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Jacqueline Nearne
Jacqueline Nearne MBE (born 27 May 1916, Brighton, England, died 15 August 1982 in London, England), code named Jacqueline and Josette, was an agent for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. The purpose of SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in countries occupied by Nazi Germany and other Axis powers. SOE agents in France allied themselves with resistance groups and supplied them with weapons and equipment parachuted in from England. Nearne was a courier with the Stationer network operating mostly in the Clermont-Ferrand area. She worked in France for more than 14 months and returned safely to England. Early life Born 27 May 1916 in Brighton, England, Nearne was the elder daughter of an English father and a Spanish mother. She moved with her family to France in 1923. At the age of 18, she began work in southern France as a commercial travelling representative for an office equipment company. France ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brighton
Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. The ancient settlement of "Brighthelmstone" was documented in the ''Domesday Book'' (1086). The town's importance grew in the Middle Ages as the Old Town developed, but it languished in the early modern period, affected by foreign attacks, storms, a suffering economy and a declining population. Brighton began to attract more visitors following improved road transport to London and becoming a boarding point for boats travelling to France. The town also developed in popularity as a health resort for sea bathing as a purported cure for illnesses. In the Georgian era, Brighton developed as a highly fashionable seaside resort, encouraged by the patronage of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, who spent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Herbert (SOE Agent)
Mary Katherine Herbert (also known as Maureen) (1 October 1903 – 23 January 1983), code named Claudine, was an agent of the United Kingdom's clandestine Special Operations Executive (SOE) organization during World War II in France. The purpose of SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in countries occupied by the Axis powers, especially Nazi Germany. SOE agents allied themselves with resistance groups and supplied them with weapons and equipment parachuted in from England. Herbert was the only known female agent of SOE to have a baby while working in France during the war. The father was her organiser (leader), Claude de Baissac. The couple later married but never lived together. Early life Herbert was born in Ireland, the daughter of Brigadier General Edmund Herbert. She had a university degree in art and spoke French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Arabic. At the outbreak of the war, Herbert was working in the British Embassy in Warsaw. Later she was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Safehouse
A safe house (also spelled safehouse) is, in a generic sense, a secret place for sanctuary or suitable to hide people from the law, hostile actors or actions, or from retribution, threats or perceived danger. It may also be a metaphor. Historical usage It may also refer to: * in the jargon of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger * a place where people may go to avoid prosecution of their activities by authorities. Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad has been described as a "safe house". * a place where spying undercover hitmen may conduct clandestine observations or meet other operatives surreptitiously * a location where a trusted adult or family or charity organization provides a haven for victims of domestic abuse (see also: men and/or women's shelter or refuge) * a home of a trusted person, family or organization where victims of war and/or persecution may tak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Since the 17th century, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, gastronomy, and science. For its leading role in the arts and sciences, as well as its very early system of street lighting, in the 19th century it became known as "the City of Light". Like London, prior to the Second World War, it was also sometimes called the capital of the world. The City of Paris is the centre of the Île-de-France region, or Paris Region, with an estimated population of 12,262,544 in 2019, or about 19% of the population of France, making the region France's primate city. The Paris Region had a GDP of €739 billion ($743 billion) in 2019, which is the highest in Europe. According to the Economist Intelli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
La Souterraine
La Souterraine (; Limousin: ''La Sotarrana'') is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France. Geography La Souterraine is an area of farming and light industry, comprising the town and a few small hamlets. It is situated some west of Guéret, at the junction of the D1, D912, D951 and the N145 roads. It is also served by a TER railway link. The small river Sédelle, a tributary of the Creuse, flows through the town. The sources of the Benaize, a tributary of the Anglin, and the Brame, a tributary of the Gartempe, are both in the commune. History There is evidence of pre-Roman occupation here, attested by the discovery of Stone Age tools and a menhir. Remains of Roman villas and temples have been unearthed. In medieval times, a church and fortified walls were built. The name of the town, translating as ‘subterranean’, comes from the underground parts of the church, the crypt. Population Sights * The church dating from the 11th cent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pearl Witherington
Cecile Pearl Witherington Cornioley, (24 June 1914 – 24 February 2008), code names Marie and Pauline, was an agent in France for the United Kingdom's clandestine Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War. The purpose of SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe against the Axis powers. SOE agents allied themselves with French Resistance groups and supplied them with weapons and equipment parachuted in from England. Witherington was born in Paris to British parents. She parachuted into France in September 1943 as a courier for the SOE Stationer Network and, in May 1944, became head of the SOE Wrestler Network in the Indre region in central France. She was the only woman to lead an SOE network and associated resistance groups, called maquis, in France. Witherington's network, comprising about 2,000 maquisard fighters after the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, was especially efficient in sabotaging railroads and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amédée Maingard
