Mexborough & Swinton Times 5 September 1959

Royal Air Force “Wonderful” With Arrangements

Wath Nurse Makes “Top Priority” Trip From Cyprus

To See Her Mother—Ill In a Rotherham hospital

Within 40 hours of receiving a telegram telling her of her mother’s illness, a 20-years-old Wath nurse, serving with Queen Alexandra Nurses in Cyprus arrived home on Sunday. She had travelled by air and train “top priority” by arrangement with the R.A.F.

The nurse, Miss Margaret Fearn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fearn, of 1, Saville Road, Wath, was able to see her mother, a patient in Doncaster Gate Hospital, Rotherham, a few hours after her arrival.

The bid to get her home began with a telephone call from Rotherham Police to the War Office, followed by a telegram to the hospital. Miss Fearn received the telegram late on Friday. “I left Nicosia the following morning by B.E.A. Viscount. I think someone must have stood down for me to be able to fly home,” she said.

Miss Fearn told a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter the R.A.F. had been wonderful with arrangements. “I. was so upset with worry that I was grateful to have everything done for me by the R.A.F. people,” she said. On the journey home she met a niece of Sir Hugh and Lady Foot.

Met in London

Late on Saturday night Miss Fearn arrived in London, to be met again by R.A.F. personnel, who escorted her to the railway station for her journey to Rotherham. “Because it was so early on Sunday morning, I decided not to disturb her until the following   day

The hospital where she is nursing is the biggest in Cyprus. She said that being on the coast had certainly been an advantage during the past few months, when the temperature had been well above 100 degrees.

Mr. Fearn is employed at Denaby Colliery

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