Real life 'Eleanor Rigby' was WW2 British heroine

The Sun ^ | 13th September 2010 | John Coles

[the scotsman]

'A REAL-LIFE Eleanor Rigby about to be buried in a council grave with no family to mourn her has been revealed as a Secret Army heroine from World War II who survived torture by the Gestapo.

Reclusive Eileen Nearne, 89, died alone from a heart attack in her seaside flat where her body is thought to have remained undiscovered for some time.

She left no known relatives and the local council has had to arrange her funeral because she had no next of kin.

But officials who searched her home in Torquay, Devon, were stunned to discover her remarkable past as a decorated undercover agent who fearlessly defied the Nazis.

Eileen was awarded an MBE for her exploits, which included being captured three times, torture and eventual escape from a slave labour camp.

She was a member of the UK's Special Operations Executive and was dropped behind enemy lines in occupied France in 1944 at the age of 23.'

[SeekAndFind]

According to anecdotes told by someone close to the Beatles...

In the 1980s, a grave of an Eleanor Rigby was "discovered" in the graveyard of St. Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, and a few yards away from that, another tombstone with the last name McKenzie scrawled across it.

Sir Paul himself stated that the strange coincidence between reality and lyric could be a product of his subconscious, rather than being a meaningless fluke.

The actual Eleanor Rigby was born in 1895 and lived in Liverpool, possibly in the suburb of Woolton, where she married a man named Thomas Woods. She died on 10 October 1939 at age 44. Whether this Eleanor was the inspiration for the song or not, her tombstone has become a landmark to Beatles fans visiting Liverpool.

[Ammo Republic 15]

Hmmmm...wonder if she kept her face in a jar by the door?

[Waverunner]

As she enters the Pearly Gates an angel calls out “Marines, Present Arms”

[brothers4thID]

The Crown would be wise to send a representative representing a grateful nation.

[dfwgator]

Way back when, I thought the Beatles were covering a Ray Charles song.

[Persevero]

What a brave woman. Hats off to her.

[SmithL]

And we lose another from the Greatest Generation.

SALUTE!

[NonValueAdded]

"Eileen — who spoke fluent French — was a radio operator codenamed 'Rose' whose job was to help the French Resistance and downed Allied pilots."

Ping ... how can we get the word out to WWII groups to locate someone whose rescue was facilitated by "Rose?"

[JoeProBono]

Eileen Nearne during the second world war, when she worked as a British spy.

[Ammo Republic 15]

I remember getting up Christmas morning 1966 (I think) and there it was - the glossy sleeved 45 single with Yellow Submarine on the B side under the tree.

I thought they were singing...”all the lovely people” for some time before I realized they were saying “lonely”.

[PetroniusMaximus]

I had that 45... with a big green apple on it, if I recall correctly.

[Ammo Republic 15]

Mine had the original Capitol label. I’ll bet you got your
copy sometime after 1968.

[PetroniusMaximus]

Yep! 1971

[sodpoodle]

Eileen Nearne’s heroic life should not be diminished with this inane comparison to the title of a pop song.

I hope someone with a sense of history and patriotism will undertake a serious biography of this magnificent human being.

No, not Paul McCartney - who has already shown his disdain for character and his sucking up quotient for lesser mortals.

[sportutegrl]

I hope someone with a sense of history and patriotism will undertake a serious biography of this magnificent human being.

Maybe we could get Elton John to re-write Candle In the Wind again.

[the scotsman]

Nice. I like.

[r9etb]

Maybe we could get Elton John to re-write Candle In the Wind again

Ahhhhh.... There are few things more enjoyable than a perfect bit of snarkiness!

[SuziQ]

“Eleanor Rigby” is one of my all time favorite songs; I love the plaintiveness of it. Because of the cello in the piece, it was also my introduction to Classical Music, which I love, now.