List of female SOE agents

The following is an list of female agents who served in the field for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II. SOE's objectives were to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe (and later, also in occupied Southeast Asia) against the Axis powers, and to aid local resistance movements. Most of the SOE's operations were carried out in France.

In 1981, the official historian of the SOE, Michael R. D. Foot, said that the staff of SOE consisted of about 10,000 men and 3,000 women. Of that number, "A few highly accomplished and gallant [women] were agents operating in France or Yugoslavia." Foot cautioned that "On these few there is a large popular literature, almost all of it worthless and much of it about the wrong people."[1] The declassification of SOE documents beginning in the 1990s permitted more accurate assessments of agents and their accomplishments.

Female SOE F Section agents in France

Estimates of the number of F Section female agents vary, but the following list is mostly taken from M.R.D. Foot the official historian of the SOE. Forty-one female Section F SOE agents served in France, some for more than two years, most for only a few months. Twenty-five of them survived World War II. Twelve were executed, one was killed when her ship was sunk, two died of disease while imprisoned, and one died of natural causes. Female agents ranged in age from 20 to 53 years.[2]

Most SOE agents were sent to France as part of a network or circuit of three persons consisting of an "organiser" who was the leader of the team, a wireless operator, and a courier. Women were most often employed as couriers as they could travel more easily than men who were regarded with suspicion and might be impressed as labourers. Pearl Witherington was the only woman to officially head an SOE network in France, although others fulfilled that role.

In addition to this list of female F Section agents in France, eleven women agents of the RF section of SOE were sent to France in 1944. The RF section was under the direction of Charles de Gaulle's Free French Government in exile with SOE lending logistical support and financial assistance. Conversely, F section worked with all factions of the French Resistance although leery of assistance to communists.[3]

