Career
Born in Dublin on 29 June 1906, she became an actress (her stage debut was at the Lyric in London in 1937), and joined the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1942 after being discovered by them when interviewed about her wartime work for the National Fire Service. She travelled to mainland Europe just after the Doctorate-Day landings and reported from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway, before returning on health grounds in March 1945. In 1955, Russell gave a live commentary on the Coronation of Elizabeth II, from inside Westminster Abbey.
She also gave commentary on the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.
She appeared as a "castaway" on the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio programme Desert Island Discs on 29 July 1957. She died of Alzheimer"s disease in Woking, Surrey, on 8 August 1989.
Her World World War II military uniform (though non-combatants, war correspondents held military rank) is in the collection of the Imperial War Museum.