A Donegal man is on a quest to reveal the truth behind the murder of his aunt, whose father hailed from Fermanagh, eight decades ago in wartime Scotland.
The body of Gertrude Canning, whose father Thomas Canning was born in Belleek and lived at the Station House in the border village, was found in a ditch near a secret wartime base in Inveraray in the summer of 1942.
The 20-year-old, who was from Ballindrait near Lifford, had been shot. Eighty-three years later, no one has ever been charged with her killing, and the case remains one of the oldest unsolved murder cases in Scotland.
Gertrude, was a member of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, commonly known as the Wrens, and was stationed near the base when she was killed.
Earlier this year her nephew Liam Canning, a retired social worker who lives in Strabane, launched a book, ‘Gertrude Canning: A Wren for 99 Days,’ both in tribute to his aunt and in the hope of shedding light on her murder.
Having first launched the book in Donegal and Strabane, Liam now wants to share Gertrude’s story with those in nearby Fermanagh also.
“For me, writing this book, whilst at times has been challenging, but it has also been a labour of love and I am delighted that I have completed it,” he said.
“It is a tribute to my aunt and will ensure that her memory will not be forgotten despite the decades that have past.”
The story also details how the Canning family worked with the Royal British Legion to have a memorial placed at the murder site in North Cromalt Woods, and a bench overlooking the Inveraray War Memorial.
“Gertrude may have been forgotten by the justice system but she will not be forgotten by her family,” Liam added.
Gertrude is buried at Ballubogan Old Historical Graveyard near Lifford.
Liam previously spoke to the ‘Herald’s sister outlet, We Are Tyrone (WAT), where you can hear him tell more of Gertrude’s story to Micheal Devlin.
The WAT ‘The Story podcast: Episode 11: An unsolved murder’ can be found on Spotify, YouTube, or whereever you get your podcasts.
‘Gertrude Canning: A Wren for 99 Days’ is available online at www.gertrudecanning.com
