Born: 1921 (Paris, France)
Died: c. 1945 (Ravensbrück concentration camp, Germany)
Biography:
Violette Reine Elizabeth Szabo, GC (née Bushell; 26 June 1921 c.5 February 1945) was a British-French Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent during the Second World War and a posthumous recipient of the George Cross.
Violette Bushell was born on 26 June 1921 in Paris, France, to parents Charles George Bushell and Reine Blanche Leroy. She was the second child of five and the only daughter. Her father, who came from Hampstead Norreys, served as a British Army driver in France during the First World War. It was during this time that he met Violette’s mother, a dressmaker originally from Pont-Remy, Somme. After the war, the couple settled in London, where Charles worked in various jobs including as a taxi-driver, car salesman, and shopkeeper.
During the early 1930s, due to the Great Depression, Violette and her youngest brother, Dickie, lived with their maternal aunt in Picardy, northern France. However, they were reunited with the rest of the family in South London when Violette was 11 years old. Growing up, Violette was an active and lively girl, enjoying activities such as gymnastics, long-distance bicycling, and ice-skating with her four brothers and several male cousins. She was often regarded as a tomboy, especially after her father taught her how to shoot, with her shooting skills becoming renowned for their accuracy.
While living in Picardy, Violette temporarily lost her ability to speak English but quickly relearned the language when she attended school in Brixton. Her ability to speak French made her popular and regarded as exotic among her peers. Despite loving her home life, Violette would sometimes clash with her strict father, and once, after an argument, she ran away to France. The family primarily conversed in French, except for Violette’s father, who only spoke English.
At the age of 14, Violette started working for a French corsetière in South Kensington before later finding employment at Woolworths in Oxford Street. When the Second World War broke out, she was working at Le Bon Marché, a department store in Brixton.
In early 1940, Violette joined the Women’s Land Army and was initially sent to carry out strawberry picking in Fareham, Hampshire. However, she soon returned to London to work in an armaments factory in Acton. It was during this time that she met Étienne Szabo, a decorated non-commissioned officer in the French Foreign Legion of Hungarian descent. They crossed paths at the Bastille Day parade in London in 1940 when Violette had been asked by her mother to accompany her friend Winnie Wilson to bring home a homesick French soldier for dinner.
Having fallen in love, Violette and Étienne married at Aldershot Register Office in Manor Park on 21 August 1940. Sadly, their time together was cut short as Étienne was called back to active service and was killed in action during the Battle of El Alamein in 1942.
Following Étienne’s death, Violette’s desire to contribute to the war effort led her to join the Special Operations Executive (SOE). After undergoing rigorous training, she was assigned to the F Section, the French section of the SOE. Her first mission involved working as a courier in France, but her cover was eventually blown, and she was forced to return to Britain. Determined to continue her fight against the Nazis, Violette embarked on a second mission to France in April 1944.
During her second mission, Violette successfully passed intelligence to the French Resistance, coordinating several acts of sabotage against German forces. However, her luck ran out on the night of 10 June 1944, when she was captured by the German army after a fierce gunfight near Salon-la-Tour. Violette was interrogated, tortured, and eventually deported to Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany.
Violette Szabo’s resilience and bravery in the face of unimaginable cruelty during her incarceration in Ravensbrück concentration camp is a testament to her indomitable spirit. Despite the physical and emotional torture she endured, she refused to provide any valuable information to her captors. Unfortunately, her ordeal came to an end on c. 5 February 1945, when she was executed at the camp. Violette was only 23 years old.
Violette Szabo’s heroism and sacrifice did not go unnoticed. She was posthumously awarded the George Cross, the highest civilian decoration for valor in the United Kingdom. Her unwavering determination, fearlessness, and dedication to the cause make her an enduring symbol of resistance against oppression. Violette’s legacy continues to inspire generations, highlighting the significant role women played in the fight for freedom during World War II.
Awards:
– George Cross (posthumously)