Warwick's Lord Leycester's first female Brother attends charity event recognising female veterans

The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans hosted the event at the RAF Club in London on March 6.

The gathering brought together veterans, serving personnel, and Taxi Charity supporters to honour the contributions of women in military service.

The first female Brother from the Lord Leycester, Janet Brodie-Murphy, attended the event.

After 450 years and 400 male residents known as Brethren, the Lord Leycester selected Janet Brodie-Murphy as a new resident into the community of veterans who have lived on the Medieval site since the reign of Elizabeth I.

Last year, Janet moved to the Lord Leycester with fellow veteran and partner Alan Gill BEM. They met when the pair were both In-Pensioners at London’s Royal Hospital Chelsea.

The installation ceremony for the couple took place on February 15.

Guests at the event heard first-hand accounts from two Second World War veterans – Dorothea Barron and Ruth Bourne.

Ruth Bourne, a former Wren, served at Bletchley Park, where she worked on Alan Turing’s ground-breaking 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 role 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?”

Speaking about attending the event, Brother Janet 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 Second World War 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 also extended “its deepest gratitude to all who attended and continues its mission to support and honour those who have served their country”.