Diana Hope Rowden had a privileged background. Born in London in 1915 she spent her early years at Cap Ferrat and the Italian Riviera where her mother rented a villa and yacht. Coincidentally, the yacht was named the Fearless One, it was a name that would later describe Diana perfectly. After boarding school in England, she returned to France with her mother, embarking on a career in journalism at the Sorbonne.
Nancy Wake was the most decorated servicewoman of World War II, and one of the most wanted agents in France. Awarded the France Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, Officer of the French Foreign Legion d’Honneur and awarded the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association Badge in Gold.
Female Agents Behind Enemy Lines: Our focus is on a woman who had a hatred of the Nazis and yet thrived on the adventure of war.
Odette Sansom Hollowes: “It will be your duty" said my grandfather, “to do what you can for your country. I grew up with this sense of duty".
Violette Szabo and other female agents were sent to France by F Section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during WWII. F Section (French Section), part of SOE, set up as a clandestine organization “to set Europe ablaze”, as Winston Churchill once said.
Come with us to experience French life beyond the cliché.
Magazine – Events – Experiences
Wherever you live, if you’re a francophile or French and you’d like to join our team of Contributors then we’d love to hear from you – check out our submissions page. We’re also constantly seeking savvy interns – please check on available internships
