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Yvonne Burney MBE, Legion d'Honneure, Croix de Guerre

Discussion in 'WWII Obituaries' started by GRW, Nov 11, 2017.

  1. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    "On June 25, 1944, 432 containers of supplies, arms and equipment were parachuted from 36 Flying Fortresses near Dole, in south-east France.
    The operation was vital to the resistance movement and it had been organised by a 22-year-old Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent on her first mission in occupied territory.
    On March 17, 1944, Yvonne was parachuted into France where she and De Saint-Geniès established a new network, recruiting and training operatives and marshalling air drops via her radio to London.
    By the time of their most successful operation in June they had more than 800 French men and women on the ground.
    The next day, while celebrating at a cheese factory, they were discovered by a German patrol.
    De Saint-Geniès was shot and Yvonne was arrested.
    She was interrogated and sent to Ravensbrück but despite torture and illness refused to reveal the names of any operatives.
    She finally escaped in April 1945 on a Red Cross train to Sweden and the following year was appointed MBE and awarded a Croix de Guerre.
    In 1948 she married Desmond Bailey of the Colonial Service and moved to Rhodesia.
    After his death in 1966 she remarried, moving to Portugal with her new husband Anthony Burney.
    Following his death in 1999 she returned to London.
    In 1996 she was made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur. "
    Yvonne Burney obituary - 1922 - 2017: SOE agent and concentration camp survivor
     
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  2. JJWilson

    JJWilson Well-Known Member

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    Great story Gordon, Thank you for sharing........ne l'oublions pas!
     
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