One of two Trevaskis sisters serving in Auxiliary Units Special Duties, they also knew Lynette Hough before the war, who joined them as well. In the Trevaskis family, members were always known by their second name, so she was Janet to her colleagues. Their father, Reverend Hugh Trevaskis, was Rector of Rusper, Sussex and Beatrice Temple visited them there regularly. There is a Trevaskis window in the church at Rusper.
She was recruited by Lady Claude-Hamilton of Rusper, Sussex. She promised all the girls a commission to stop Army Officers asking questions and stumbling on the wireless network. Janet went to Bachelors Hall, Hundon in Suffolk with her sister to do voice tests and met Major Hills. She passed the voice tests and was sent to Halstead for 6 weeks training as an "other ranker" then to OCTU (Officer Cadet Training Unit) at Craigmillar just outside Edinburgh and did a 9 week course.
She was billeted in a private house in Alnwick on arrival in Jan 1943 and later moved with the Scout Section and the other station operators to Doxford Hall north of Alnwick.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipley Instation | Operator | 15 Jan 1942 | 25 Jan 1943 |
| Alnwick Instation | Operator | 26 Jan 1943 | 20 Jul 1944 |
| Wendover Control | Operator | Sept 1943 | 20 Jul 1944 |
Herons Ghyll School, Sussex
Secretary to Father
Beatrie Temple visited her at West Grinstead (Shipley) on 25 Feb 1942, 21 Apr 1942, 20 May 1942 and 9 Sep 1942,
She moved to Alnwick from 26 Jan 1943.
At Wednover from 1 Sept 1943.
Born Myfanwy Janet Trevaskis in India (Simla). She married Gavin Purves-Smith, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, in 1937. He served in India and Janet was due to join him after the wedding. Post war she divorced him and married William "Willie" Wise in 1948.
IWM ref 14817
West Sussex Gazette 2 Dec 1937
The Bystander 1 Dec 1937
Frances M Rappoport