Who was Nancy Wake?
Nancy Wake was a New Zealand-born Australian who became one of the most decorated Allied women of World War II. She worked with the French Resistance and was known to the Germans as the White Mouse.
Wake was born in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1912 and grew up in Sydney. As a young woman, she moved to Europe and worked as a journalist.
After marrying a French businessman, she lived in Marseille. When Germany invaded France, she helped Allied soldiers and airmen escape through the Pyrenees.
Special Operations Executive
Wake escaped to Britain and trained with the Special Operations Executive. In 1944, she parachuted into France, where she helped organize and lead Resistance fighters.
She became famous for her courage, including a long bicycle ride to deliver radio codes. The Gestapo placed a large price on her head.
Wake received many awards, including the George Medal, the French Croix de Guerre and the US Medal of Freedom. She was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2004. She died in London in 2011.