Odette: World War Two's Darling SpyOdette Brailly entered the nation's consciousness in the 1950s when her remarkable--and romantic--exploits as an SOE agent first came to light. She had been the first woman to be awarded the GC, as well as the Legion d'Honneur, and in 1950 the release of a film about her life made her the darling of the British popular press. But others openly questioned Odette's personal and professional integrity, even claiming that she had a clandestine affair with her supervisor Captain Peter Churchill. In the first full biography of this incredible woman for nearly 60 years, it delves into recently opened SOE personnel files to reveal the true story of this wartime heroine and the officer who posed as her husband. From her life as a French housewife living in Britain and her undercover work with the French Resistance, to her arrest, torture, and unlikely survival in Ravensbruck concentration camp, it is revealed for the first time the truth of Odette's mission. |
Contents
Acknowledgements 79 | 7 |
Introduction | 9 |
Childhood Years 323 | 13 |
Copyright | |
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accused aircraft Allied American Annecy April Archive Treasury Files Arnaud arrested Brailly Britain British Buckmaster bunker Cammaerts Cannes Captain Peter Churchill captured cell Chaillan claimed commanding officer comrades concentration camp Dame Irene Ward documents dropping enemy fact field film Foot's France Francis Cammaerts French Resistance French Section Fresnes Fresnes prison George Cross German forces Gestapo Henri heroine Hitler Ibid Imperial War Museum intelligence interrogation interview with Odette invade Irene Ward knew leader letter living London Marsac Marseille messages military Nazi never November Odette Hallowes Odette recalled Odette Sansom Odette's operations oral history interview organisation parachute Paris prison radio Raoul Ravensbrück Ravensbrück concentration camp recruits Resistance groups Royal Air Force sabotage SOE agents SOE officials SOE personnel files SS guards St Jorioz story Suhren survive things told torture undercover Vera Atkins Violette Szabo wanted woman women