Nancy Wake 'the White Mouse' died aged 98

kiwi_2005 · 08-07-11, 07:39 PM

Quote:

New Zealand-born Nancy Wake - a hero of the World War II resistance movement - has died aged 98. Ms Wake died on Sunday in hospital in London where she had lived since 2001. She was three weeks short of her 99th birthday.

She was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2004, and was Australia's most decorated World War II servicewoman. Born in New Zealand on August 30, 1912, Ms Wake grew up in Sydney when her family moved to Australia when she was one years old.

In her 20s she travelled to Europe where she witnessed Hitler's Nazis persecute the Jews and blacks in the 1930s in Vienna and Paris. When France was occupied by the Nazis in 1940 she and her French husband Henri Fiocca became active in the resistance movement. Ms Wake saved thousands of Allied lives by setting up escape routes and sabotaging German installations. Trained as a spy by the British, she led 7000 resistance fighters in D-Day preparations and was on top of the Gestapo's most wanted list.

Called the White Mouse by the Germans because of her ability to evade capture, Ms Wake learned at the end of the war that Fiocca was tortured and killed in 1943. She married RAF fighter pilot John Forward in 1957 and returned to Australia with him but returned to England to live in 2001, four years after his death.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news...ectid=10743730

Sailor Steve · 08-07-11, 07:57 PM

Wow, what a gal! Rest in the knowledge that you are revered, Ms Wake.

mobucks · 08-07-11, 08:01 PM

well said, steve.

what a gal.

frau kaleun · 08-07-11, 09:05 PM

RIP, Ms. Wake.

Castout · 08-08-11, 12:24 AM

Great way to live is to use it for a cause worthy of every sacrifice. She certainly had had hers.

RIP.

08-08-11, 12:25 AM

An extraordinary woman RIP

FIREWALL · 08-08-11, 12:46 AM

What a fantastic lady.

p.s. I hope a Bio and a movie is done on her life.

Sailor Steve · 08-08-11, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

What a fantastic lady.

p.s. I hope a Bio and a movie is done on her life.

One of the coolest gaming experiences I ever had was playing Medal Of Honor 2 on a Playstation. You played a female underground agent during the war. What was cool was the mini-documentary they included on all those ballsy women.

TarJak · 08-08-11, 06:08 AM

She was one hell of a gutsy woman who lived life to the full. RIP Madame!

There was a doco which Nancy narrated herself, made back in 1987: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323362/

Which of course Youtube has here in 6 parts:

I recall seeing this on TV a few years ago. Fascinating viewing.

vienna · 08-09-11, 07:30 PM

Another French Resistance fighter for the Brits was recently spotlighted in the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,7510226.story

The lack of attention given to the efforts of women operatives in the employ of the Brits is rather sad. There is an excellent book about one American woman who, when relegated to a future of just bringing coffee to her male "superiors", sought out an opportunity to serve in France for the SOE and became so effective in organizing and supporting the FFI in France the Gestapo offered a reward for her by name. Abook was written about her exploits: " The Wolves at the Door". Very good reading. Oh, and did Imention she did all her work while an amputee?...

08-07-11, 07:57 PM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Wow, what a gal! Rest in the knowledge that you are revered, Ms Wake. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

08-08-11, 12:24 AM	#5
Castout Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Jakarta Posts: 4,794 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 6	Great way to live is to use it for a cause worthy of every sacrifice. She certainly had had hers. RIP. __________________ My blog: http://exposingsingapore.wordpress.com/

08-08-11, 12:46 AM	#7
FIREWALL Eternal Patrol Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CATALINA IS. SO . CAL USA Posts: 10,108 Downloads: 511 Uploads: 0	What a fantastic lady. p.s. I hope a Bio and a movie is done on her life. __________________ RIP FIREWALL I Play GWX. Silent Hunter Who ???

08-07-11, 08:01 PM	#3
mobucks Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 713 Downloads: 209 Uploads: 0	well said, steve. what a gal.

08-07-11, 09:05 PM	#4
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	RIP, Ms. Wake.

08-08-11, 12:25 AM	#6
darius359au Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	An extraordinary woman RIP

08-08-11, 06:08 AM	#9
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	She was one hell of a gutsy woman who lived life to the full. RIP Madame! There was a doco which Nancy narrated herself, made back in 1987: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323362/ Which of course Youtube has here in 6 parts: I recall seeing this on TV a few years ago. Fascinating viewing.

08-09-11, 07:30 PM	#10
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Another French Resistance fighter for the Brits was recently spotlighted in the Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,7510226.story The lack of attention given to the efforts of women operatives in the employ of the Brits is rather sad. There is an excellent book about one American woman who, when relegated to a future of just bringing coffee to her male "superiors", sought out an opportunity to serve in France for the SOE and became so effective in organizing and supporting the FFI in France the Gestapo offered a reward for her by name. Abook was written about her exploits: " The Wolves at the Door". Very good reading. Oh, and did Imention she did all her work while an amputee?...