Maude Steele GM (1901-1997): awarded the George Medal for her bravery during the bombing of Sherborne

WOMAN “MAGNIFICENT” was one newspaper headline reporting the news that Miss Maude Steele, supervising telephonist at Sherborne Post Office Telephone Exchange, had been named as one of sixteen recipients of the George Medal listed in the London Gazette on 3 January 1941. Instituted by King George VI on 24 September 1940, the George Medal (GM) … Read more

Elizabeth Marden (1865-1940): town nurse and civilian casualty of the bombing of Sherborne

‘Send party to cottage Newland opposite cinema. I trapped’ – this message was relayed to the local emergency services at 17:19 on 30 September 1940 by Maude Steele (1901-1997), the supervising telephonist at Sherborne Telephone Exchange who was later awarded the George Medal for her bravery that day when she refused to leave her post … Read more

Alberta Gartell (1867-1940): civilian casualty of the bombing of Sherborne

‘Miss Gartell. Believed buried in wreckage. 20 troops digging. Ambulance standing by’ – this message was relayed to the local emergency services at 19:25 on 30 September 1940 by Maude Steele (1901-1997), the supervising telephonist at Sherborne Telephone Exchange who was later awarded the George Medal for her bravery that day when she refused to … Read more