Person    | Female  Born 11/8/1905  Died 22/11/1989

Sister Dorothy Louise Thomas, GC

Categories: Medicine

Nurse. Born East London, died Chelmsford.

From Stephen's Study Room: "At the time of her EGM award she was a Nursing Sister at the Middlesex Hospital {Foley Street}, London. On the 26 January 1934, Sister Thomas was working as a Theatre Sister in one of the Operating Theatres, when an explosion occurred in a large oxygen cylinder. Sparks and flames shot from the cylinder through the door of the anaesthetic room across the theatre for a distance of about 15 feet. Sister Thomas remained behind until everyone was removed from the theatre and, despite the risk of the cylinder exploding, she went back into the anaesthetic room and managed to turn off the oxygen cylinder."

In 1940 the EGM was discontinued and recipients were obliged to exchange it for the George Cross.

The picture comes from a Pathé film (issued 2 April 1934) of her receiving her medal in 1934 but annoyingly she never faces the camera. The king, who is holding a stick and wearing gloves, struggles to open the case containing the medal and takes a long time pinning it to Thomas's clothing, all without us getting more than a passing glimpse of it.

2024: Mike Coleman  pointed out that there is some confusion over which medal she was awarded. The announcement in the London Gazette, 2 March 1934, awards her the OBE and the Pathé film similarly awards her the "gold medal of the OBE". However Wikipedia, while referring to that edition of the Gazette, says she was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal (which is silver). The EGM is the medal which was later replaced with the GC, which is what the plaque names. Normally we'd take the Gazette as the source of truth but official plaque erectors are duty-bound to do their research, so we are left uncertain. Which is why Thomas is in our Puzzle Corner.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Sister Dorothy Louise Thomas, GC

Commemorated ati

Sister Thomas

Sister Dorothy Louise Thomas GC, 1905 - 1989, nursing sister awarded the Geor...

Read More

Other Subjects

Brown Dog

Brown Dog

Brown mongrel/terrier male dog of about 6kg used in a vivisection in December 1902 and again, twice, on 2 February 1903 at University College, immediately after which he was killed. For more inform...

Animal, Animals, Medicine

2 memorials
Sir William MacCormac, Bart. KCB, KCVO, MD, FRCS

Sir William MacCormac, Bart. KCB, KCVO, MD, FRCS

Notable surgeon during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Strong advocate of the antiseptic surgical methods proposed by Joseph Lister and he served in conflicts such as the Boer War. An...

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration, Ireland

1 memorial
Dr. Edward Adrian Wilson

Dr. Edward Adrian Wilson

Born Cheltenham. One of Scott's four companions who died with him, returning from the South Pole. Cheltenham honours Wilson with a statue on the Promenade and an exhibition in the town museum.

Person, Exploring, Medicine, Arctic & Antarctic

2 memorials
Organ Donation Award

Organ Donation Award

From Organ Donation news item: "Since 2013 the families of organ donors have been able to accept an award for their loved one, collecting it in person on their behalf at a private ceremony or havin...

Concept, Medicine

1 memorial
Mrs A. Calvin Lines

Mrs A. Calvin Lines

Lady District Superintendent in the St John Ambulance Brigade, Metropolitan Corps, 1893-1923. Dame Grace in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Sir Edmund Gosse

Sir Edmund Gosse

Born 13 Trafalgar Terrace (now 56 Mortimer Road), Hackney, son of Philip Gosse. Writer, best known for his book ‘Father and Son’ which is partly autobiographical and depicts the new generation free...

Person, Literature

2 memorials