Codename: Isabelle. See "Accidental Agent" memoir published 1971. It was also reported thatYolande was handled roughly before being shot in the back of the neck. The little information we have on Denise Bloch was obtained by Vera Atkins during her extensive investigation into missing agents. Sister of SOE agents Jacqueline & Francis Nearne. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. What did female SOE agents do? For cover purposes all SOE agents who had not served with a military unit wore military uniform, Violette wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY). It was also very dangerous. On 13 January 1944, Gestapo agents arrest SOE agent Yolande Beekman in Saint-Quentin, France. Violette volunteered for the operation. After a failed attempt to escape Noor was sent to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. After scooping up her possessions she stormed out of the room and went to her bedroom. These SOE agents were later captured by the Gestapo, tortured and executed. Roger Landes. During her say in Paris she was arrested twice by the Gestapo but on both occasions managed to talk her way out of the Gestapo Headquarters at 18 Avenue Voch. They were then given the location of a rendezvous point in Brittany around 919.8 km (over 571 miles) away where an extraction by sea had been arranged. Shortly after her arrival Yolande and the representative were arrested and within a few hours some 50 members of the resistance were in the hands of the Gestapo. Much of this dangerous work was done by women: not only were they less likely to raise suspicions when routinely stopped by German soldiers, men could be taken off the street and forced to work in factories supporting the German war effort. Captured autumn 1943. Codename: Vladimir, Linesman, Sari. Unique to the SOE, candidates also mastered the gunfighter technique for rapid and accurate use of handguns and became efficient with an assortment of British and German weapons. She was stationed in Paris as a radio operator in 1943, linking French resistance fighters with British intelligence. But throughout her terrible internment, she never once gave away a single secret. I dont believe Heidi Staben has read recent work on the subject and agree with the others that this was a major problem in Holland. Although no indication was given as to what the job entailed, Noor wanted to do something more interesting and accepted the position. She displayed formidable skills as an interrogator. Here they learned a variety of specialist skills such as lock-picking and safe cracking. To coordinate the combined resources of both circuits she arranged a meeting with a representative of the FARMER circuit at a safe caf. There are also many accounts of RAF aircrews, which at the time was very cosmopolitan, being rescued by civilians who were aware if they were caught by the Germans they would be executed, and their families were also in mortal danger from being used as deterrents. It is known she was taken to Fresnes prison, and on or around 12 May, Yolande along with SOE agents Odette Sanson/Churchill, Sonia Olschaneky, Madeline Damermont, and Andree Borrel were taken by train to Karlsrushe Prison just inside the German border. SOE was interested in women-power as well as man-man power, both on the staff and in the field (Foot p46) The bulk of the cypher operators were young girls in their late teens, most of the drivers, telephonists and many of the base operators, wireless operators and those working at safe houses and holding schools were women. However the network was later revived by Francis Suttill, organiser of Prosper. Thirty-nine of the 470 SOE agents in France were women . Captured when landed in France and killed at Gross-Rosen concentration camp, Section Captin flown into France night parachute in 6.3.1944, posted to Dachau 1945, Judge Advocate General's Branch 1945-46 (Germany) (A/Major), Codename Aleric, Gardener Circuit (w/t operator) Name changed to Roger Forster after his first marriage. Married, arrested in 1944, shot at Buchenwald 5 October 1944, Killed in action when Germans carried out attack on, arrested June 1944. Yolande Beekman. But Sydney Hudson's story, which he has waited nearly sixty years to tell, is just about as dramatic and thrilling as any to have ever appeared. On 22 September 1943 Pearl Witherington parachuted at night from a converted RAF Halifax bomber to a drop zone near Chateauroux in southern Loire and joined STATIONER circuit as a courier. After spending several hours in Paris she travelled to Nantes where she transmitted her first message to London. A Call to Spy is a very worthwhile film and we finally get to see some of these intriguing operatives on screen, something that was well overdue. On every main street in Paris there were wanted posters for Claud Malraux and other members of his circuit. SOE's objectives were to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe (and later, also in occupied Southeast Asia) against the Axis powers, and to aid local resistance movements. Due to Noors dark complexion, she was considered inferior by the Third Reich, and was singled out for special treatment: she was kept in solitary confinement, chained hand and foot, regularly punched and kicked unconscious by the guards, but for eight months she still refused to talk. Consequently, wireless operators could expect the worse form of torture to extract information. Although he survived the war, whilst at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp 16 members of his circuit were hanged. In the weeks and months