Sir Louis Pierre Rene "Amédée" Maingard de la Ville-ès-Offrans, CBE (21 October 1918 - 1981) was born in Mauritius, then a British colony. During the Second World War, he served with distinction with the British clandestine organization, the Special Operations Executive, supporting the French resistance, and was awarded medals by the British and French governments. After the war he returned to Mauritius and became a successful businessman. Wartime career Maingard was studying in London in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War and volunteered for the British Army. After an unrewarding period in the infantry, Maingard joined the Special Operations Executive F section in 1942. He was parachuted into occupied France in April 1943 to join the 'Stationer' circuit run by Squadron Leader Maurice Southgate, initially as radio operator but soon was second-in-command in the circuit, arranging the delivery of weapons, supplies and personnel to the maquisards of the French Resistanc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tarbes
Tarbes (; Gascon: ''Tarba'') is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region of southwestern France. It is the capital of Bigorre and of the Hautes-Pyrénées. It has been a commune since 1790. It was known as ''Turba'' or ''Tarba'' in Roman times. Tarbes is part of the historical region of Gascony. Formerly of strong industrial tradition, Tarbes today tries to diversify its activities, particularly in aeronautics and high tech around the different zones of activities which are increasing. The recent development of and other regional specialties also shows a willingness to develop the agri-food industry thus justifying its nickname of "market town". Its 42,888 inhabitants are called ''Tarbaises'' and the ''Tarbais''. It is the seat of the diocese of Tarbes-et-Lourdes. The 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment and 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment are stationed in Tarbes. Geography Location Tarbes is a Pre-Pyrenees town within the rich agricultural plai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Limoges
Limoges (, , ; oc, Lemòtges, locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region. Situated on the first western foothills of the Massif Central, Limoges is crossed by the river Vienne (river), Vienne, of which it was originally the first ford crossing point. The second most populated town in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine, New Aquitaine region after Bordeaux, a University of Limoges, university town, an administrative centre and intermediate services with all the facilities of a regional metropolis, it has an urban area of 323,789 inhabitants in 2018. The inhabitants of the city are called the Limougeauds. Founded around 10 BC under the name of Augustoritum, it became an important Gallo-Roman culture, Gallo-Roman city. During the Middle Ages Limoges became a large city, strongly marked by the cultural influence of the Abbey ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Châteauroux
Châteauroux (; ; oc, Chasteurós) is the capital city of the French department of Indre, central France and the second-largest town in the province of Berry, after Bourges. Its residents are called ''Castelroussins'' () in French. Climate Châteauroux temperatures range from an average January low of to an average August high of . History The old town, close to the river, forms a nucleus around which a newer and more extensive quarter, bordered by boulevards, has grown up; the suburbs of St. Christophe and Déols lie on the right bank of the Indre. The castle from which the city takes its name was built in the latter part of the 10th century by Raoul, prince of Déols. From 920 to 1008, the Norman raids forced the monks of the abbey of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys, founded in Brittany by Saint Gildas, to bring his relics to the abbey of Saint-Gildas of Châteauroux that they founded under the protection of the prince Ebbes of Déols, father of Raoul. During the Middle Ages it was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vierzon
Vierzon () is a commune in the Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire, France. Geography A medium-sized town by the banks of the river Cher with some light industry and an area of forestry and farming to the north. It is situated some northwest of Bourges, at the junction of the D2020, D2076 and the D918 roads. Motorways encircle the town on three sides: the A85 and A71 on the north and east and the A20 on the north and west. Railways reached Vierzon in 1847 and the central SNCF hub Vierzon-Ville station, serving local and nation rail traffic, has been developed here ever since. History Little evidence remains of any pre-Roman occupation, and the Romans themselves didn't leave much trace of their occupation. Not until 926, when a Benedictine monastery was built (on the site of the current Town Hall) are there any records. The monks came from the abbey of Deuvre, at Saint-Georges-sur-la-Prée, after the abbey was sacked by the Normans in 903. They brought with them the relics o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brioude
Brioude (; Auvergnat: ''Briude'') is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-central France. It lies on the banks of the river Allier, a tributary of the Loire. History At Brioude, the ancient ''Brivas'', its martyrs in the 4th century, Julien and Ferréol, became its patron saints; according to the Chronicle of Moissac, Euric of Toulouse had the basilica built, in the fourteenth year of his reign (c. 480): it was wondrously decorated with columns. The emperor Avitus (acclaimed at Toulouse, died 456) had already been buried at the shrine of Julian at ''Brivas'' (Brioude), according to Gregory of Tours. Euric's basilica may have served to venerate both the saint and the Visigothic candidate for Roman Emperor. Brioude was taken by the Franks, then in turn besieged and captured by the Goths (532), the Burgundians, the Saracens (732) and the Normans. Carolingian Brioude remained a place of some importance: William I of Aquitaine minted '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
