Ambulance Driver Joan Thomas - Cwmparc, Wales

Joan Thomas (nee Baynham) was a Civil Defence ambulance driver. On the night of  29/30 April 1941, Cwmparc was bombed by the Luftwaffe and she ferried the dead and injured from Cwmparc to Pentwyn Hospital in Treorchy. There were many casualties with some 27 dead, three of whom were evacuees, all members of the same family. The evacuees were all buried in the same grave in Treorchy Cemetery. The event was the largest loss of life that the Rhondda suffered in a single night of wartime bombing.

Her portrait below shows her wearing the ARP Pattern 71 tunic with private purchase side cap (most likely with old gold yellow piping). The side cap appears to not have any insignia nor ARP buttons to the front. Above her breast badge is a DRIVER badge, quite a rare badge to see worn in this position.

Image courtesy of Robert Davies - see his crowd funding page for information about a memorial to the bombing of Cwmparc.

Ambulance Driver Joan Thomas - Cwmparc