While at Downe she became a crack shot, winning several competitions at Downe and at the Woking Ladies Rifle Club in the mid1930s.    She was so pleased to get the best score in one competition and her success was one of the few things she allowed herself to boast about.   Her certificate says: “On the 23rd February 1933 Miss A Eustace of the Downe House Rifle Club . . . made the highest possible score of 100  . . . .using a BSA rifle and Kleanbore ammunition.” 

Then the 2nd World War broke out and Alicia was catapulted from a life of refinement into the Auxiliary Territorial Service - the ATS - teaching young women to drive and mend ambulance vans, spending much time in a boiler suit underneath vehicles, trying to make them work.   She travelled all over England and Wales and she must have been proud of her war effort, however smelly and oily.   Subaltern Eustace always carried a gas mask which she used as a basket to carry her weekend clothes in.   

In 1946 she married Anthony Russell and settled down to life in Shere, Surrey bringing up four children and leading a busy social life. 

Alicia spent many years as a Division Commissioner for Surrey Girl Guides, which involved her visiting every Guide camp and event in the area. 

Anthony died in 1978 following a long battle with colon cancer leaving Alicia a widow for longer than she was married. 

From 2010 her agility, both mental and physical, slowly began to fail her but her spirit always showed itself and she was able to stay living in her home of over 40 years, with the help of all her four children and live-in carers. 

Downe made a life long impression on her and she was often heard to say ‘I wonder what Miss Willis would have said’!   Her two daughters Julia Sanderson (DH 1967) and Victoria Russell (DH 1971) followed her and then her granddaughter Vita Sanderson (DH 2004).  She was in touch with her oldest friend from Downe, Polly Towill (nee Godman) and her cousin Rosemary Powell (nee James) until not long before she died. 

Julia Sanderson 

June 2014