WHAT is tragic is not just that seven Newport women died in the First World War, but also that hardly anyone can name them.

Author Sylvia Mason attempts to correct this, by giving much-needed attention to Newport women who participated in the Great War all those years ago.

And the book’s publication could not come at a better time, as earlier this month the country celebrated the centenary of women’s suffrage.

The book Every Woman Remembered: Daughters of Newport in the Great War documents the lives of a handful of women, who all aided the country during the “war to end all wars”.

Dame Rosemary Butler, who described the debt owed to the women covered in the book as “immense”, provided the foreword: “Sylvia Mason has undertaken research into the Newport women who lost their lives alongside their menfolk.

“Without the contribution made by women such as these, Britain would not have emerged victorious. They had helped win the war and, by doing so, proved that women had the right to a political role while remaining mothers and wives.

“After reading this book, I felt intensely proud of these magnificent Newport women of whom I knew little beforehand. Sylvia must be congratulated for undertaking such a worthwhile project.”

Sylvia Mason, who lives in Alt-Yr-Un, said she decided on writing the book a few years ago.

“I’m part of the Newport Women’s Forum,” she said. “And a few years ago we were discussing women in Newport.

“Someone said a book should be written about the achievements that they made.

“So, it took off from there really. After that conversation we set out on a quest.”

Mrs Mason, who has three granddaughters, said when planning the book she decided the theme would concentrate on Newport women but added she needed to find a narrative which linked them.

“I then looked for one and found women’s lives lapsed in 1910 to 20. I then did a lot of research.

“I settled on women during the First World War.”

She added: “I had been researching it for a few years then I thought to myself that I really had to get it done. I set a date for 2018.

“Lots of research came from the Argus.”

The book itself is divided into 17 chapters – 11 of which documents the lives of women during the war.

“The first three women in the book were nurses,” said Mrs Mason “The other four joined the services. The remaining women contributed back at home.

“I find Rosina Marion Cullimore, who is in chapter 13, very interesting. She met every ambulance train to give supplements to wounded soldiers that came into Newport station.”

Out of the seven women it was Caroline Maud Edwards who was the first to be killed.

She joined the Queen’s Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service when war broke out. In 1915, the captain of the HMS Naval hosted a party, Caroline Maud Edwards was one of those on board the ship.

Tragically, during the party ammunition exploded and the ship was torn apart.

Other chapters also go into much detail on other Newport women, including Lilian Jones, Alice Annie Guy, Gertrude Winifred Allam Dyer, Frances Mary Dulcie Llewelyn-Jones, Beatrice Olivette White, Violet Phillips, Rosina Marion Cullimore, Mabel Annie Vivian, Gertrude Mary Bailey and Mary Ann Hart.

The book also contains background information on the First World War - especially the impact it had on conventional views regarding gender.

Mrs Mason said: “By 1916 it was obvious if women took jobs left by men it would help keep the economy moving.

“People think about the trenches with the First World War but fewer people know what happened at home.

“The war played a crucial part in equal rights for women.

“All of this and other information of the war is in the book.”

The author added that the purpose of writing the book is to celebrate the achievements of these women.

“I wanted to show them as individuals,” she said. “Hence it goes into a lot of information into their lives.

“We need to remember them. They achieved on their own and through their own merit.

“The book brings their lives into the light.”

She added: “The other thing I wanted to mention is the picture on the book’s cover.

“They are Newport women but we don’t know exactly know they are. If you know who they are then please get in touch.”

The book is priced at £6.99. And proceeds will go to the Newport Women’s Forum to provide a bursary for a woman, who will benefit from it.

A talk on the book will also be taking place today at Barnabas Arts House from 11am.

For more information, e-mail newportwomenforum@live.co.uk

The book will be available from next Tuesday.