Name	Birthplace	Born	Died	Awards	Date of entry	Notes
Francine Agazarian	France	1913	1999	MiD	17 March 1943, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Marguerite; Courier, Prosper network. Wife of SOE agent Jack Agazarian.
Juliane Aisner	France	1899	1947		17 May 1943, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Clair; Farrier network.
Lise de Baissac	Mauritius	1905	2004	MBE, CdeG, LdH	24 September 1942, parachute; April 9, 1944, Lysander	Code name: Odile, Marguerite; Courier, Scientist network. Sister of SOE Agent Claude de Baissac
Madeleine Barclay	France	1911	1943			Née: Madeleine Victorine Bayard. Died when HMS Fidelity was sunk on January 1, 1943
Yvonne Baseden	France	1922	2017	MBE, LdH, CdeG	16 March 1944, parachute	Code name: Odette: Courier, Scholar network. Captured 26 June 1944, survived Ravensbrück concentration camp
Yolande Beekman	France	1911	1944	MiD	18 September 1943, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Yvonne: Wireless Operator, Musician network. One of four women executed at Dachau, Sept 13, 1944.
Denise Bloch	France	1916	1945	KCBC, LdH, CdeG	2 March 1944, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Ambroise; Wireless Operator, Clergyman network. Executed at Ravensbrück concentration camp February 5, 1945.
Andrée Borrel	France	1919	1944	CdeG	24 September 1943, parachute	Code name: Denise; Courier, Physician and Prosper networks. Executed at Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp, July 6, 1944.
Sonya Butt	England	1924	2014	MBE, MiD	28 May 1944, parachute	Code name: Blanche; Courier, Headmaster network. Married fellow SOE agent Guy D'Artois. Youngest SOE woman agent.
Muriel Byck	England	1918	1944	MiD	8 April 1944, parachute	Code name: Violette; Wireless operator, Ventriloquist network. Died of meningitis at Romorantin Hospital, May 23, 1944.
Blanche Charlet	England	1898	1985	MBE	1 September 1942, boat	Code name: Christiane; Courier, Ventriloquist network. Arrested, escaped from French prison in Sept 1943.
Marie-Thérèse Le Chêne	France	1890		MBE, CdG	31 October 1942, boat	Code name: Adele; Courier, Plane network. Oldest SOE woman agent.
Yvonne Cormeau	China	1909	1997	MBE, LdH, CdeG	22 August 1943, parachute	Code name: Annette; Wireless operator, Wheelright network.
Madeleine Damerment	France	1917	1944	LdH, CdeG	29 February 1944, parachute	Code name: Solange; Courier, Bricklayer network. Arrested on landing; one of four women executed at Dachau, Sept 13, 1944.
Elizabeth Devereux-Rochester	United States	1917	c. 1983	LdH, CdeG	18 October 1943, Hudson aeroplane	Code name: Elizabeth; Courier, Marksman network. Aka: Elizabeth Reynolds. Arrested March 20, 1944, sent to prisoner of war camp, survived.
Yvonne Fontaine	France	1913	1996		25 March 1944, boat	Code name: Mimi; Courier, Minister network. Prior to becoming SOE agent worked with Tinker network as Nenette.
Giliana Gerson	Chile	c. 1910			May 1941	First SOE agent sent to France; stayed one month, collected intelligence and documents, such as ration cards which could later be copied by SOE.
Virginia Hall	United States	1906	1982	MBE, DSC (USA)	(1) August 1941; (2) 21 March 21, 1944, boat	Code names: Marie, Diane; Courier, Heckler, Saint networks. Called "Limping lady" due to amputated lower leg. Post-war worked for the CIA
Mary Katherine Herbert	Ireland	1903	1983	CdeG	31 October 1942, boat	Code name: Claudine; Courier, Scientist network. First WAAF Officer to join the SOE. Married SOE agent Claude de Baissac, daughter born December 1943, arrested and released 1944.
Ginette Jullian	France	1917	1962		7 June 1944, parachute	Code name: Adele; Courier, Permit network.
Noor Inyat Khan	Russia	1914	1944	GC, MBE, CdeG, MiD	16 June 16 Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Madeleine; Wireless operator, Cinema, Phono networks. Indian Muslim origin. One of four women executed at Dachau concentration camp, September 13, 1944.
Marguerite Knight	France	1920	2004	MBE, CdeG	6 May 1944, parachute	Code name: Nicole; Courier, Donkeyman network. Known as Peggy
Phyllis Latour	South Africa	1921		MBE, CdeG	1 May 1944, parachute	Code name: Genevieve; Wireless operator, Scientist network.
Madeleine Lavigne	France	1912	1945		23 May 1944, parachute	Code name: Isabelle; Wireless operator, courier, Silversmith network. Died in Paris of an embolism on February 24, 1945.
Cecily Lefort	England	1900	1945	CdeG, MiD	16 June 1943, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Alice; Courier, Jockey network. Executed at Ravensbrück concentration camp c. February 5, 1945.
Vera Leigh	England	1903	1944	KCBC	23 May 1943, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Simone; Courier, Inventor Network. Executed at Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp on July 6, 1944.
Eileen Nearne	England	1921	2010	CdeG, MBE	2 March 1944, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Rose; Wireless operator, Wizard network. Known as "Didi." Sister of SOE agents Jacqueline & Francis Nearne. Arrested July 1944; escaped Ravensbrück concentration camp, April 13, 1945.
Jacqueline Nearne	England	1916	1982	MBE	25 January 1943, parachute	Code name: Jacqueline; Courier, Stationer network. Withdrawn April 1944. Sister of SOE agents Eileen & Francis Nearne
Sonia Olschanezky	Germany	1923	1944		Recruited in France	Code name: Tania; Courier, Juggler network. Captured January 1944, executed at Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp on July 6, 1944
Patricia O'Sullivan	Ireland	1918	1994	CdeG, MBE	22 March 1944, parachute	Code name: Simonet; Wireless operator, Fireman network. WAAF. Returned to England on October 5, 1944.
Eliane Plewman	France	1917	1944	KCBC, CdeG	13 August 1943, parachute	Code name; Gaby; Courier, Monk network. Executed at Dachau concentration camp on September 13, 1944
Lilian Rolfe	France	1914	1945	MBE, CdeG, MiD	5 April 1944 by Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Nadine; Courier, Historian network. Executed 5 May 1945 at Ravensbrück concentration camp
Diana Rowden	England	1915	1944	MBE, CdeG, MiD	16 June 1943, Lysander aeroplane	Code name: Paulette; Courier, Acrobat network. Executed 6 July 1944 at Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp
Yvonne Rudelatt	France	1897	1945	MBE	30 July 1942, boat	Code name: Jacqueline; Courier, Physician network. Died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, c. 24 Apr 1945.
Odette Sansom	France	1912	1995	GC, MBE, LdH	31 October 1942, boat	Code name: Lise; Courier, Spindle network. First woman to be awarded the George Cross. Also known by the surnames "Hallowes" and "Churchill." Survived Ravensbruck Concentration Camp.
Krystyna Skarbek	Poland	1915	1952	GM, OBE, CdeG	6 July 1944, parachute	Code name: Pauline; Courier, Jockey network. Better known by her nom de guerre Christine Granville
Violette Szabo	France	1921	1945	GC, CdeG	5 April 1944, parachute; June 7, 1944, parachute	Code name: Louise; Courier: Salesman network. Executed c. 5 Feb 1945 at Ravensbrück
Nancy Wake	New Zealand	1912	2011	GM, LdH, CdeG	29 April 1944, parachute	Code name: Helene; Courier, Stationer network. 1940-43: Pat O'Leary escape line. The "White Mouse."
Anne-Marie Walters	Switzerland	1923	1998	MBE, CdeG	4 January 1944, parachute	Code name: Colette; Courier, Wheelright network. Married name Ann-Marie Comert
Odette Wilen	England	1919	2015		11 April 1944, parachute	Code name: Sophie; Courier, Labourer network. Married Santiago Strugo Garay, head of the Spanish escape network.
Pearl Witherington	France	1914	2008	MBE, CBE, CdeG	22 September 1943, parachute	Code names: Marie, Pauline; Courier, Stationer network. Organiser, Wrestler network. "Highly successful."[4]

