Historical information

Born and raised in Scotland, Annabel Elsie Couper was 24 when she met Captain Frank O’Neil Ford, a British army officer, in Burma (now Myanmar). They married in Scotland two years later and returned to Burma for 10 years. The family were moved to a hill station during World War 2, Frank recruiting and training soldiers, Annabel working closely with the locals and working as cipher clerk for the army.
When the women and children were eventually evacuated a long journey by train, plane and ship brought Annabel and the children to Calcutta. She began working for the Red Cross.
They returned to England in 1944 and in 1949 they came to Berwick. Annabel quickly joined local groups, the Red Cross, the CWA and the Berwick Hospital Auxiliary. The family moved to Upper Beaconsfield in the 1960s where Annabel joined the RSL Auxiliary, Beaconhills Golf Club and attended St. John’s Church.
She returned to Berwick after Frank died in 1980, but did not lose her close connection to Upper Beaconsfield.
In 2001 she received the Red Cross Laurel Wreath Service Award for 50 years of service.

Physical description

Centre stapled 12 page A5 booklet with colour printed covers.