Upper Hale Cemetery has four Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves from World War II
This is the story of Private Maud Rose Payne of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (A.T.S.) as told by the Aldershot News newspaper on 26 January 1945:
Hale A.T.S. Girl Killed
Private Maud Rose Payne, aged 20, of 2 Parkside Cottages, Folly-hill, Upper Hale was one of three A.T.S. girls who were killed at a level crossing at Bramley Station, near Basingstoke on the 17th of January 1945 after alighting from the Basingstoke train. Verdicts of accidental death were recorded in each case. The other victims in this tragedy were A.T.S. Privates Pickering and Stanley, both aged 22.
Miss Payne was the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs. R. H. Payne, and was born at Green Lane Farm, Badshot Lea. She was educated at Hale School and before joining the A.T.S., just over two years ago, she was employed as an usherette at the Regal Cinema, Farnham. Her brother who is in the Army, was wounded recently at Monte Casino in Italy.
Seven members of the A.T.S. attended including a subaltern. Also in attendance were Miss Palmer’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Payne, other members of the family, and friends. These included her sister, Joan Payne, and brother, Pte. R. J. Payne of the East Surrey Regiment. Members of the R.A.O.C. and the A.T.S. laid wreaths.
Auxiliary Territorial Service
- Purpose: To provide a workforce of women to support the British Army, taking over non-combat roles so that men could fight.
- Key Roles: Initially included cooks, clerks, storekeepers, and drivers. Over time, the roles expanded to include anti-aircraft and searchlight operations, among other duties.
Bramley Camp
At the end of World War I, England’s largest ammunition storage depot was established at Bramley, Hampshire at what had been a camp for German prisoners of war. Somewhat ironically, the Germans built the sheds later used to store the ammunition! Bramley Army Camp was built outside the perimeter of the depot for the Royal Army Ammunition Corps (R.A.O.C.). The A.T.S. came to Bramley Camp in 1939 and staffed it for six years. Clearly, this is where Private Maud Payne and her two fellow A.T.S. service women were returning the night of the accident at the railway station. This explains why both the R.A.O.C. and the A.T.S. were present at Maud’s funeral.
The Payne Family
Robert Harold Payne, Maud’s father was listed in the 1939 Register as a farmworker, something he appears to have done for many years. He was a Hale man by birth, moving to various locations in the village, and retiring with his wife Winifred to Stoke Hills, Farnham in later life. He married Winifred Ellis in 1922 and the couple had six children: Robert, Maud, Joan, William, Peggy and Peter.
The accidental death of Private Maud Rose Payne may not seem to some to be of the ‘pro patria mori’ nature, but 18 year-old Maud left her home and job and ventured in to the unknown life of the A.T.S. Military service and loss of life comes in many shapes and sizes.
Select Sources
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- FindaGrave
- MOD-Bramley-Camp-Percy-Sims.pdf
- ancestry.com (by subscription)
- thehistorypress.co.uk