Sadie learned to drive in 1915 in the hope of being of service during the Zeppelin raids on London that began that year. She was told that this was not something a woman should be doing. From June 1917 she managed to get a role as a driver for the Canadian Army Service Corps, driving an ambulance car in London.
By the end of the year, she had joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) and was out at the front in France driving field kitchens, mobile baths for troops and supply lorries. This soon developed into an ambulance-driving role.
On the night of 18/19 May 1918, Sara was serving near St Omer when a German air raid caused an explosion at an ammunition dump at Arque. The bombing destroyed the only ambulance at the site, so three extra ambulances were called for, driven and staffed by five FANY women, who – as the London Gazette (8/7/1918) described :
"… despite the danger arising from various explosions, succeeded in removing all the wounded. Their conduct throughout was splendid".
This dangerous work took five hours and resulted in 18 Military Medals being awarded – included Bonnell’s. The diary of the Matron in Chief in France and Flanders records the incident, from the point of view of number 10 stationary hospital at St Omer, is glowing in its praise of the women:
"Great credit is due to the FANY Convoy for it was their night on duty and these girls worked continually bringing in the wounded and dead from whatever place they were instructed to go."
In 1919, Sadie returned to the UK and married Major Herbert Marriott, a Railway Transport Officer who had been gassed during the war and awarded the OBE. Sadly, he died – possibly weakened by his war wounds – in the influenza epidemic in 1921.
She remarried in 1948, to Charles Leslie Talbot. Talbot died in 1967 but Sadie lived to be a centenarian and died in 1993.
Lucy London is this lady remembered in your Inspirational Women Pages?
https://greatwarlondon.wordpress.com/…/sadie-bonnell-brave…/