following her arrest, Odette was tortured, beaten, starved almost to death and sentenced to be shot. After being arrested, which is discussed later, Warenghem was sent to Castres prison in southern France where she met Blanche Charlet an agent serving with SOEs F Section who had been captured along with her wireless operator Brian Stonehouse. During the period of February-May 1944, SOE airdropped to French resistance forces in France 76,290 Sten guns, 27,961 pistols, 16,945 rifles, 3441 Bren guns, 572 bazookas, 304 PIATs, and 160 mortars. Le Croix de Chevalier de l'Ordre Royal du Lion, avec Palme, According to The Sunday Times, Ian Fleming used Hudson as a model for his character, James Bond. Apart from coordinating all the circuits in occupied France, SOE agents were also responsible for rebuilding circuits which had been compromised or had bad leadership and to form new circuits to replace those which had been decimated. Since these editions were published, other material on SOE has become available. This new Special Operations Executive (SEO) was to be responsible for recruiting and training agents who would then be sent behind enemy lines. After France fell in June 1940, her father and two brothers, who served in the French army, were taken prisoner by the Germans. Senior Abwehr and Gestapo officers also discovered the structure of the escape network presented a number of security issues they could exploit. A casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. After her capture an SOE agent sent a diverted telegram to Buckmaster saying, Madeline had a serious accident and she was now in hospital, meaning, she had been captured and taken to Gestapos Headquarters at Avenue Foch. After discovering his real name and informing MI9 of Coles string of convictions which included burglary, fraud, theft and various swindles MI9 decided to disregard his long criminal background because he was helping British and allied military personnel to escape and there was no indication this was simply a continuation of his criminal career rather than patriotism. Prior to the SOE, he was in Section D of the British. If Warenghem, as Ghmard states, was serving with SOE she was likely to be a member of DF Section which was an independent subsection within SOE responsible for escape and evasion which worked closely with similar organisations including MI9, and this would account for her connection with the escape line. Tracce di cingolo: Compendio generale di storia dei Carristi 1917-2009. She was arrested and had to undergo solitary confinement. One of the most determined and courageous secret agents of the Second World War, Harry Peulev joined the BEF in 1940 before volunteering for F Section of the Special Operations Executive. Four days Later Churchill was flown out by Lysander to report the situation directly to Buckmaster; Odette and Armaud remained to monitor the situation. Married, King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom. Role: Wireless Operator (F Section) Circuit: FREELANCE. In Flames, Rita Kramer tries to unravel the knotty tale of the French Section of the SOE (Special Operations Executive) during World War II. Memoirs of SOE agents have always been rare - so many were either killed in action or executed - and today they are almost unheard of. Codenames: Helene (British), Andree (French), Witch (Ops), Gertie (closest colleagues). Under the cover of darkness, with her bicycle across her shoulders, she swum across the freezing river, continued her journey and safely delivered the message. Established February 9, 1943 by General Charles de Gaulle awarded to individuals who participated in actions against the Axis powers on French soil. Tue 21 Feb 2012 10.39 EST. All these escape lines were busy throughout the war and according to author Douglas Reanne one former member said: It was raining aviators at the height of WW2 On 14 October 1943, 82 bombers with 800 crew members of the US Eighth Air Force were shot down or crashed landed in occupied Europe. Forty-three circuits were no longer existent at that time of which 31 had been destroyed by the Germans. As this was her first trip to France Buckmaster felt secure in the knowledge she would not be known to the Gestapo, but she would have to work alone. As the car left the camp Suhren told her he was going to deliver her to the American lines where she would be safe. For example, SOE organiser George Reginald Starr was the organiser of the Wheelwright network and known as "Hilaire" to French contacts in the Resistance and to other SOE personnel. The msg. This is not correct and simply echoes several conspiracy theories which have long been rejected. Alfred Newton. They left France on 30 April. He was born in Brussels in 1901, the . After this initial stage of selection candidates received basic firearms training, elementary Morse code, basic sabotage techniques, explosives and unarmed combat. Crew on board the, Later become the first Chinese-Canadian MP, Radio Operator - Shelburn Line (Shelbourne Line) Operation Bonaparte, Deported to KL Buchenwald (Jan 1944Jan 45)-. Registration #: 309883. During Vera Atkins relentless investigation to discover what had happened to her agents who she considered family, she interviewed an SOE agents who had been incarcerated in a neighbouring cell to Noor. During her military training she impressed her instructors; she was one of the best shot they had seen, she was also physically and mentally tough. Instituted May 1945. This is not the case. Madeleine Barclay. On the night of 16/17 June she boarded a Lysander at RAF Tangmere in Sussex, bound for a landing field near Angers in north-western France. