British heroine dies alone
Eileen Nearne was headed for a pauper’s grave when she died alone at the age of 89 taking the secrets of her young life with her, until her medals and citations were discovered in her apartment, reports the Associated Press;
Historian M.R.D. Foot, who had access to Nearne’s secret account of her activities, said Nearne had entered France in 1944 and was the only British agent with an operating wireless transmitter in the Paris area during the crucial period from March 1944 until she was caught by the Germans in July 1944.
“She was there during D-Day,” he said. “What she did was extremely important. She was arranging for weapons and explosive drops, and those were used to help cut the Germans’ rail lines.”
He said Nearne displayed rare bravery and discretion when she refused to talk about clandestine operations even when Gestapo agents stripped her and forced her into a tub filled with frigid water, holding her head under until she nearly drowned. They then interrogated her with the threat that she would be submerged again if she didn’t provide information — but she didn’t crack.
“Thank goodness I was spared that,” said Foot, who was also a clandestine operator inside France in 1944. “She maintained she was just a little French shop girl who went into the Resistance for fun.”
Nearne managed to escape from a forest camp set up near the main Ravensbruck concentration camp, he said.
You should really read the whole article…especially any phonies or their supporters who happen to be reading. This is how courage is done.
Thanks to Tman for the link.
Category: Historical
Yet she died alone. Christ, but people are apathetic, self-absorbed assholes.
Godspeed, Ms. Hearne. There’s a special place in Heaven for her, I’m sure.
Yet she died alone. Chtist, but people are apatheric, self-obsessed assholes.
Godspeed, Ms. Hearne.
Apathetic, even.
Screw it.
RIP, Ma’am.
There is a special place in Valhalla reserved for you…seated amongst WARRIORS.
A true-blue “tough nut” that couldn’t be cracked by the Gestapo.
Thanks for posting this, Jonn, it shows what selfless service is all about.
This lady has bigger gonads than the Jesse McFakes and the so-called “Conscientous Objectors” of today. They would be peeing their pants to just be threatened with an Icewater bath.
Heroes are born, not made.
Wow! Goosebumps on that one. And, ROS- I’m with you. WTF is with the apathy?
RIP, Ms. Nearne. May the road rise up to meet you.
It is a characteristic of true hereos that they desire little attention and are truly content to quietly live out their lives ingnoring the deafening din of the shameless.
There are some awesome stories from WWII, and this is one to add to the list.
A grave doesn’t define the person laying in it; this lady’s deeds will shine forever.
Now this… this pisses me off.
The thing that strikes me other than everything about it, is that she would have been 45 years old when she endured all that. She was old enough to be the mother of most of the soldiers fighting in the war.
And… with all the press surrounding “poseurs” sporting false military creds… this amazing woman died alone… probably with her secrets and medals and citations tucked away in a tiny bureau next to her bed.
Oops…. sorry.. My math was wrong. I was so pissed off I made a big mistake.
ROS, people like Eileen Nearne never talk of their war time duties or exploits. Likely, being such an agent, she was sworn to secrecy and never revealed to anyone her contribution to the Allies effort.
No doubt, her neighbors thought her just a nice old lady living next door.
Also no doubt….the pussified British will simply give her a nice headstone, and sweep her incredible heroics under the rug.
Sorry… I should have read the link before I posted my comment…. did I mention I was pissed off?
And… apologies for my language, no other way to say it.
Au Revoir mon amie’. RIP. Nice to see this on the site. Nice break from reading a bunch of nonsense from a “socialist” coward and a plain ol’ coward.
Honor and Courage
spockgirl,
Looks like they are going to make sure she gets what she deserves….too bad it’s late but better late than never.
She was facing a pauper’s funeral, but all that changed when officials searching her apartment found the medals and records linking her to clandestine operations. Now plans are being made for a funeral that will, officials say, give Nearne the recognition her heroism merits.
“We will make sure she gets the dignity and respect and homage that befits a lady of her experience,” John Pentreath, county manager for veterans’ charity the Royal British Legion, said Tuesday.
How “civilized” societies support their veterans… great job by her family, better late than never for everone else there.
Y’all: I want to use this forum to welcome a new reader and commenter. “Spockgirl” is one of our neighbors to the north, and one heck of a poet, and one who has great insight. I followed her from her signature here to her blog, and Y’all should too. She is in my bookmarks. Drop in on her and leave her a message, (we do so like to know that we are read, don’t we?” Boo Radley has been up there, and I expect that she’ll see several of us commenting on her writings ramblings and great photos.
SC: I visited spockgirl’s site, and enjoyed it very much. Thank you for giving us the heads-up on this.
The article mentioned that this lady’s story touched a nerve in Britian, that she reminded them of the spinster in the song “Eleanor Rigby,” and that they would have loved to give her the honor that should have been her due.
Easy enough. They have many, many returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns that would love to be recognized for their sacrifice. Let’s see if the Brits can learn from their mistakes.
Come to think of it…we could pay a little closer attention, too.
Pintonag, that is correct. The majority see our returning troops as just another ho-hum event. I have stood along the roadside near the armories in the area over a dozen times, and totally enjoyed each time. Love that “warm fuzzy feeling in the stomach”……….
There was a poem left in the comments on her story, along with a quote from George Washington. They fit her story and the stories of so many today . . .
“Tis a Soldier’s Grave…
Tread lightly, ’tis a soldiers grave, A lonely, mossy mound; And yet to hearts like mine and thine. It should be holy ground. Speak softly, let no careless laugh, No idle, thoughtless jest, Escape your lips where sweetly sleeps the Hero in his rest. For him no reveille will beat When morning beams shall come; For him, at night, no tattoo rolls… Its thunders from the drum. Tread lightly! for a man bequeathed, Ere laid beneath this sod, His ashes to his native land, His gallant soul to God.”
“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly Proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation”
General George Washington