Source: Foot, M. R. D. (1966), SOE in France, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, pp. 465–469.

Female SOE agents in other countries

Name	Nationality	Born	Died	Awards	Date of entry	Notes
Lorraine Adie	British	1916-2013				Married American OSS agent Miles Copeland, Jr. Served in Middle East.
Maddalena Cerasuolo[5]	Italy	1920	1999	MBE	27 April 2018	Code name: Maria Esposito, C22; sabotage missions, resistant[6][7]
Alix D'Unienville	Mauritius	1919	2015	MBE, LdeH, CdeG	31 March 1944, parachute	Code name: Myrtil; Courier, Oronte network. Arrested June 6, 1944, escaped en route to a prison camp in Germany.
Hannah Szenes	Hungarian	1921–1944				KIA in Budapest

Key

Note	Description	Explanation
ATS	Auxiliary Territorial Service	SOE Agents who were ATS officers are highlighted in italics
CBE	Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire	Commander of the British order of chivalry.
CdeG	Croix de guerre 1939–1945	French military decoration created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis force at any time during World War II
DSC	Distinguished Service Cross (USA)	US gallantry medal awarded for active operations against the enemy
FANY	First Aid Nursing Yeomanry	British independent all-female unit active in both nursing and intelligence work during the World Wars. SOE Agents who were FANY officers are highlighted in khaki.
GC	George Cross	The highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom. It is highest gallantry award for civilians as well as for military personnel in actions which are not in the face of the enemy or for which purely military honours would not normally be granted.
GM	George Medal	The second highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom It awards civilian gallantry in the face of enemy action and brave deeds more generally.
KCBC	King's Commendation for Brave Conduct	British commendation to acknowledged brave acts by civilians and members of the military in non-warlike circumstances during a time of war or in peacetime where the action would not otherwise be recognised by an existing award
KCXLM	King Christian X Liberty Medal	Issued by King Christian X for special services to Denmark during WW2
KIA	Killed in Action	A casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces.
LdH	Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur	French order that is the highest decoration in France.
MBE	Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire	Member of the British order of chivalry.
MiD	Mentioned in Despatches	An official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the person's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.
WAAF	Women's Auxiliary Air Force	SOE Agents who were WAAF officers are highlighted in light blue.
WRNS	Women's Royal Naval Service	SOE Agents who were WRNS officers are highlighted in silver.

See also

• List of SOE Agents
• SOE F Section networks

References

1. Foot, Michael R. D. (Jan 1981), "Was SOE Any Good," Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 16, No. 1, p. 174. Downloaded from JSTOR.
2. Foot, M.R.D. (1966), SOE in France, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, pp. 465-469. Estimates of the number of SOE's female agents differ, depending upon who is considered an agent and who was considered a local helper. 39 are listed by Foot, the official historian of the SOE.
3. Foot, pp. 20-22, 30-31, 469
4. Foot, M. R. D. (1966), SOE in France, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, pp. 122, 436, 440
5. HS 9/284 - Special Operations Executive personnel files, The National Archives, UK
6. Days of Naples
7. (IT) Maddalena Cerasuolo, l’eroina delle 4 Giornate lavorò per i servizi inglesi, on repubblica.it