We are sad to announce the death of Barbara Marion Culleton who passed away peacefully on Sunday 19th June at Maise House, the Royal British Legion Nursing Home, Bexhill-on-Sea.
In 1933 aged 15 Barbara Culleton arrived in London on her own and found digs and secretarial work.
On the 9th September 1938 the Women’s Branch of the British Army the ‘Auxiliary Territorial Service’ was formed. Within two months Barbara had enlisted into Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment as a volunteer (as ATS privates were then called).
The day before war was declared she was embodied into the Army and was posted to the War Station Railway Training Centre at Longmore and remembers having to help put rolling stock back on the tracks.
It was in July 1941 while she was at her next posting to 12 Field Training Regiment RA at Bordon that she was first Interviewed and told that she had been selected to become an officer. She was asked to consider being involved in training for ‘urgent, very secret and possibly dangerous’ work.
Read more about her career HERE.
On the 3rd May 1955 Captain Barbara Culleton WRAC was awarded the Territorial Decoration for serving her Country. She continued to serve until 12 December 1968 when she reached the upper age limit and so reluctantly had to leave. Barbara Culleton had served her Country for 30 years.
We will remember them.
Barbara was a wonderful person and friend who will be sadly missed. She served her Country for 30 years and helped CART by sharing her memories of being the Junior Commander in the Special Duties.
Have only just found out about the sad death of Barbara who was a client of mine for some 30 years until I retired about four years ago.I always regarded her as a friend as well as a valued client but unfortunately lost touch with her following my retirement.I learnt a lot from her about her role in the second world war and she presented me with two books “With Britain in Mortal Danger” and “Churchill’s Underground Army” by John Warwicker both of which she and the author signed. I am sorry that I missed her funeral and was unable to pay my last respects to such a wonderful lady.