Braver than any man: The British sisters who fought the Nazis

Daily Mail ^ | 5th May 2013 | Annabel Venning

[the scotsman]

'Hunched over a wireless set, alone in a safe house in a Parisian suburb on a rainy morning in July 1944, Didi Nearne tapped out a Morse Code message. It contained urgent information from the leader of her Resistance network to intelligence chiefs back in London.

The average SOE wireless operator in Occupied France lasted for just six weeks before being arrested. Didi, 21, had survived for five months, making an astonishing 105 transmissions.

The questioning began. What was she doing with a wireless set? Didi had her answer ready: she was a simple French girl and had been sending coded messages for her boss, a businessman. She had no idea what they were about. The Gestapo men were puzzled. Could this seemingly stupid girl really be an innocent dupe of a Resistance agent? Or was she a brilliant actress?

Eileen Nearne was, in fact, one of the bravest secret agents of World War II. When caught, she showed exceptional courage, withstanding torture and incarceration in concentration camps. But Didi was a modest woman who seldom spoke about her wartime exploits. Her latter years were solitary and reclusive.

When she died, aged 89 in 2010 at home in Torquay, her body lay undiscovered for several days. Among her belongings, police found several medals, including a Croix de Guerre, and other clues to a secret wartime life. It transpired that the eccentric old lady who fed stray cats had once been one of the most successful agents of SOE, as had her sister, Jacqueline, who had died many years before.

Now the story of these two astonishingly courageous women is revealed in a new book by the author Susan Ottaway, who was among the few people in whom Didi confided details of her incredible, inspiring story.'

[jsanders2001]

Sounds like it would make for an interesting movie...

[stockpirate]

Too bad we have no one here to fight the fascist’s here in our own country, Amerika.

[Shimmer1]

I hardly think they’re braver than any man, but definitely very brave!

[Old Sarge]

Too bad we have no one here to fight the fascist’s here in our own country, Amerika.

Sure we do.

Like this intrepid woman and her sister, we just don't talk about it.

[I cannot think of a name]

This is what happens when a modern journalist encounters the facts about “the greatest generation.” Hate to tell you pal, but there were MILLIONS of people just like these two. People that put everything on the line to insure a future in which fools like you have the freedom to make a big story out of an NBA player announcing he is gay.

Once upon a time we had GIANT problems. Luckily, we had GIANTS to deal with those problems. God help us if we ever had to face a crisis equal to World War II today.

[bandleader]

I belive a film was made already.I have read about their exploits against The Nazis as I am an avid student of WWII history.These girls were incredibly courageous.I would say even more so than Jason Collins??????????????

[dfwgator]

Another incredibly courageous woman.

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06LJmlhKSug