Talk – Violette Szabo GC

Jeremy Prescott will present this inspirational story of the bravery of Violette Szabo, one of the immensely brave Special Operations Executive agents who were parachuted into France during the Second World War. It covers her brief marriage to Etienne Szabo, a French Legionnaire, before he was killed in El Alamein. It covers her motivation to be selected by the SOE, the training involved, her 2 missions into France, her capture by the Germans, her imprisonment and execution in Ravensbruck concentration camp in 1945, the award of the George Cross gallantry medal to her 4 year old daughter Tania and how her memory is now commemorated.

Violette’s husband fought with the Free French in Africa, participating the defence of the Bir Hakeim Oasis – now in Libya. The Emsworth Free French camp was named Bir Hakeim as a tribute to this important action. See the display in Emsworth Museum for further information.