Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackadder1916
I wouldn't automatically label her "Turkish" simply because she was born in that country. My speculation is that her "European" (maybe British or French) parents were living there when she was born. A not unusual occurrence. According to the document she was "veuve" (widow) Patchell and "née" (born) Simmons, so two other names associated with her.
Is the document a photocopy of an original? It would be interesting to know if De Gaulle's handwritten comments (and especially his signature) were unique to that specific document or if it was a common sentiment on a mass produced item that simply had the soldier's name added later.
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The name sounds Slavic, maybe Bulgarian. As Bulgaria did not exist at the time of her birth she would have been an Ottoman subject. My Maternal Grandfather was born in Smyrna in the 1880s (Ethnic Bulgarian father and Maltese mother) and emigrated to Alexandria as an Ottoman subject in 1906. He badgered the Bulgarian representatives in Egypt during the 1920-1930s to be declared Bulgarian and eventually got his wish - just as Bulgaria joined the Axis powers. He then became an enemy alien. My father had to go through the British Army type hoops to get permission to marry my mother. And here I am!