This picture is of a lady named Pearl Witherington an SOS Agent thoughout the War years. She was born in Paris of British parents which gave her a dual nationality, love of both countries and a perfect French accent. She joined the SOE, finishing her training as the best shot the service had ever seen and was paracuted into occupied France where she joined a leader and began causing havoc with the train lines the German army depended upon for troop transportation. After 8 months her Leader was captured by the Gestapo and she took over and went on to run an active marquis of some 2,000 men and women with bravery, gallantry and distinction until the war ended when she then presided over the surrender of 18,000 German troops.
At the end of the war she married and lived in London and was strongly recommended for an MC but apparently women were ineligible for such a high honour so she was actually sent a civil MBE. She sent this back with a sweet note saying she did not deserve it as she had done nothing civil at all during the war, she had been a serving soldier.
She was to wait 60 years before being given her parachute wings by the British.
The French decorated her with the Legion d'honneur.
She returned to France later in her long life and died in a Residential Home near Paris aged 93. RIP Pearl and thank you.
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