But … Did you know?
During the Second World War several hundred real agents, 11 of them women, left from our building at 1 Dorset Square on dangerous missions in occupied France.
SOE, the Special Operations Executive, recruited and trained 50 women agents for missions in France. 11 were sent to France by SOE’s RF section based at 1 Dorset Square.
The story of “Gaëlle” in the film is based in part on a real female agent, Jeanne Bohec. She was a young chemist and explosives expert from Britanny, one of the very first women to join Général de Gaulle’s Volontaires Françaises, who was posted to the French secret service in London. She was parachuted into France on 29 February 1944 as a sabotage trainer. Jeanne was briefed for her mission in our building. She is still alive and currently contributing to our forthcoming history of some dangerous times starting at 1 Dorset Square!
Jeanne wrote the account of her WWII adventures in La plastiqueuse à bicyclette. We’ll soon have this book in our library available for loan, as well as articles about Alix d’Unienville, another woman who left from 1 Dorset Square on 31st March 1944 and who showed great courage and determination during her secret mission. She is still alive and contibuting to our history project.
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