Gillian Tanner

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Gillian Tanner
Other names Gillian "Bobbie" Walton Clarke
Gillian Tanner (1941) (Art.IWM ART LD 1667).jpg
Born 1919-03-13
London
Died 2016-01-24 (aged 96)
Aberaeron, Wales
Occupation firefighter
received the George Medal, for bravery, during World War 2

Gillian Tanner was an auxiliary firefighter, in London, during World War 2.[1][2] For most of the war she worked as a driver, driving petrol trucks to keep the London Fire Brigade's fire engines constantly fueled.

In 1941 she received the George Medal from King George V.[1][2] The BBC quoted her, when she attended a ceremony in 2005, where Queen Elizabeth unvieled a plaque honouring her and other women who received the George Medal, that she knew her job was dangerous, but she didn't actually think of the danger, at the time, as she was busy doing her job.

The London Fire Brigade named one of the buildings at their training establishment "Tanner House", in her honour, and, on September 4, 2022, a new fireboat, launched on the Thames River, was named after her.[1][2][3][4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Emma Griffiths. 'I did what I was asked to do', BBC News, 2005-07-08. Retrieved on 2022-09-05.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Medal heroine's blitz memories, BBC News, 2005-07-09. Retrieved on 2022-09-05.
  3. London Fire Brigade takes delivery of new fire boat duo, Port News, 2022-09-04. Retrieved on 2022-09-05. mirror
  4. Joe Talora. Fire boat named after Bermondsey Blitz heroine, London SE1, 2022-09-04. Retrieved on 2022-09-05. mirror