THE life of a First World War nurse buried in a military grave in St Martins church needs to be remembered more, according to churchgoers and poppy sellers.
Helen Case, from St Martins, sells poppies each year at Stans Superstore, in the village with her husband Brian and is a regular attendee at the church.
She said her attention is often drawn to the grave of Sister Eugenie Teggin, who died on Christmas Day in 1918 from a ‘fatal illness’ and had been a nurse during the 1914-19 conflict in Greece.
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Eugenie also tops the list of names remembered for giving their lives at St Martins Church and for Helen, she feels it is a story to be known as the nation moves towards commemorating the fallen of War on November 11.
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“Until I Googled her and it came up with those details, I wasn’t aware of her,” said Helen.
“I’m a retired trained nurse and I’m delighted to find out what she achieved and how brave she was.
“I think that nurses in both wares have been overshadowed so it makes me very proud that our church has her first on the roll of honour.
“It feels like it's pride of place there.”
Eugenie was born and lived at The Willows in St Martins Moor and worked in Welshpool before she successfully trained as a military nurse.
She served aboard The Britannica Hospital ship in Salonika, in Greece, and survived its sinking but contracted malaria twice and returned home before she came home and died.
She was given a military funder with a firing party and is also recognised at National Memorial Arboretum.
Helen added she hopes more people will tell stories of women in war.
She said: “When we are out selling poppies at Stans Superstore, we get so many younger people who come to us and tell us stories about their great grandads who fought in the wars.
“But the ladies are never mentioned, their great-grandmothers and grannies and we want to change that.
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“Brian was in the navy and served in submarines in the Cold War and I know that Eugene is important to him because of that and she’s important to me because she was a nurse.
“We’re proud that the church remembers her.
“I want to make a plea to any youngsters who didn’t know anything about her, to go away and find out more because she is absolutely fascinating.”
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