Tipperary nurse that saved 17 lives in the London Blitz to be remembered this month

A remarkable story of bravery from wartime London is being remembered in Tipperary this month, as the life of a local nurse who saved 17 patients during the German Blitz comes back into focus.

Mary “Molly” Fleming, originally from Clonganhue near Cappawhite, was working as a nurse in London in 1940 when the city was subjected to sustained aerial bombardment by Nazi forces. During one of the most intense raids of the Blitz, Fleming refused to abandon her post, instead helping to evacuate and protect vulnerable patients as bombs fell nearby.

Her actions are credited with saving the lives of 17 people.

For her courage, Fleming was awarded the George Medal — one of the highest civilian honours for bravery — which was presented to her by King George VI at Buckingham Palace in 1941.

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Despite the significance of her actions, Fleming’s story is little known outside her local area. A talk hosted by Doon Historical Society later this month aims to change that, highlighting her heroism and her roots in rural Tipperary.

Her story serves as a reminder of the extraordinary role Irish men and women played during the Second World War, often far from home and under immense pressure.