Mission France 
the true history of the women of SOE

This is the true story of 39 women, chosen to work in the secretive, clandestine and mainly male domain of the Special Operations Executive, French section (SOE F).

Ranging from housewives to grandmothers, shop assistants to countesses, they were taught silent killing, instinctive shooting and sabotage as well as survival tactics for life in Nazi Occupied France.

Kate will describe their recruitment, training and operations including how they were infiltrated behind enemy lines to work as couriers and wireless operators, operating undercover and beyond the protection of the Geneva Convention.

Life expectancy was short, sometimes a mere six weeks but these women worked and fought hard – often living in solitude with no friends or company; travelling hundreds of kilometres carrying vital yet incriminating information; receiving arms or supplies and risking everything to make contact with SOE HQ over the radio waves.

Dr Kate Vigurs is a professional freelance historian whose PhD at the University of Leeds was entitled ‘The women agents of the Special Operations Executive F section – wartime realities and post war representations’.

Post-doctoral research included a study of UK Holocaust memorials during which she consulted the Prime Ministers commission at a conference at The National Holocaust centre and museum, and lectured at the Weiner library.  Kate was also an associate research assistant at the University of Leeds whilst working as academic advisor for the Yorkshire region on the BBC/AHRC project World War One at Home.

Kate regularly appears on TV and radio, from the National news covering topics such as the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, SOE, women in WWI, the land girls and Angela Merkel to local stories including VE day, D-day, the battle of Britain and many more.

Kate's book, 'Mission France. The True History of the Women of SOE' will be available to buy.

THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD AT
ST PETER'S CHURCH