Leslie Whateley

Dame Leslie Violet Lucy Evelyn Whateley, DBE, TD (née Wood; first married name Balfour; 28 January 1899 – 4 July 1987) was a Director of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during the Second World War.[1]

Dame

Leslie Whateley

DBE, TD
Chief Controller Leslie Violet Lucy Whateley (1943): portrait by war artist Henry Lamb
Director of the Auxiliary Territorial Service
In office
1943–1946
Preceded byMrs Jean Knox
Succeeded byDame Mary Tyrwhitt

Early life

She was born on 28 January 1899, the daughter of Col. Evelyn FitzGerald Michell Wood and Lilian (née Hutton). She was the granddaughter of Field-Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood,[2][3]

Career

Whateley joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1938 and became a junior officer following training at Chelsea Barracks. She served as Deputy Director of the ATS from September 1941.[2] She was Director of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from 1951-64.

In 1948, her writings were published by Hutchinson Publishing in Melbourne entitled As thoughts survive, a monograph with a preface by the then-Princess Royal.[4]

Marriages

She married, firstly, to William John Balfour, on 8 July 1922. The union ended in divorce in 1939. She married, secondly, to S/Ldr Harry Raymond Whateley, on 21 September 1939.

Honours

In June 1951, she was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Decoration (TD) for long service in the reserves.[5]

In 1965, she was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee "for exceptional services to world Scouting".

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References
  1. London Gazette reference to Dame Leslie Whateley, DBE, london-gazette.co.uk, 28 December 1945; accessed 3 April 2016.
  2. "Deputy Director Of A.T.S.". The Times. London, England. 19 September 1941. p. 7.
  3. "Mrs. Knox of ATS Resigns". Daily Mail. 22 October 1943. p. 3.
  4. Her memoir dealt with World War II and contained personal narratives about her experiences in the Army and the Auxiliary Territorial Service (211 pages; 16 leaves of plates: illustrated ports, Citation# abn89242258).
  5. "No. 39258". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1951. pp. 3285–3286.
Military offices
Preceded by
Mrs Jean Knox		 Director, Auxiliary Territorial Service
1943–1946		 Succeeded by
Dame Mary Tyrwhitt
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