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. When it became clear soft interrogation techniques would not work the Gestapo resorted to torture in order to extract information- red-hot pokers were used to burn her back and every time she passed out from the pain buckets of cold water were used to revive her so the torture could continue, Odette refused to talk. [3], Approximately 470 SOE agents served in France during World War II. Noor started to use the escape and evasion skills she had been taught at finishing school change your hairstyle, dye your hair, walk differently, alter your mannerism, alter your accent, talk with a lisp, change your style of clothing- be an entirely different person! The body was Eileen, the older sister. After successfully making contact with Peter Churchill (Raoul) who ran the SPINDLE Circuit (who she married after the war), he gave her the address of a contact who was vital for her operation. In all, 3,200 . Since this article was written over five-years of research has been completed for my forthcoming book SOE in France which is due for publication in June 2022. Although Noor skilfully avoided capture for four months and during this period kept London advised of the constantly changing situation she was finally betrayed by a collaborator who was given 100,000 francs for the address in which she was staying. After Cole was arrested by the Abwehr he willingly provided names and addresses of people in his network and was later accused of hiding in the back of a car whilst pointing out members in the street whose names he did not know. From throughout-the-year events and new installations in Copenhagen, the UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, to the long awaited opening the underground bunker museum REGAN Vest in North Jutland. [1], Each network was given a name and each agent belonging to the network had one or more code names and aliases which he used in France. During the chaos an SS officer entered her cell and told her to come with him, Odette assumed she was going to be shot. After the Gestapo continued to arrest hundreds of resistance members and their families, and SOE agents made their way to safer houses, Noor became the only F Section Wireless Operator in the Paris area. The highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom. On 16 September 1943 Warenghem and Charlet escaped from prison and made for open countryside and because they had no money and were unable to contact London they decided to approach the first farmhouse they came to and ask for help whilst hoping they were patriots and to their great relief they were in luck. Also, she made no mention of Henri Dricourt! Furthermore, most of the agents captured in France including women was not due to a failure in radio security. Sister of SOE agents Eileen & Francis Nearne. After landing, with the help the local Resistance, she made her way north to join the MUSIAN circuit who were operating in the strategically important town of St Quentin. The book, which details the exploits in France of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the organisation set up by Churchill in July 1940 to 'set Europe ablaze' by conducting sabotage and subversion throughout German-occupied territory, was the first history of . Executed at Buchenwald concentration camp on 14 September 1944, Full Name: Helen Anna Agate Thormann-Bierer. Required fields are marked *. Special Operations Executive Agent in Italy, 1943-45 by Charles Macintosh (William Kimber, 1982). Now a number of events, TV programmes and books are marking the sacrifice of the SOE agents alongside their comrades in uniform. Fate: Survived. Infrastructure Engineer Salary: 41,659 per annum<br><br><u>Location:</u><br><br>Southend Hours: 37.5 per week Permanent role Are you a passionate Infrastructure Engineer professional looking to work for one of the public sector's leading organisations? Through Vera Atkins relentless pursuit for Justice she ensured the treatment and murder of Noor was added to his war crimes, Fredric Wilhelm Ruppert was tried, convicted and executed for war crimes in 1946. captured and executed in Dachau concentration camp. Codename: Cicero. Landed in France by aircraft in March 1943. Spoke French with a Newcastle accent according to John Goldsmith. She was the oldest female SOE agent sent to France, serving there from 31 October 1942 until 16 August 1943. Those who trusted Cole, including Suzanne Warenghem who he married in Paris on 10 April 1942, were shocked after discovering he was working for the Gestapo and was aware members of the resistance he was informing on were being executed or sent to concentration camps. ARTICLES. Buy SOE in France: An Account of the Work of the British Special Operations Executive in France 1940-1944 (Government Official History Series) 1 by Foot, M.R.D. During their advanced interview potential field agents were told if they were captured they were liable to be tortured and then executed and were given the opportunity to reject special employment. Awarded for meritorious or distinguished service in war. An official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the person's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy. Military historian and defence commentator Courier. Codenames: Justin, Roland, Dieudonn. Some of the original research by MRD Foot mentioned below and other authors including R.J. Minney who wrote Carve her Name with Pride (the life of Violette Szabo) have been challenged by new