On Saturday 26th October, members of the Corps gathered together with supporters and friends at St Paul’s Church Knightsbridge to mark Corps Day; the anniversary of the official start of the FANYs’ wartime service.
Corps Day is held every year as close to 27th October as possible to remember the day when Grace Ashley-Smith, the Corps Commanding Officer, acquired an ambulance and sailed to France with six FANYs after their offers of help were refused by British Army contacts. The FANYs crossed to Calais on 27th October 1914 to drive ambulances for the Belgians and the French, and on 29th October, they took over a dirty and decayed convent school opposite the Church of Notre Dame, called Lamarck Hospital. Find out more about Corps’ history here.
To mark the day, a remembrance service was held in St Paul’s, followed by the laying of a wreath at the FANY Memorial. We were honoured that the wreath for the FANY veterans and associate members was laid this year by former 2IC, Joan Drummond. The service was conducted by the FANY Chaplain, Flora Winfield. This was Flora’s last service as our Chaplain, a position she has held for 17 years, as she was recently appointed as the Bishop Suffragan of Selby.
After the service, a celebratory lunch was held at Wellington Barracks with prizes and cups awarded to members for their service over the past year, and the official opening of the Corps’ new HQ building. We were delighted to welcome Maj Gen Sarah Johansen, who presented the awards to the recipients this year, as our guest of honour.
