A Croydon cemetery is the final resting place of First World War heroine Rose Cotton who died serving her country.

The 26-year-old has the rare privilege of being one of few women included on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission debt of honour – an international honour roll listing the names of those who died as a result of the war.

However, her war records were destroyed in the Blitz, so details about how she died and her service record remain shrouded in mystery.

She was a member of Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps which was formed in 1916. It was created to allow women to enter the workplace doing jobs previously performed by men, freeing them to take up arms and fight for Britain.

Most of the women worked on the Home Front but about 9,000 served in France with the first of them arriving on March 31, 1917.

It is unknown where Miss Cotton served or what brave act she died of in order for her name to be included on the debt of honour.

According to historian Brian Roote, the heroine was from a fairly wealthy family making it even more unusual she joined the auxiliary corps.

He said: “Her father was a superintendent of a sewing machine company and she was a maid in the prestigious Croham Hurst School in 1911.”

He suggested she may have joined looking to “avenge” the death of her brother, William Frank Cotton, who was killed on September 2, 1916, in France.

He is also commemorated in Mitcham Road Cemetery on the family plot.

Mr Roote said: “It would have taken her too long to qualify for a medical position so when she saw the posters going up to enrol in a new ladies’ force, she may have decided to do just that.”

She died in London on October 16, 1918, and was buried in the family plot on October 28.

Mr Roote said: “To qualify for war grave status, the person’s death must be caused by something attributable to the war so we can be assured that she deserved her memorial.”