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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 136

The campaign group of five awarded to 2nd Subaltern L. M. I. Marston, Auxiliary Territorial Service, who helped to organise the Potsdam Conference with 'Pug' Ismay and at his recommendation became a Secretary to Winston Churchill

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., Territorial (Sub. L. M. I. Marston. Auxiliary Territorial Service), mounted as worn, good very fine (5)

Lettice Mary Irene Marston, later Shillingford, was born at Marylebone in January 1919, the son of Reverend Sidney and Elenna Marston. Her father was the Private Chaplain to William Lygon, the 7th Earl Beauchamp. Enlisting with the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1938 with the service number W/4244, she was commissioned 2nd Subaltern on 4 August 1944.

She was working for Lord Ismay in 1945 and played an important role in organising the Potsdam Conference, working specifically with the Soviet Delegation between July and August 1945. It was on the basis of this work that Ismay recommended Martson to Churchill as a Secretary. She was discharged on 1 November 1945 with the rank of Junior Coordinator and is confirmed on her medal card as receiving the France & Germany; Defence and War Medals in 1948.

Working with Churchill from 1946 until his death in 1965, she was particularly involved in constituency affairs and his war memoirs and speeches, writing detailed diaries that are kept at the University of Cambridge Archives. Of her time with Churchill, Marston spoke to the Sunday Post stating:

'He could be in a bad mood, perhaps things had gone wrong in the House of Commons, so we kept out of his way. It soon disappeared amid twinkling blue eyes.'

The Wells Journal provided a detailed description of her life in an obituary published upon her death in 1988:

'Mrs L. Shillingford, Wells

A former secretary to Winston Churchill, Mrs Lettice Shillingford, has died aged 69.

Mrs Shillingford, from Barnard Court in Wells had been suffering from cancer for five years and it was her illness that led to her husband Bob Shillingford setting up the Street and Glastonbury branch of the Cancer Research Campaign.

Her funeral took place at the Church of St. Joseph and St Teresa in Wells. Requiem Mass was concelebrated by the parish priest Father Peter Jones, Father John Guidera of Cheddar and Father Paul Sankey of Glastonbury.

The address was given by the Rev. Basil Watson, formerly vicar of St Lawrence Jewry, Guild-hall, Chaplain to the Corporation of London.

The first lesson was read by Sam Parkes (great nephew) and the second lesson by Rear Admiral Peter Comrie (cousin.)

Mrs Shillingford served in the ATS from 1938 and throughout the Second World War. Following demobilisation she worked for a short time in the City of London before being engaged by Sir Winston Churchill as a personal private secretary. She continued this work part time after her marriage in 1953, until Sir Winston's death in 1965.

After her death a letter of condolence was sent from Sir Winston's daughter Lady Mary Soames.

When Mr and Mrs Shillingford moved to Somerset they lived in Draycott and Meare before moving to Wells.

Mrs Shillingford was very active locally with the Draycott and Glastonbury Day Centres and with horticulture therapy.

Family mourners were: Mr. Bob Shillingford (husband), Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Marston (brother and sister-in-law); Mr. and Mrs. Derek Parkes (niece and nephew) with Samuel and Joel (great-nephews); Cdr. and Mrs. W. J. Woolley, Capt. and Mrs. J. S. Shilling-ford (brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law); Mr. and Mrs. Michael Marston and Mr. Robin Marston (niece and nephews); Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cross (nephew and niece) Mr. David Shillingford (nephew); Mrs. Hegarty, B. Hegarty, and Mr. and Mrs. R. Webb.

Donations in lieu of flowers in aid of the Cancer Research Campaign may be sent to the Funeral Directors, G. Holland and Son, 62 Vestry Road, Street.'

Marston was married in 1953 to Robert Shillingford, Adjutant of 615 Squadron. She died at Barnard Court, Wells, Somerset in November 1988; sold together with copied research.

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Estimate
£500 to £700

Starting price
£400