findings. Denis Rake. Had a French wife, after easing out of circuit was implicated in documents found in 1943 when other agents arrested. This film can be seen at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEhwZ9C1jgA. Everything about SOE was unorthodox and the organisation was like a club membership by invitation only. Although there was a rank structure SOE was run on self-discipline, there were no social barriers and gender equality was seen as paramount. Im just an ordinary person who did a job during the war (Telegraph 3 September 2015) Based on similar interviews of other former members of SOE there is no doubt that extreme modesty and humility was a common trait among SOE agents and may be one of the traits the staff looked for at Wanborough Manor. Wife of, Killed in concentration camp March 1945. While Dericourt made his secret arrangements for the landings of SOE F-Section agents, preparations for the insertion of other members of the Prosper network began. Special Operations Executive (SOE) In June 1940, a secret volunteer service was recruited to create havoc and to wage war behind enemy lines. The Special Operations Executive was engaged in clandestine warfare throughout the world but more is known about their French Section than any other section within this highly secretive organisation. Recruited November 1942 (F Section wireless operator), Codenames: Madeleine, wireless transmissions Nurse. Foot, who can be considered as the SOEs official historian, says that many of their records remain secret and are kept by the Foreign Office whilst others were deliberately destroyed. Madam Szabo gave a magnificent example of courage and steadfastness. After the war Airey Neave (MI9) said Cole was among the most selfish and callous traitors who ever served the enemy in time of war. Suzanne Warenghem (Warren) who served with SOE DF Section in France Due to conspiracy theories and published accounts which vary considerably the story of Suzanne Warenghem and her treacherous husband Harold Cole is complex and beyond the scope of this short article. This intricate tale concentrates on the work of the 400 hand-picked . This further increased her workload and she was now constantly on the move to avoid detection. Denise Bloch was eventually taken to Ravensbruck Concentration camp, along with Violet Szabo (mentioned later) and Lilian Rolf, who was the wireless operator for HISTORIAN Circuit. Noor has gone down in history as a great heroine because she defied her captors to the end, never cooperating with the Germans in any way. Hugo Bleicher, an Abwehr (German Military Intelligence) officer who worked against the French Resistance judged her interrogation the most skilful to which he had been subjected to by his captors. They were pleased to help and said she could stay in one of their spare rooms. French. needed to include a misspelled word. Sometime in 1944, as Allied forces were fighting their way through France as part of Operation Overlord, Denise Bloch and Violet Szabo were taken to the crematorium yard where an SS guard shot them through the back of their necks and their bodies were cremated. (ISBN: 9780415408004) from Amazon's Book Store. An important part of the German and Milice counter-resistance operations was the infiltration of escape lines and blocking known routes to neutral Spain and Switzerland. 1911-1943. Apart from all circuits having code names, every SOE agent had several code names. Circuits: DETECTIVE, CLERGYMAN and WHEELWRIGHT. Successful candidates were then sent to STS21, Arisaig House, in Inverness Scotland. Unable to break her and not being sure whether she was an SOE agent she was sent to Ravensbrck concentration camp where she became friends with Violette Szabo. 2009. F. F. E. Yeo-Thomas (alias Shelley, alias Asymptote alias Cheval) and Maurice Lostrie (alias Trieur) were dropped on the night of 24 February 1944 by a RAF Halifax of 161 Squadron on DZ (Drop-zone) Sarrall, 16km NE of Montluon, Allier. As can be seen by the F Section Circuit activities, each circuit had a unique code name and was responsible for a specific geographical area and conditions within these circuits could suddenly change without warning. The new organization became known as Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the staff were given an office at 64 Baker Street in London. On the night of the 7/8 June Violette and Claud Malraux, who was to command the new SALESMAN circuit, arrived in France by Parachute. (LogOut/ [citation needed], David Twiston Davies, Canada from Afar: The Daily Telegraph Book of Canadian Obituaries, Dundurn, 1996, [Maurizio Parri. July 1, 2012. Potential field agents were sent to Wanborough Manor, an Elizabethan house located on the Hogs Back near Guildford Surrey. Croix de Guerre avec palme, Legion d'honneur, 1st Knight of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, Head of Billet circuit, Head of Eduard escape line to Spain. Organizer for Stockbroker circuit. After destroying ten locomotives in November and a further eleven in December London told both circuits to prepared themselves to attack local rail networks at 25 points; German communications across the region and to cut telephone lines to Paris. Set Europe ablaze.' The order came from Churchill himself. The clandestine networks and agents were "dedicated to encourage and aid resistance" to the German occupation of the country. Although the details are still not clear, Didi was one of the few people to escape from Ravensbruck and to survive the hostile countryside patrolled by German forces including the SS. This