Tuesday, 24 June 2025

HEROINES OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE - NANCY GRACE AUGUSTA WAKE AC, GM, CdG, LcH, MdlR, MoF,

 

Nancy was New Zealand born

But worked for the French Resistance

Under the Codename  “Andrée”

Also known as Nancy Fiocca

And also Madame Fiocca

In 1940, Wake became a courier

For the Pat O'Leary escape network

With her husband Henri Fiocca

The Gestapo called her the “White Mouse.”

In 1943, the Germans got too close

So she escaped to Spain and on to England

Her husband was captured and executed

Which she didn’t know until 1945

In England she joined the SOE

Under the codename “Hélène”, 

On a morning in April 1944

She was parachuted into France

To operate as a courier

Liaising between the SOE and several

Maquis groups in the Auvergne region

For the Stationer network

Remaining in France until

She took part in a battle

Between The Maquis in June 1944

And a large German force

Which ended in a defeat for the Maquis,

She had to cycle some distance

To send a situation report to SOE

She remained in Southern France

Until the invasion by the Americans

When she and the Resistance groups

Harried the retreating Germans

After the war she received a host of awards

The Companion of the Order of Australia
George Medal, Croix de guerre

Legion of Honour, Medal of Freedom 
Médaille de la Résistance 
And RSA Badge in Gold 

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HEROINES OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE - ANNE-MARIE WALTERS MBE, CdG, MdlR

  She was born in Switzerland But worked for the French Resistance Under the Codename “Colette” From January 1944 until August 1944 ...