THE VILLAGERS OF COLLINGHAM AND LINTON WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR TWO
COLLINGHAMANDDISTRICTWARARCHIVE.INFO
CONTACT
Rank
Service Women's Royal Navy
Unit
Regiment Women's Royal Naval Service
Biography
The name of Muriel Grace Sargent (nee Hitch) appears on the Supplementary list of the Collingham Electoral Roll for 1945 annotated with a D indicating that she had recently been discharged from the services. She was registered on the list at 10, Brookside, Collingham.
Family background
Muriel Grace Hitch had been born on the 4th December 1922 in Sarensfield, Herefordshire, the daughter of John Victor Hitch and Edith Ann Hitch (nee Morris). By 1939, Muriel was living with her parents at 2 Brick Cottages, Elsdon. Her occupation was a shorthand typist. As a single women she would have become liable for service when she reached the age of 20, which would have been on the 4th December 1942, and it is likely that she was called up around that date.
Service record
We do not have exact details of her service, but, soon after the war ended Muriel married a Collingham man Tom Graham Sargent on the 3rd November 1945. Tom had been in the Fleet Air Arm and was still serving according to the marriage record. However Muriel has left the services. Nevertheless, the newspaper report of their wedding gives use an indication of which branch she had served with:
WEDDING.- At St. Oswald's Church, Collingham, recently. L.A.M (E.) Tom Graham Sargent, only son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Sargent, of 10, Brokside, Collingham, near Leeds, was married to Miss Muriel Grace Hitch (W.R.N.S.(, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John V. Hitch, 2, Brick House, Elsdon, Kington. The ceremony was conducted by the Vicar and Mr. Browning was at the organ. The bride was given away by her father, and was attended by Miss Sheila Maud, of Huby Cas., proxy for Miss Betty Sargent (who is in Germany), and Miss Doris Hague, of Collingham. Mr. Walter Dalby, of Collingham (cousin of the bridegroom) was best man and Sgt. C.L. Frazer and Pte B. Moran acted as groomsmen. After the reception the bride and bridegroom left for their honeymoon in the Lake District. The bridegroom has recently returned from foreign service in S.F.A.C.
After the war
After the war, Tom and Muriel Sargent appear to have settled in the Birmingham area and we believe Muriel died on the 26th March 2023 in Solihull.
Biography last updated 22 January 2024 21:28:20.
If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info