Lieutenant Gladys Maude Vass

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Ranks Awards

Service Biography

Nursing Sister/Lieutenant Gladys Maude Vass was born at Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec, on 28 May 1906, the daughter of Marion Vass. She attended Huntingdon Academy and trained as a nurse at Montreal General Hospital, graduating in 1928. She was appointed a Nursing Sister and commissioned officer in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps at Montreal on 5 June 1941, when she was 35 years old, and joined No. 14 Canadian General Hospital. She left Canada later that month and served in England before moving with Canadian medical services to the Central Mediterranean theatre, including Italy. During the voyage to Italy her transport was torpedoed by a German U-boat, but she arrived safely. She returned to Canada in July 1944 and resigned from the service at Montreal on 8 September 1944. After the war she married Gordon Arguile McHardy and was appointed matron of Huntingdon Hospital in October 1946. Gladys Vass McHardy died on 20 December 1986, aged 80, and was buried in Powerscourt Cemetery.

General Information

Conflict:

WW2

Regimental No.:

Cause of Death (in war):

Survived

Branch:

Army

Regiment:

Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps

Battalion:

No. 14 Canadian General Hospital

Company:

Date of Birth :

Place of Birth:

Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec

Date of Enlistment:

Age at Enlistment:

35 years

Date of Discharge:

Age at Discharge:

38 years 3 months

Date of Death:

Age at Death:

79 years 11 months

Country Born:

Trade or Calling:

Graduate nurse

Next of Kin:

Mrs Marion Vass, Mother, Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec

Address at Enlistment:

Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec

Religion:

United Church of Canada

Place of Enlistment:

Montreal, Quebec

Was a Prisoner of War:

Height:

5 ft 5.0 in / 165 cm

Weight:

120 lbs / 54 kg

Chest:

35.5 in / 90 cm

Expansion:

Marital Status:

Single

Prior Military Experience:

Saw Service in:

Europe

Place of Discharge:

Montreal, Quebec

Discharge Type:

Resigned from service

Discharge Notes:

Returned to Canada in July 1944 and was struck off strength at No. 4 District Depot, Montreal, on 8 September 1944 on her own request. Medical documentation records pregnancy and the recommendation that she be released from service.

Battle Died/Wounded:

Length of Service:

1191 days in service

Buried at:

Powerscourt Cemetery

Plot:

Ranks

Conflict	Rank	Regiment	Branch	Unit
WW2	Lieutenant	Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps	Army	No. 14 Canadian General Hospital
Parallel officer-equivalent rank row.
WW2	Nursing Sister	Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps	Army	No. 14 Canadian General Hospital
Parallel professional rank row.

Awards

Conflict	Award	Action	Date of Award	Date of Citation	Source
WW2	1939–1945 Star
WW2	Italy Star
WW2	Defence Medal
WW2	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp
WW2	War Medal 1939–1945

Service Chronology

1906-05-28 — Born at Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec.
1928 — Graduated as a nurse from Montreal General Hospital.
1941-06-05 — Appointed Nursing Sister and commissioned officer in the RCAMC at Montreal; posted to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1941-06-21 — Taken on strength of the Canadian Army Overseas.
1941-06-24 — Embarked from Canada on sailing list 714.
1941-07-02 — Existing CWVMP/Huntingdon Gleaner account states she landed safely at a British port after an uneventful crossing; a German submarine was unsuccessfully hunted by escorting destroyers.
1941-07-04 — Service credited/disembarkation recorded in the United Kingdom.
1942-02-08 to 1942-02-14 — Granted privilege leave.
1942-06-18 — Attachment or posting involving No. 1 General Hospital; exact wording requires confirmation.
1942-07-01 — Taken on strength of No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1942-11-06 to 1942-11-12 — Granted privilege leave.
1943-02-08 to 1943-02-14 — Granted seven days privilege leave.
1943-05-24 to 1943-05-30 — Granted privilege leave.
1943-10-13 — Struck off strength to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-10-14 — Taken on strength from Horley General Hospital.
1943-10-26 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom on embarkation.
1943-10-27 — Taken on strength of the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean.
1943-11-10 — Disembarkation effective in the Central Mediterranean theatre; continued with No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-12 — Existing CWVMP/Huntingdon Gleaner research records that her transport to Italy was torpedoed by a U-boat and that she arrived safely (HHG 1943-12-15).
1944-06-21 to 1944-06-26 — Admitted to Alderbrook Park Convalescent Hospital; diagnosis recorded as functional disease of the heart; discharged for repatriation.
1944-06-27 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Army Overseas and No. 1 Canadian Non-Effective Transit Depot.
1944-07-04 — Returned to Canada.
1944-07-07 — Examined by a Canadian medical board at Montreal.
1944-07-12 — Taken on strength from the Canadian Army Overseas and posted to No. 4 District Depot.
1944-07-10 to 1944-08-08 — Granted 30 days disembarkation leave.
1944-09-08 — Struck off strength at Montreal on her own request.
1946-10 — Appointed matron of Huntingdon Hospital (existing CWVMP research).
1986-12-20 — Died, aged 80.
1986-12-22 — Funeral service held; buried in Powerscourt Cemetery.

Gladys_Maude_Vass_CWVMP_Final_Import_Workbook.xlsx

Notes

Existing CWVMP research confirms that she was the elder daughter of Marion Vass of Saint-Agnes de Dundee; that her transport to Italy was torpedoed by a U-boat but arrived safely (HHG 1943-12-15); that she later married Gordon Arguile McHardy; and that she was appointed matron of Huntingdon Hospital in October 1946.

NURSING SISTER GLADYS M. VASS, who is attached to the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, landed safely at a British port on July 2, 1941, after a rapid, uneventful crossing in pleasant weather.
The only sign of any enemy vessel was the presence of a lurking German submarine, which destroyers went off to hunt, but which evidently made a crash dive and for half an hour was hunted without avail. Nurse Vass, the elder daughter of Mrs. Marion Vass, of Ste. Agnes de Dundee, enlisted with
Torpedoed while enroute England to Italy by U-boat. Arrived safely. HG 1943-12-15
Married Gordon Arguile McHardy 1897–1989
returned to home in St. Agnes, ill, July 1944. was in Italy
Appointed Matron of Huntingdon Hospital October 1946

Additional Service Notes

Appointed a Nursing Sister in the RCAMC at Montreal on 5 June 1941 and posted to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital. She embarked for overseas service later that month, served in the United Kingdom and Central Mediterranean theatre, returned to Canada in July 1944, and resigned from the service on 8 September 1944.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Mother Marion Vass of Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec, was next of kin and received assigned pay of $60 monthly. Father was deceased. Gladys was single with no children during service. She later married Gordon Arguile McHardy.

Research Notes

Service-file analysis: Staff postings and patient admissions are separated in this workbook. Formal service records support appointment on 5 June 1941, overseas service in the United Kingdom and Central Mediterranean theatre, return to Canada in July 1944, and SOS on her own request on 8 September 1944. Alderbrook Park records describe 'functional disease of the heart' immediately before repatriation; in context this may have been an administrative euphemism related to pregnancy, but that interpretation is not stated as fact. The file contains conflicting enlistment weights of 115 and 120 pounds; the original appointment medical on page 11 supports 120 pounds and is preferred.