2029931 Aircraftwoman 1st Class Doreen Marjorie Barron

Doreen went to a service dance and was being transported from the dance back to base

when the vehicle she was in was involved in a road traffic accident. The British lorry she

was in was travelling back to her base at Salisbury on the night of 30th April 1944. It was in collision

with an American lorry at around mid-night on Monday 1st May.

Doreen was conveyed to hospital with head and other injuries at 1 a.m. in an unconscious state

and she died from these without ever recovering consciousness.

An inquest was held on 3rd and 5th May 1944 by the Coroner for Eastbourne city, Mr A.M. Wilson.

It transpired that the as the two lorries were attempting to pass each other they accidentally brushed their sides against each other.

Both lorries had tarpaulin covers and each lorry suffered a broken stay from the accident.

Her death certificate issued on 9th May indicated the cause of her accidental death was:

"Increasing intracranial haemorrhage result of severe damage to skull caused by accidental collision of army

lorry in which she was travelling with another army lorry at Longhedge in Salisbury, Salisbury Road, Duniford, Wilts on 1st May 1944".

A Sergeant Clifford was also injured in the accident but was expected to recover.

She was originally from Eastbourne where she had lived previously with her parents and was

educated at Eastbourne. Doreen was 22 years of age and the only daughter of Mr Edmund Festus (Edward) Barron, age 60 and Mrs

Mary Ann Barron, age 58, of 2 Park Drive, Hastings. She had been a clerk at Ore Place prior to joining the W.A.A.F.

in 1941. She spent some years on a barrage balloon site in East London before being transferred to a clerical

post in the W.A.A.F. in Wiltshire.

She had made many friends in her lifetime.

The funeral was held at London Road Cemetery, Salisbury on 13th May 1944 and many mourners

attended. Her parents attended along with her youngest brother, Lance-corporal Donald Barron.

Her aunts, Mrs Gleim and Mrs Jopling attended. Many floral tributes were in evidence.

Her CWGC headstone is engraved: "OUR DARLING DOREEN JUST ASLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE".

At Probate her estate was valued at £181-4s-1d. and was left to her father.