Frances Vera Stroud was a secretary to the H. M. Trade Commissioner. She was better known as "Vera".
She was also in the Nursing Detachment of the HKVDC. On her POW Card, she was a nurse with designation "ND108". In the Hong Kong War Diary, a nurse with the same designation was named "A. Vera F. Simpson". Not sure if her initials were transposed.
Frances Vera Stroud married Andrew Simpson, a civil servant attached to H. M. Dockyard on 29 April 1939 at the Registry. (Hong Kong War Diary mentions that A. Vera F. Simpson was married to Lance Corporal R. A. J. Simpson. This appears incorrect)
After the fall of Hong Kong she continued to provide nursing services at St. Albert's Temporary Hospital and St. Teresa's Hospital. She entered Stanley Camp on 10 August 1942.
Post-war, Vera Simpson and Andrew Simpson lived at the same address in Dunfermline, Scotland.
Her name/signature appears as "Vera Simpson" under "VADs/Nurses" on the "Day Joyce Sheet" held by the Imperial War Museum. See: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30083388. An explanation of the "Day Joyce Sheet" is given at: https://gwulo.com/media/46458
Source
- POW Card: https://lq-cofepow.org/products/simpson-vera?_pos=7&_sid=a748284cb&_ss=r
- Wedding: Hong Kong Telegraph/Hong Kong Daily Press 1 May 1939