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| Muriel Perry, WW1 |
According to an article in “The Tatler” magazine of 15 August 1917, the Buffet cost around £1,000 per month to run and was entirely supported by donations and unpaid volunteers. Mrs Douglas McGarel Hogg was the Honorary Treasurer of the Buffet.
Muriel then drove a motor-kitchen to the Western Front, in aid of the Italian Red Cross.
My friend Sergio Sbalchiero kindly sent me this photo of Muriel Perry with other volunteers in front of an Italian armoured car with some Italian soldier (Library of Congress-Longshaw Kraus Porritt Collection)
While in Italy Muriel fell in love with Emanuele Filiberto, the Duke of Aosta and a member of the House of Savoy, who she met after being introduced to him. A short while later she wrote him a letter, and uncertain of how to address royalty, she wrote ‘Dear Man’ and this charmed him. Although he was old enough to be her father, and married, their romance appeared harmless and he placed Muriel in a convent in Trieste after she developed dysentery.
Several weeks later, Muriel returned to London then went to Belgium to organise a rehabilitation centre for wounded soldiers. She was decorated seven times for her war work, including an OBE.
Muriel’s daughter Sally Perry (1909 - 1990) married Gerald Grosvenor on 11th April 1945. He became Duke of Westminster in 1963 and Sally became Duchess of Westminster.
Original source post about .R. Ackerley (1896 – 1957) – WW1 soldier poet and playwright
Additional Sources:
https://themitfordsociety.wordpress.com/tag/muriel-perry/
https://blog.maryevans.com/page/2/
