The English patient who won over a reluctant Derry nurse

Marion Walsh was a nurse at Eglinton naval station near Derry city in 1948. She was on duty the night Lieut Cdr Eric Meadowcroft, a Fleet Air Arm pilot, was brought into her ward. He had fallen off his motorbike and broken an ankle. She wasn’t very impressed: he had been drinking, and she felt he had brought it on himself.

Still, he was sober enough to notice this very pretty nurse. She assisted the doctor who treated Eric and she certainly didn’t want to engage in any banter with her patient. In fact, she was relieved to see him discharged the next morning.

However, that was not the last she saw of Eric. He was smitten. Marion was not in the least bit interested. She was from a strict Catholic family in Co Down. Eric was English and not religious; he had never been baptised. She also had an understanding with an Australian doctor attached to the base. So Eric didn’t really stand much of a chance, but he didn’t give up.

Marion was bombarded with calls, flowers and calls from Eric, all sent to her ward. She refused to acknowledge any of them until the sister in charge said she had had enough of this disruption. Marion was persuaded to agree to one date with Eric on the understanding that he would leave her alone after that.

Off they went across the Border to a pub in Muff, Co Donegal, on Eric’s motorbike. By now his ankle had healed enough for him to drive it. Within six months he had converted to Catholicism, and the Australian doctor was on the next boat home.

Marion and Eric married in February 1949 in St Columb’s Cathedral in Derry. It was a quiet wedding;only one of Marion’s sisters attended. Eric’s parents travelled from Croydon in England. The rest of the guests were made up of friends from the hospital and Eric’s squadron. But the photos show a happy day.

Eric and Marion were my parents. A few years later they settled in Portaferry, where Mum’s family lived. Dad retired early from the navy. He was only 44 when he passed away in 1969 from a massive heart attack. My mum lived until 2003 and passed away at the age of 86.

I was their only child and never forgot the story of how they met.

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