Violette Bushell was born on June 26th 1921. Her father was English, her mother French. She spent her early years living in Paris where her father worked as a taxi driver before returning to Brixton, South London to start school.
Childhood Holidays in Wormelow
Violette and her family spent many happy holidays at the cottage of her aunt and uncle Mr. and Mrs. Lucas, at Wormelow, Hertfordshire. She quickly developed a daredevil reputation, often seen climbing the trees around the village or riding pillion on a motor bike driven at speed around the narrow country lanes. It was said that at the age of 10 she was seen running along the roof of her uncle's cottage, seemingly fearless!
Violette Szabo's Early Working Career
As was the norm at the time, Violette left school at 14. She first found employment as a hairdresser and then worked as a sales assistant at a local department store. It was whilst attending the 1941 parade of the Free French Army in London that she met and fell head over heels in love with Etienne Szabo a young officer with the French Foreign Legion. They were married within six weeks of meeting, shortly after Violette’s twentieth birthday. Unfortunately their honeymoon period, like so many couples during the war, was short lived when Etienne received orders to sail with his unit to North Africa. It was the last time she was to see her husband alive. Etienne Szabo was killed in action during the second battle of El Alemein in the autumn of 1942.
SOE, the Special Operations Executive
Recruited by the Special Operations Executive, (SOE.) which was formed in July 1940. The objective of the unit was to promote subversive warfare in enemy occupied territory and reached its greatest strength in mid 1944 with a total of 10,000 men and 3,000 women. Violette quickly gained a reputation for bravery amongst her colleagues and is reputed to have been the best shot within SOE. She was often seen sporting a bandaged leg around the village of Wormelow, although not known at the time; her injury was obtained as a result of parachute training.
Szabo's Missions Behind Enemy Lines
At last she received the go ahead to undertake her first mission behind enemy lines. Boarding a Lysander, she was flown to Rouen, France on the morning of April 6th 1944. Her objective was to assess the effectiveness of the local resistance movement following large-scale arrests. Even though she was arrested twice by suspicious French police, Violette completed her mission successfully and was flown home to safety.
Her second incursion behind enemy lines took place almost immediately after the Allied troops landed at Normandy. Violette parachuted into France. Her mission, to reach Limoges by road with Anastasie, a member of the French Resistance. An advance party of German soldiers from the Das Reich division spotted them. Grabbing a Sten gun and as much ammunition as she could carry, Violette swapped shot for shot with the Germans as Anastasie made his escape to complete the mission. The Germans captured her when her ammunition ran out.
The Capture and Torture of Szabo
Held in solitary confinement, as a civilian Violette did not have the protection of the rules of engagement. She was subjected to atrocious episodes of torture. At no time did she utter the names of her acquaintances or give the enemy any information of value. Eventually transported to Ravensbruck, a Nazi concentration camp situated approximately 80km (50m) north of Berlin. Opened in May 1939 its victims, primarily women and children were transported from all over Europe. Originally built to house 6,000, by October 1944 it held approximately 42,000 people from 23 nations. Of the 133.000 people sent through its gates it is believed that as many as 92,700 did not survive. At one time Odette Sansom was imprisoned there, as was a young Jewish girl who found posthumous fame through her diary; Anne Frank.
The Execution of Violette Szabo
The London Gazette reported the death of Violette Szabo on December 17th 1946. She was executed by means of a bullet through the back of the head as she knelt holding the hands of Lillian Rolf and Denise Block. She was just 23 years old.
Posthumously awarded the George Cross on 28.1.47, Violette Szabo was the 2nd woman to receive the new award, which is the civilian counterpart of the Victoria Cross. Violete Szabo (1921-46) was an ordinary woman who undertook an extraordinary role, displaying dedication, heroism and extraordinary courage, her story was justifiably immortalized by the film ‘Carve Her Name With Pride,’ which stared Virginia McKenna as Voilette and Jack Warner as her father. A fitting memorial for a truly outstanding woman.
Sources:
- Violette Szabo Museum
- VioletteSzabo.org
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Photograph Supplied Courtesy Terry Hissey
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