Marion Elizabeth (Walsh) de Chastelain
Encyclopedia
Marion Elizabeth de Chastelain was born in Freehold, New Jersey
, USA
, on 24 May 1910. The daughter of a businessman working for Standard Oil of New Jersey in Romania
, she was educated in Switzerland
and at the Sorbonne
, from where she graduated with a degree in International Law
at the age of 21.
A linguist, she married Alfred George Gardyne de Chastelain in Bucharest
in the early 1930s and they had two children, Jacqueline, born in 1936 and John
, born in 1937, who would become a well known general in the Canadian Forces
.
At the outbreak of war between Great Britain
and Germany
in 1939, she took her children to stay with relatives in England
and returned to Romania. In 1940 she returned to England and took the children by sea to live with her parents in New York
, USA. There she was recruited to work for Canadian
Sir William Stephenson
(to whom Winston Churchill
had given the codename "INTREPID"), travelling regularly to Washington, D.C.
to debrief agents working on behalf of the allies for Stephenson.
In 1943, two years after the entry of the USA into the war following Pearl Harbor
, and the consequent closure of Axis
embassies in Washington, her work for Stephenson was rendered less important and arrangements were made for her to take up a position with the Secret Intelligence Service
(SIS
— later MI6) in England. Accordingly she sailed from Halifax
, Nova Scotia
with her children to Liverpool
, and then by rail to London
, where she learnt that her husband had been captured in Romania.
Sending her children to boarding school in the north of England to avoid the bombing, she remained in London working with SIS until the war's end and her husband's return. After the war she moved to Canada
with her family and eventually to Australia
, with her husband. When he died shortly after their return to Canada from Australia, she worked for Westburne International Industries Oil Division in Edmonton, Alberta
, as the Executive Assistant to the President
, until her retirement in her seventies.
She then lived with her daughter Jacqueline in Canmore, Alberta
, until her death on 17 January 2000, shortly before her 90th birthday.
The story of her wartime activities was included in the book series "The Canadians: Biography of a Nation", edited by Patrick Watson. It was also made into a documentary program by History Television
, entitled "Family Secrets: Marion de Chastelain".
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on 24 May 1910. The daughter of a businessman working for Standard Oil of New Jersey in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, she was educated in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, from where she graduated with a degree in International Law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
at the age of 21.
A linguist, she married Alfred George Gardyne de Chastelain in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
in the early 1930s and they had two children, Jacqueline, born in 1936 and John
John de Chastelain
Alfred John Gardyne Drummond de Chastelain is a retired Canadian soldier and diplomat.De Chastelain was born in Romania and educated in England and in Scotland before his family immigrated to Canada in 1954...
, born in 1937, who would become a well known general in the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
.
At the outbreak of war between Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1939, she took her children to stay with relatives in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and returned to Romania. In 1940 she returned to England and took the children by sea to live with her parents in 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...
, USA. There she was recruited to work for Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Sir William Stephenson
William Stephenson
Sir William Samuel Stephenson, CC, MC, DFC was a Canadian soldier, airman, businessman, inventor, spymaster, and the senior representative of British intelligence for the entire western hemisphere during World War II. He is best known by his wartime intelligence codename Intrepid...
(to whom Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
had given the codename "INTREPID"), travelling regularly to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to debrief agents working on behalf of the allies for Stephenson.
In 1943, two years after the entry of the USA into the war following Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, and the consequent closure of Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
embassies in Washington, her work for Stephenson was rendered less important and arrangements were made for her to take up a position with the Secret Intelligence Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
(SIS
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
— later MI6) in England. Accordingly she sailed from Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
with her children to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, and then by rail to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where she learnt that her husband had been captured in Romania.
Sending her children to boarding school in the north of England to avoid the bombing, she remained in London working with SIS until the war's end and her husband's return. After the war she moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with her family and eventually to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, with her husband. When he died shortly after their return to Canada from Australia, she worked for Westburne International Industries Oil Division in Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, as the Executive Assistant to the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, until her retirement in her seventies.
She then lived with her daughter Jacqueline in Canmore, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of...
, until her death on 17 January 2000, shortly before her 90th birthday.
The story of her wartime activities was included in the book series "The Canadians: Biography of a Nation", edited by Patrick Watson. It was also made into a documentary program by History Television
History Television
History Television is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that presents programming about history and some non-historical programming of military, science and technology interest. It is owned by Shaw Media. Its French language counterpart is Historia.The channel operates two...
, entitled "Family Secrets: Marion de Chastelain".