Lieutenant Gladys Maude Vass
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Nursing Sister/Lieutenant Gladys Maude Vass was born at Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec, on 28 May 1906, the daughter of Marion Vass. She attended Huntingdon Academy and trained as a nurse at Montreal General Hospital, graduating in 1928. She was appointed a Nursing Sister and commissioned officer in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps at Montreal on 5 June 1941, when she was 35 years old, and joined No. 14 Canadian General Hospital. She left Canada later that month and served in England before moving with Canadian medical services to the Central Mediterranean theatre, including Italy. During the voyage to Italy her transport was torpedoed by a German U-boat, but she arrived safely. She returned to Canada in July 1944 and resigned from the service at Montreal on 8 September 1944. After the war she married Gordon Arguile McHardy and was appointed matron of Huntingdon Hospital in October 1946. Gladys Vass McHardy died on 20 December 1986, aged 80, and was buried in Powerscourt Cemetery.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
NA
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Battalion:
No. 14 Canadian General Hospital
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Saint-Agnes, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
35 years
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
38 years 3 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
79 years 11 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Graduate nurse
Next of Kin:
Mrs Marion Vass, Mother, Saint-Agnes, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Saint-Agnes, Quebec
Religion:
United Church of Canada
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
Height:
5 ft 5.0 in / 165 cm
Weight:
120 lbs / 54 kg
Chest:
35.5 in / 90 cm
Expansion:
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Resigned from service
Discharge Notes:
Returned to Canada in July 1944 and was struck off strength at No. 4 District Depot, Montreal, on 8 September 1944 on her own request. Medical documentation records pregnancy and the recommendation that she be released from service.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1191 days in service
Buried at:
Powerscourt Cemetery
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Lieutenant |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
No. 14 Canadian General Hospital |
|
|
|
| Parallel officer-equivalent rank row. |
| WW2 |
Nursing Sister |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
No. 14 Canadian General Hospital |
|
|
|
| Parallel professional rank row. |
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
1939–1945 Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Italy Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939–1945 |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1906-05-28 — Born at Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec.
1928 — Graduated as a nurse from Montreal General Hospital.
1941-06-05 — Appointed Nursing Sister and commissioned officer in the RCAMC at Montreal; posted to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1941-06-21 — Taken on strength of the Canadian Army Overseas.
1941-06-24 — Embarked from Canada on sailing list 714.
1941-07-02 — Existing CWVMP/Huntingdon Gleaner account states she landed safely at a British port after an uneventful crossing; a German submarine was unsuccessfully hunted by escorting destroyers.
1941-07-04 — Service credited/disembarkation recorded in the United Kingdom.
1942-02-08 to 1942-02-14 — Granted privilege leave.
1942-06-18 — Attachment or posting involving No. 1 General Hospital; exact wording requires confirmation.
1942-07-01 — Taken on strength of No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1942-11-06 to 1942-11-12 — Granted privilege leave.
1943-02-08 to 1943-02-14 — Granted seven days privilege leave.
1943-05-24 to 1943-05-30 — Granted privilege leave.
1943-10-13 — Struck off strength to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-10-14 — Taken on strength from Horley General Hospital.
1943-10-26 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom on embarkation.
1943-10-27 — Taken on strength of the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean.
1943-11-10 — Disembarkation effective in the Central Mediterranean theatre; continued with No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-12 — Existing CWVMP/Huntingdon Gleaner research records that her transport to Italy was torpedoed by a U-boat and that she arrived safely (HHG 1943-12-15).
1944-06-21 to 1944-06-26 — Admitted to Alderbrook Park Convalescent Hospital; diagnosis recorded as functional disease of the heart; discharged for repatriation.
1944-06-27 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Army Overseas and No. 1 Canadian Non-Effective Transit Depot.
1944-07-04 — Returned to Canada.
1944-07-07 — Examined by a Canadian medical board at Montreal.
1944-07-12 — Taken on strength from the Canadian Army Overseas and posted to No. 4 District Depot.
1944-07-10 to 1944-08-08 — Granted 30 days disembarkation leave.
1944-09-08 — Struck off strength at Montreal on her own request.
1946-10 — Appointed matron of Huntingdon Hospital (existing CWVMP research).
1986-12-20 — Died, aged 80.
1986-12-22 — Funeral service held; buried in Powerscourt Cemetery.
Gladys_Maude_Vass_CWVMP_Final_Import_Workbook.xlsx
Notes
Existing CWVMP research confirms that she was the elder daughter of Marion Vass of Saint-Agnes de Dundee; that her transport to Italy was torpedoed by a U-boat but arrived safely (HHG 1943-12-15); that she later married Gordon Arguile McHardy; and that she was appointed matron of Huntingdon Hospital in October 1946.
NURSING SISTER GLADYS M. VASS, who is attached to the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, landed safely at a British port on July 2, 1941, after a rapid, uneventful crossing in pleasant weather.
The only sign of any enemy vessel was the presence of a lurking German submarine, which destroyers went off to hunt, but which evidently made a crash dive and for half an hour was hunted without avail. Nurse Vass, the elder daughter of Mrs. Marion Vass, of Ste. Agnes de Dundee, enlisted with
Torpedoed while enroute England to Italy by U-boat. Arrived safely. HG 1943-12-15
Married Gordon Arguile McHardy 1897–1989
returned to home in St. Agnes, ill, July 1944. was in Italy
Appointed Matron of Huntingdon Hospital October 1946
Additional Service Notes
Appointed a Nursing Sister in the RCAMC at Montreal on 5 June 1941 and posted to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital. She embarked for overseas service later that month, served in the United Kingdom and Central Mediterranean theatre, returned to Canada in July 1944, and resigned from the service on 8 September 1944.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Mother Marion Vass of Saint-Agnes, Huntingdon County, Quebec, was next of kin and received assigned pay of $60 monthly. Father was deceased. Gladys was single with no children during service. She later married Gordon Arguile McHardy.
Version: 14 Last modified: 2026-09-19 18:28:45
by: marc
