Jennings, A. A.
Alfred Arthur Jennings, WR/202551, was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers railway operating division. He died on 12 February 1919 and is buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte, France. VIII C 15

He was the son of Mr and Mrs Jennings from Washington Villas, Monins Road, Dover. He was an engine driver on the SECR and was transferred from Dover to Deal. His home had been in Deal for five years before he died with his wife Louisa Jennings from 16 Wellington Road, Deal

In July 1916 he was released from his railway duties to join a Railway and Trooping Division of the Royal Engineers. He served in Salonika for a year and nine months. He contracted malaria and dysentery and was then sent to a convalescing camp in France about July 1918 and recovered sufficiently to resume railway duties in France. He was looking forward to early demobilisation and to returning to the SECR at home

However, while still in France he became ill with pneumonia and was admitted to hospital at Audrincq. The telegram informing of his admission and a letter suggesting he was improving were both received by his wife after he had died but before she had been notified of his death on 15 February

picture courtesy Judith Davies    

Johncock, E. 
Miss Edith Johncock died on 5 December 1920 at Nazareth. Her mother lived at 67 Barton Road   Miss Johncock was well-known in Dover as a nurse and she had been Matron of the hospital in Nazareth since 1905. When the war began the Home Secretary telegraphed the American Consul in Beirout asking for three British nurses - the Misses Johncock, Lawford, and Croft - to be sent home. The Turkish commander refused to do so, as he wished them to remain to nurse Turkish soldiers. He then sent a telegram to the Consul stating the nurses were happy to remain.

Miss Johncock became a prisoner in Nazareth for three years, until the fall of Jerusalem, when she was removed to Damascus for a further year, still as a prisoner. In Nazareth she had supervised 27 hospitals with 3,000 beds, and a staff of 350 women from Syria, brought to Nazareth to nurse the Turkish soldiers. Only six of the women were trained nurses. They underwent severe privations, being very short of food; the Prisoners of War suffered, she stated, much needless suffering through neglect and exceptionally poor medical management. Some cases she would not disclose, but hoped that eventually she would be able to forget the memories which haunted her.

Miss Johncock was released and returned to Dover in February 1919. There she served in the Royal Victoria Hospital before returning to Nazareth in October 1920 to resume her role as Matron of the EMMS hospital.

On 12 July 1919 the British Journal of Nursing published her picture and stated that for the greater part of the war she nursed wounded British servicemen, first in Nazareth and then in Damascus. A Captain Ferguson, of the Durham Light Infantry, stated, "I can say nothing strong enough in praise of the conduct of this lady. She had many difficulties to contend with, and although often short of food she always managed to help the wounded prisoners. By her careful nursing she saved my leg from amputation, and many other British wounded owe their lives to Miss Johncock's devotion to duty."

The headstone at Charlton reads:

In Loving Memory of Edward Johncock Who died 23 September 1899 Aged 59 years "Severed only till he come"

Also of Elizabeth Johncock Wife of the above Who died 27 February 1925 Aged 82 years "Rest after weariness"

Also of Edith Johncock, R.R.C. Daughter of the above Who died in Nazareth, Palestine 5 December 1920 Aged 49 years

gravestone and transcription Joyce Banks

Note, 12 April 2010.  EMMS, Edinburgh Military Medical Society. This was reported as the FHMS hospital in the local newspaper.

Johncock, F. M.
Florence Minnie Johncock, 24919, was in the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps. She was 23 when she died of pneumonia from influenza on 5 November 1918 at the military hospital Colchester (Essex County Hospital on burial record)

Her body was brought home by rail and the night before her funeral a service was held at St Bartholomew's Church. She was buried on 14 November at Charlton Cemetery, 1H 16, and had a military funeral with pall bearers from the Connaught Rangers and representatives of the QMAAC from several units 

She was the daughter of John Henry Johncock and his wife Clara, née Little, of 6 Odo Road, Dover, formerly 27 Tower Hamlets Road. Among the floral tributes was one from "her broken-hearted father and mother" another from her sisters Rosie, Hazel, and Winnie, and one from her brother Godfrey, with the BEF in France. Her old schoolmates Cissie, Clara, and Ettie Pollard also sent flowers

  Her headstone has fallen over. It reads:

In Loving Memory of Florence Minnie Johncock
Q M A A C
Died in her country's service
5 November 1918 Aged 23 years
She hath done what she could

Florence Johncock was the granddaughter of Edward Little and the niece of Minnie Smith. She was also first cousin once removed to Verdun James Johncock as her father and Verdun's grandfather were brothers.