London Cabbies help Diamond sailors learn about women’s WW2 exploits

Female sailors from destroyer HMS Diamond were invited to celebrate the role of women in wartime.

Veterans from all three Services were invited to the RAF Club in London by the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, to share their experiences with today’s generation of Servicewomen.

Representing the Type 45 destroyer were marine engineer ET Shola Jeffers, Writer Beth Hawkins and assistant logistics officer Sub Lieutenant Louise George… plus the warship’s sponsor, Lady Suzie Johns.

A former Wren, Lady Suzie launched the third Type 45 back in 2007 and is a patron of and champion for the taxi charity.

In all around 90 people – veterans, Chelsea Pensioners, serving personnel and charity volunteers – converged on the London club for a spot of afternoon tea and a Q&A session with two of the veterans, Mildred Schutz, who served with the Special Operations Executive (which dropped agents behind enemy lines) and former Wren Marie Scott who transmitted messages to and from the beaches on D-Day. 

Their stories had the Diamond team enthralled.

“These formidable women paved the way for women today to be able to serve,” said Louise.

The event was arranged to coincide with International Women’s Day. 

The charity which organised the event traces its history back to Fulham in 1948 when London cabbies got together to help WW2 veterans, offering trips to France, Belgium and Holland as well as trips to concerts of museums. 

Seventy-five years later its remit has expanded to provide whatever support it can to all military veterans.