Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Aircraftwoman Nancye Dawn Roche (Service No:93933) enlisted in the WAAF on 25 October 1941 at No 3 Recruiting Centre Brisbane - mustered as Clerk, remustered as Flight Rigger. Aircraftwoman Roche served at WAAAF Bankstown, No 2 TG, No 3 School of Technical Training (STT) Ultimo, No 1 Engineering School (ES) Ascot Vale, No 3 Wireless and Gunnery School (WAGS) Maryborough and in 1944 at No 6 Aircraft Depot (AD) Oakey. Aircraftwoman Roche was attached to No 3 Personnel Depot (PD) Staff Sandgate at Discharge on 5 December 1945.

Nancye was born in Gosford, NSW in 1922, second of five children (and only daughter) of Arthur James Roche (b1884 in London, England - although he gave his birthplace as Paris, France in his 1916 Attestation Papers) and Grace Lillian Cartwright (b1894 in Maryborough, QLD). Arthur was a Printer in London when he immigrated in 1905, arriving in Sydney, NSW on board the Ormiston. By 1913 he was working in Brisbane as an Insurance Agent, before becoming a Minister of Religion in Goondiwindi and Warwick. Arthur enlisted in the AIF in 1916 (Private; Service No:9743) and was attached to 11th Depot Battalion when he was Discharged after six months as medically unfit. In 1918, Arthur was a Minister of Religion and Grace a Shop Assistant when they married in Maryborough, QLD and moved to Hobart, Tasmania where Arthur was a Salesman. In the 1920s Arthur and Grace moved to Sydney, NSW where Arthur was Manager with Federal Building Assurance Coy. The family moved to Southport, QLD in the 1930s and Arthur was an Insurance Inspector before settling in Brisbane in 1940 where he was an Organiser.

Nancye worked as a Clerk with the Main Roads Commission in Brisbane before enlisting in the WAAF. Following her Discharge, Nancye returned to work as a Clerk and studied before becoming a Teacher. Nancye taught at St Faith's School in Yeppoon, QLD and in Warwick before settling in Dayboro, QLD where she died in 1985.