was a tip off that they were in enemy hands. The most highly decorated naval officer of World War II. List of SOE F Section networks and agents, "List of SOE F Section networks and agents", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Captain Brian Dominic Rafferty | Christ Church, Oxford University", "The British Prosper Spy Network: Destroyed to Protect D-Day? After a large number of arrests Cole agreed to work for the Abwehr but was offered more money by the Gestapo and as James Langley said he betrayed his country (and his friends) to the highest bidder and began working for the Gestapo. Resistance fighter would need to be recruited and armed. You can watch A Call to Spy's trailer here. When she was away for several weeks at a time this allowed her to tell inquisitive people she had been driving senior officers around the country. Rene was in love with another SOE agent named France Antelme, but when Nora arrived, Antelme . Codename: Rose. . German Spies Executed at the Tower of London During the Two WorldWars, Alexander Vass: SOE Hungarian Section wirelessoperator. Your email address will not be published. Working with Americans from the Office of Strategic Services, its agents parachuted into France immediately before the D-Day landings and in the months . Alias: Madeleine Latour . Another tactic the SOE agents used was to claim they were married and related to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in the hopes that would make them more valuable prisoners. One of the most difficult roles which members of the SOE undertook was that of wireless operator. Brother of SOE agents Eileen & Jacqueline Nearne. As children, Violette and her four brothers were encouraged to learn French and at an early age they were fluent in the language. The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration and is awarded in recognition of "an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land to all members, of any rank in Our Armed Forces". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. As FARMER had no leadership or wireless operator Yolande was ordered to keep London informed of the developments and problems associated with both circuits: this resulted in a large increase in wireless traffic and increased possibilities of detection. Correct Paul, is should be Denise Bloch not Block, Very interesting. Associazione Nazionale Carristi d'Italia. This resulted in a handful of agents being dropped into German hands or the Lysander being surround by German troops. If arrested trainees had the telephone number of an SOE officer to get them out of trouble. In her execution of the delicate researches entailed she showed great presence of mind and astuteness. Vera Atkins was determined that war criminals would pay for their crimes. (The London Gazette, Friday 12 June 1946, HMSO), Recruited: Unknown (Wireless operator F Section). Of the four British SOE agents allegedly executed at Dachau, Noor Inayat Khan has become the most famous. A video interview of Noreen Rios former SOE agent. On here return to England Odette required over one year of intensive medical treatment for her injuries due to torture and neglect. Philippe Liewer. She arrived on the night 2/3 November 1942. Injured in road accident in Germany, May 1945. Although PAT was the largest escape line it worked jointly with MI9, DF Section SOE, the Comet Line, Shelburne Escape Line, Overcloud and several others which were established and run by French citizens after Operation Dynamo which was the emergency evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. After being identified as a Gestapo agent Cole is thought to have made his way to Paris to continue his work with the Gestapo and It is known he was at their headquarters in Paris when the allies landed in Normandy. He asked Violet whether she would go to Paris to assess the situation and Violet agreed. In March 1946 she interrogated Rudolf Hoess, the notorious commandant of Auschwitz. This led to a continuation of the previous argument. "Mdaille de la Reconnaissance franaise". When interviewed after the war Pearl Witherington said, I dont consider myself a heroine, not at all. Family Originally from Ukraine Immigrants in the early 1900's to UK, The first female SOE agent to be sent to occupied France (sent in May 1941). Agents who had shown an aptitude for Morse code, after being reminded of the risks, were given the opportunity to be trained as a wireless operators at STS51, the Thames Park Wireless School. Yolande Elsa Maria Unternhrer was born in Paris on 7 November 1911 to a Swiss father and an English mother. 10.0 10.1 Alfred and Henry Newton - SOE Agents in France; On her arrival at one of the safe houses she was told to deliver an important message from London to a neighbouring circuit. After assessing the situation Claud decided he would require the assistance of the DIGGER circuit which was operating south of Limoges and sent Violent and one of his new resistance members, Jacques Dufour, by car to ask for assistance. British independent all-female unit active in both nursing and intelligence work during the World Wars. 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Reported thatYolande was handled roughly before being shot in the weeks and months following her arrest, was! Who participated in actions against the Axis powers on French soil this resulted in a handful agents. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account at all a club membership by only. British independent all-female unit active in both nursing and intelligence work during the World Wars code..