Thomas Russell-Stevens

It is thought that the operator of this outstation was Dr Russell Stevens, a family doctor and also surgeon at Dorset County Hospital, then in the centre of Dorchester. He lived in West Walks House adjacent the hospital and overlooking the park, with the main road from the south passing on the other side. This would have meant good views of any Germans moving out from an invasion in the Weymouth area.

Dr Stevens had been a House Surgeon at the West London Hospital before taking the appointment in Dorchester. On 29 Dec 1935 in Dorchester he married Enid Stanley from Twyford, Berkshire, having moved to Reading to further his training where he presumably met her. Prior to the war he lectured to Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurses and ARP personnel on First Aid matters, along with other local medical practitioners. He was also Deputy Medical Officer to Dorchester Prison.

Dr Stevens was a keen photographer and in 1936 founded Dorchester Camera Club. He was also a radio "ham" before the war and was an early member of South Dorset Radio Group after the war, becoming its first President. His call sign (appropriately for ‘Doc’ Stevens) was G3DUQ.

Wrackleford Patrol member George Northover remembers Dr Russell Stevens well. He was the surgeon who had helped manage his mother’s medical problems for many years. He recalls being taken into to his house to be shown the radio equipment and told how he had contacted people from all around the world with this. He never knew that he was part of Auxiliary Units until 2014.

After the war he was President of Dorchester Rotary. 

Dr Russell-Stevens died at Southampton Chest Hospital and is buried in Dorchester Cemetery.