER | 12/3 S/L c/o POST OFFICE UPHILL, WESTON-SUPER- MARE. SOMERSET |
| J J GRAHAM | 13011876 5TH SEC. GLENDALE CAMP. ISLE OF ISLAY |
| S GRACEY | 30679 R.U.R. BTNI LISBURN |
| J HAGAN | 1487479 ATLANTA. TREVONE BAY. PADSTOW CORNWALL |
| T.A.HEWITT | 15 SUB PARK. RASC. HOME FORCES. ENGLAND |
| FUSILIER S JOHNSON | 6979439 R.I.F. OMAGH |
| G LAUDER | 13024404 PIONEER CORPS. ODSAL BRADFORD. YORKS |
| J MCCORMICK | 110746 D COMPANY RASC EGYPT |
| J MCKEOWN | 5TH BATT. R.I.F. RAOC. HOME FORCES |
| FUS. J MCCOO | 6985059 70TH BATT. B COMPANY 10 PLATOON RIF BODMIN. CORNWALL (At time of death – 13/6/1944 RUR Rifleman 1st ~Airborne Battallion) |
| E MCKENZIE | 6149883 A COMPANY 3 PLATOON 70TH BATT. EAST SURREY REGIMENT PENLEE CAVENDISH ROAD. WEYBRIDGE |
| SGT R MARTIN | 7610566 c/o ADOS 59 DIVISION HOME FORCES |
| RIFLEMAN MCELROY | RUR JACKSON’S FIELDS. HOLYWOOD |
| RIFLEMAN MCCONVILLE | 0491 HQ. COMPANY RUR HOLYWOOD. CO DOWN |
| JAMES MCKEOWN | 7047302 C COMPANY. RIF MOURNE PARK KILKEEL |
| T PATTERSON | 47745. 47TH LONDON DIVISION HOME FORCES |
| S (G) MCMANUS | NO 2 SUB PARK. 3RD CORPS. ANNE?? PARK HOME FORCES |
| M MCMANUS | 4TH COMPANY PIONEER CORPS YORK. |
| J MURPHY | 7011285 ROYAL ULSTER RIFLES D COY CIRENCESTER GLOUCESTERSHIRE |
| WM QUINN | 7040892 E SECT 195 A A COMPANY RASC FOYLE MILL. EGLINTON. LONDONDERRY |
| JOE QUINN | 700873 B SECT. 3 DIVISION SIGNALS. HOME FORCES. c/o APO |
| SGT V RUDDOCK | 2320815 43 DIV SIGNALS. HOME FORCES |
| J.E.RAFFERTY | 2120210 120 R.C.COMPANY. R.E. EGLINTON LONDONDERRY |
| JOHN MCMANUS | 5120700 59TH REGT RA c/o GPO STROMNESS. ORKNEY |
| JOHN REILLY | DEPOT COMPANY. RUR BALLYMENA |
| F SCULLION | 3450423 108TH RAC ADMIN COY. RMC CAMBERLEY SURREY |
| FUS. STURGEON | 7046526 R.I.F. MOURNE PARK KILKEEL |
| E.G.SMYTH | 632996 17 HAZEL RD. GRANGEMOUTH. STIRLINGSHIRE |
| W THOMPSON | 6985082 7 PLATOON B COMPANY 70TH BATTALION ROYAL INNISKILLING FUSILIERS BODMIN. CORNWALL |
| WM TOPPING | 2710937 NO 1 SQUADRON 2ND BATT. IRISH GUARDS. FRONTHILL GILFORD CAMP NEAR TISBURY |
| W.J.TOMLINSON | 1904784 669AW COMPANY R.E. LONGHOPE. STROMNESS ORKNEY |
| J THOMPSON | NO J / 149855 188T 205 COMP. RASC CSD. BOVINGTON, NEAR WAREHAM. DORSET |
| J TOMLINSON | 9997 G COMPANY 10TH BATT. ROYAL WARWICKS. MANOR FARM. WILLENHALL. NEAR COVENTRY. |
| THOS. TOPPING | 1466879 C TROOP 12/3 S/L R.A c/o GPO CIRENCESTER. GLOUCESTERSHIRE |
| JAMES WOODS | 7046518 A COMPANY 5TH BATT. R.I.F. BALLYMARTIN. CO DOWN |
| SGT W WOODS | 0372 C COY. 70TH BATT. R.I.F. BODMIN. CORNWALL |
| J WOODS | 7013997 200th PROVOST COMPANY 110TH FORCE. HOME FORCES |
| SGT T WOODS | A COMPANY AND BD RASC WESLEY HALL, OLD FALL STREET. HUTHWAITE, NOTTS |
| S WHITTEN (1942) 96 IVAN WATSON HENRY ALBERT UPRICHARD R MAUREEN UPRICHARD WE RAFFERTY |
2124573 FIELD COMPANY NORTH FERILLY, NEAR HULL |
| CAPTAIN BALMER | RAMC PALACE BARRACKS HOLYWOOD |