The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans marked International Women’s Day with an invitation only event on 6 March at the RAF Club in London
WWII veterans at the Taxi Charity Event to mark International Women’s day
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans proudly hosted a special event at the prestigious RAF Club in London on 6 March to celebrate International Women’s Day. The gathering brought together veterans, serving personnel, and Taxi Charity supporters to honour the extraordinary contributions of women in military service. A highlight of the event was the attendance of the first female Brother from the Lord Leycester, an historic moment reflecting the increasing recognition of women in military traditions.
Guests enjoyed a delightful lunch before hearing firsthand accounts from two remarkable World War II veterans, Dorothea Barron and Ruth Bourne.
Ruth Bourne, a former Wren, served at Bletchley Park, where she worked on Alan Turing’s groundbreaking Bombe machine, playing a crucial role in breaking the German Enigma code. Dorothea Barron, a visual signaller during the war, recounted her own experiences of vital communications work. Both women, bound by the Official Secrets Act, kept their wartime roles confidential for decades. When Ruth was finally able to share her story with her husband, his understated response was,
“That’s nice dear – what’s for tea?”
Jan Brodie-Murphy, a Brother from the Lord Leycester said,
“As a veteran and Brother of the Lord Leycester Hospital, Warwick I was thrilled to be a part of this day. It was a revelation to learn from these lady WWII veterans what their war was all about, very different to what you read in the history books. When you have a roomful of military women few can get a word in, but you could have heard a pin drop when Ruth Borne and Dorothea Barron, related their war memories we all learnt so much”
The event was also attended by other esteemed WWII veterans, Marie Scott, Ruth Barnwell, Elizabeth Green, Robbie Hall, and Patricia Owtram, each of whom contributed to the war effort in invaluable ways.
Keely Allen from the Taxi Charity welcomed the guests to the event and concluded with a heartfelt message:
“Thank you to all the assembled ladies for showing the boys how it’s really done.”
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans extends its deepest gratitude to all who attended and continues its mission to support and honour those who have served their country.
To find out more about the support the Taxi Charity offers to veterans or to donate visit www.taxicharity.org
