Scroll accompanying Commemoration Medallion 1914-1918 for Margaret Selina Caswell, Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps

Caswell (1896-1918) joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) at Tidworth in 1917. The WAAC (re-named Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps in April 1918) had been formed that year to free up valuable and experienced soldiers from the rear areas for front line service. Women were employed in a variety of jobs. As well as cooking and waiting on officers, they served as clerks, telephone operators, store-women, drivers, printers, bakers and cemetery gardeners.

Given the rank of worker, Margaret was sent to France where she worked as a waitress at an officers club' at Abbeville camp. During the night of 29-30 May 1918 German aircraft attacked QMAAC Camp 1 at Abbeville and one of their bombs fell into a protection trench killing 22-year-old Caswell and eight of her colleagues and wounding a further seven.