Doreen Winifred Ashburnham Ruffner, GC

b. 13/05/1905 Rye, Sussex. d. 04/10/1991 San Luis Obispo, California, USA.

DATE AND PLACE OF GC ACTION: 23/09/1916 Cowichan Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada.

Doreen was born at Ashburnham Hall, the family seat on 13th May 1905, the grand daughter of Sir Anchitel Ashburnham and daughter of Lawrence "Tufty" and Rosalie Winifred (nee Barnard) Ashburnham. Early in her childhood, her family emigrated to Canada and settled near Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island.

She was awarded the Albert Medal at the age of just 11 on the 23rd September 1916, when she and 8 year old Anthony Farrar, tackled a cougar. They were the youngest recipients of the Albert Medal and were presented with their medals by the Duke of Devonshire. At the age of 25, she moved to the USA where she learnt to fly, play polo and raised show horses in Italy.

In February 1945 she married Sydney Jackson Ruffner and they had one daughter called Djinn. She chose to exchange her Albert Medal (which she donated to the Canadian War Museum) for a GC which she received in Ottawa in November 1974. She died in California on 4th October 1991 and was cremated.

Source: THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE VICTORIA & GEORGE CROSS