Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Nancy Wake
Born August 30, 1912 (1912-08-30) (age 95)

1945 Studio portrait of Nancy Wake (AWM P00885. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting 001)
Nickname Heléne, Witch
Place of birth Wellington New Zealand
Allegiance United Kingdom, France, Australia/New Zealand
Service/branch Special Operations Executive, French Resistance
Years of service 1940-1944
Rank Field agent and guerrilla commander
Commands held Freelance

Nancy Grace Augusta Wake AC GM (born August 30 1912), is an Australian war heroine who became the Allies' most decorated servicewoman of World War II. Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Special Operations Executive ( SOE) (sometimes referred to as "the Baker Street Irregulars " after Sherlock Holmes ' fictional group of helpers The French Resistance is the collective name used for the French Resistance movements which fought against the Nazi German These are the networks, also known as circuits, (or réseaux to their French participants established in France by F Section of the British Special Operations Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia on 14 February 1975 "for the purpose of according recognition The George Medal ( GM) is the second level Civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In general allies are people groups or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including She fought alongside the maquis groups of the French Resistance. The Maquis (ma'ki were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. The French Resistance is the collective name used for the French Resistance movements which fought against the Nazi German

Contents

Background & Early Life

Born in Roseneath, Wellington, New Zealand on 30 August 1912, her family moved to Sydney, Australia in 1914. Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 She was only two years old at the time, and the youngest and most independent of six children. Later on, her father left the family to return to New Zealand. leaving her mother to raise all children alone. In Sydney, she attended the North Sydney Girls High School. North Sydney Girls High School ( NSGHS) is an academically selective, Public High school for girls located at Crows Nest, on At the age of 16, she ran away from home and worked as a nurse. With £200 she received from the will of her aunt Hinamoa, the 'disgrace' of her mother's family, she journeyed to London, then New York where she trained herself as a journalist. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous In the 1930s she worked in Paris. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Later she worked for Hearst newspapers’ European correspondent. Hearst Communications Inc is a privately-held American -based Media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower in New York City, USA In 1935 she witnessed the rise of Adolf Hitler, Nazis, and saw the violence towards Jews, gays, gypsies, and protesters on the Paris streets and in Vienna. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria.

Wartime Service & Special Operations Executive

In 1935, she met French industrialist Henri Fiocca, whom she married on November 30, 1939. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She was living in Marseille, France when Germany invaded. Marseille, ( English alt Marseilles mɑrˈseɪ — French: maʁsɛj locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha maʀˈsijɔ Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. After the fall of France, she became a courier for the French Resistance and later joined the escape network of Captain Ian Garrow. The Gestapo called her the "White Mouse". The ( contraction of ge heime Sta ats' po' lizei: "Secret State Police" was the official Secret police of Nazi Germany The Resistance had to be very careful with her missions as her life was in constant danger and the Gestapo were tapping her phone and intercepting her mail.

By 1943, she was the Gestapo's most-wanted person, with a 5 million-franc price on her head. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. When the network was betrayed in December 1943, she had to flee Marseille and leave her husband behind. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She was later arrested in Toulouse, but was released four days later. Toulouse ( pronounced in standard French, and in the local accent ( Occitan: Tolosa, pronounced) is a city in southwest Her sixth attempt to cross the Pyrenees to Spain succeeded. The Pyrenees (Pirineos French: Pyrénées; Catalan: Pirineus; Occitan: Pirenèus; Aragonese: Perinés Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. She went to Britain and joined the Special Operations Executive. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Special Operations Executive ( SOE) (sometimes referred to as "the Baker Street Irregulars " after Sherlock Holmes ' fictional group of helpers

On the night of April 29-30, 1944, Nancy Wake parachuted into the Auvergne and became a liaison between London and the local maquis group headed by Captain Henri Tardivat. Auvergne ( Occitan: Auvèrnhe/Auvèrnha) was the name of an historically independent county in the center of France, as well as later a Province of The Maquis (ma'ki were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. She coordinated resistance activity prior to Normandy Invasion and recruited more members. She also led attacks on German installations and local Gestapo HQ in Montluçon. Montluçon is a commune in central France. It is the largest commune in the department of Allier, although the capital is located in the

From April 1944 to the complete liberation of France, her 7000 maquisards fought 22,000 SS soldiers, causing 1400 casualties. The Maquis (ma'ki were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. The ( German for "Protective Squadron" abbreviated SS - or ( Runic)- was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the Her French companions, especially Henri Tardivat, praised her fighting spirit; amply demonstrated when she killed an SS sentry with her bare hands to prevent him raising the alarm during a raid. During a 1990s television interview, when asked what had happened to the sentry who spotted her, Wake simply drew her finger across her throat. On another occasion, in order to replace codes her wireless operator had been forced to destroy in a German raid, Nancy Wake rode a bicycle for more than 100 miles through several German checkpoints.

Post War

After the war, she received the George Medal, the U. The George Medal ( GM) is the second level Civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. S. Medal of Freedom, the Médaille de la Résistance and thrice the Croix de Guerre. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed The French Médaille de la Résistance ( Resistance Medal) was awarded by General Charles de Gaulle "to recognise the remarkable acts of faith The Croix de Guerre (sometimes lowercase in French Croix de guerre, meaning "Cross of War" is a military decoration of both France and She also learned that the Gestapo had tortured her husband to death in 1943 for refusing to disclose her whereabouts.

She worked for the Intelligence Department at the British Air Ministry attached to embassies of Paris and Prague. The Air Ministry was formerly a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. In 1957, she married John Forward and returned to Australia. In 1985, she wrote her autobiography The White Mouse. In 1988, she received the French title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. John Forward died in 1997; the couple had no children.

In March 2004, she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, and in April 2006, she was awarded the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association's highest honour, the RSA Badge in Gold. Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia on 14 February 1975 "for the purpose of according recognition The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association, often referred to as the Returned Services' Association but best known simply as the RSA, is one of the largest [1] Nancy Wake's medals are on display in the Second World War gallery at the Australian War Memorial.

As of 2008, she is living in a rest home in London. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

List of Honours

Popular culture

Wake's story was told in a 1987 telemovie entitled simply Nancy Wake (released as "True Colors" in the USA). Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia on 14 February 1975 "for the purpose of according recognition The George Medal ( GM) is the second level Civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. The Croix de Guerre (sometimes lowercase in French Croix de guerre, meaning "Cross of War" is a military decoration of both France and The French Médaille de la Résistance ( Resistance Medal) was awarded by General Charles de Gaulle "to recognise the remarkable acts of faith The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed

The 2001 movie Charlotte Gray is loosely based on Nancy Wake's exploits. Charlotte Gray is a 2001 feature Film directed by Gillian Armstrong, based on the novel by Sebastian Faulks.

Notes

  1. ^ RSA - RSA Review Articles - Nancy Wake presented with Badge in Gold

References

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic