Jacqueline Nearne
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline Nearne MBE
(born 27 May 1916, Brighton, England - died 15 August 1982, London, England) was a secret agent for the British Special Operations Executive
(SOE) in Nazi-occupied France
during World War II
.
to work as a commercial travelling representative for an office equipment company. When France fell, she made her way to England via Portugal and Gibraltar.
On her arrival in England, she applied to the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)
but was turned down as she had no experience of driving in the dark and on the left hand side of the road. In 1942, she was recruited into the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
(the FANYs) alongside her younger sister Eileen.
Nearne's fluency in French quickly brought her to the attention of F Section, a branch of the SOE. She trained as a courier in mid-1942. She was also taught Morse code transmissions using a suitcase radio, which would help her in her work with the French Resistance
. She was the first woman, along with Odette Sansom
, to train at Training School 51 Ringway
Parachute School.
On 25 January 1943 she was parachuted into France to work for the vast Stationer circuit in central France. Despite the risks of being exposed or betrayed she travelled by train. She maintained contact with the neighbouring 'Headmaster' network and other SOE networks in the Paris
area. She carried spare parts for radios inside a cosmetics bag. After fifteen months in the field, she finally returned to Britain in April 1944 by means of Westland Lysander
.
She was awarded the MBE in 1945.
, in London. She then moved to New York
to work in the Protocol
Department of the United Nations
. In the 1950s, Brian Stonehouse
painted a portrait of her which now hangs in the Special Forces Club
in London.
In 1946 she played "Cat", a character based on herself, in the RAF's Film Unit production of Now It Can Be Told, which was later released to theatres in a shorter version as School for Danger, a drama-documentary about the wartime training and deployment of SOE operatives. Appearing with Jacqueline was her SOE colleague, Captain Harry Rée
. School for Danger was released in 1948.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 27 May 1916, Brighton, England - died 15 August 1982, London, England) was a secret agent for the British Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
(SOE) in Nazi-occupied France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
She was the elder daughter of an English father and a French mother. She moved with her family to France in 1923. At the age of 18 she moved to NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
to work as a commercial travelling representative for an office equipment company. When France fell, she made her way to England via Portugal and Gibraltar.
On her arrival in England, she applied to the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
but was turned down as she had no experience of driving in the dark and on the left hand side of the road. In 1942, she was recruited into the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry is a British independent all-female unit and registered charity affiliated to, but not part of, the Territorial Army, formed in 1907 and active in both nursing and intelligence work during the World Wars.-Formation:It was formed as the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in...
(the FANYs) alongside her younger sister Eileen.
Nearne's fluency in French quickly brought her to the attention of F Section, a branch of the SOE. She trained as a courier in mid-1942. She was also taught Morse code transmissions using a suitcase radio, which would help her in her work with the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. She was the first woman, along with Odette Sansom
Odette Sansom
Odette Sansom Hallowes GC, MBE, Chevalier de la légion d'honneur was an Allied heroine of the Second World War.-Early years:...
, to train at Training School 51 Ringway
RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway, was a Royal Air Force station near Manchester, UK, in the parish of Ringway, then in Cheshire. It was operational from 1939 until 1957.-Prewar years:...
Parachute School.
On 25 January 1943 she was parachuted into France to work for the vast Stationer circuit in central France. Despite the risks of being exposed or betrayed she travelled by train. She maintained contact with the neighbouring 'Headmaster' network and other SOE networks in the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
area. She carried spare parts for radios inside a cosmetics bag. After fifteen months in the field, she finally returned to Britain in April 1944 by means of Westland Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
.
She was awarded the MBE in 1945.
Post WWII
After the War she looked after her sister, Eileen NearneEileen Nearne
Eileen Mary "Didi" Nearne MBE, was a member of the UK's Special Operations Executive during World War II. She served in occupied France as a radio operator under the codename "Rose".-Early life and career:...
, in London. She then moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to work in the Protocol
Protocol (diplomacy)
In international politics, protocol is the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state.A protocol is a rule which guides how an activity should be performed, especially in the field of diplomacy. In diplomatic services and governmental fields of endeavor protocols are often unwritten guidelines...
Department of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. In the 1950s, Brian Stonehouse
Brian Stonehouse
Brian Julian Stonehouse MBE was a British painter and Special Operations Executive agent during World War II.He was born in Torquay, England. When his family moved to France, he went to school in Wimereux, Pas-de-Calais...
painted a portrait of her which now hangs in the Special Forces Club
Special Forces Club
The Special Forces Club was founded by surviving members of the Special Operations Executive , in 1946. "The Club", as it is simply known by its members, was established for all secret agents as a home in London....
in London.
In 1946 she played "Cat", a character based on herself, in the RAF's Film Unit production of Now It Can Be Told, which was later released to theatres in a shorter version as School for Danger, a drama-documentary about the wartime training and deployment of SOE operatives. Appearing with Jacqueline was her SOE colleague, Captain Harry Rée
Harry Rée
Harry Alfred Rée DSO OBE was a British educationist and wartime member of the Special Operations Executive.Harry Rée was born in England, the son of Dr Alfred Rée, a chemist who was descended from an illustrious Danish Jewish family, and Lavinia Dimmick, the American-born great granddaughter of...
. School for Danger was released in 1948.