Mary Katherine Herbert
Encyclopedia
Mary Katherine Herbert (1 October 1903, Ireland – 23 January 1983) was a member of the Special Operations Executive
(SOE) during World War II and worked as a courier for the French Section.
and then as a civilian translator in the Air Ministry
in London. She joined the WAAF
at RAF Innsworth
on 19 September 1941 as a General Duties and Intelligence Clerk. She was released at her own request from the WAAF so she could join the SOE in March 1942.
Herbert trained with the second group of SOE women agents, including Odette Sansom
, Jacqueline Nearne
and Lisé de Baissac
. They did not go to Scotland for training, but were predominantly trained at Special Training School 31 at Beaulieu. Peter Churchill
's first impression of Herbert was that she was too fragile for the rigours of Resistance life. She was tall and slim with fair hair, religious, well educated and had a degree in art. She was also 39 years old when she joined the SOE.
off the south coast of France, having travelled from Plymouth
via Gibraltar
on 30 October 1942. On arrival in France she travelled to Bordeaux
to act as a courier to the Scientist
circuit, using the codename Claudine
. She travelled by bicycle and train, liasing with the different groups within Scientist, carrying messages, acting as a 'post-box for the members of the circuit and also seeking out safe houses and potential recruits. Additionally she helped to arrange and was present at parachute drops.
Whilst working in France, she met fellow SOE Agent in the Scientist circuit, Claude de Baissac
by whom she had a daughter in December 1943. The child, named Claudine after her mother's codename, was born by caesarian section at a private nursing home in La Valence, a suburb of Bordeaux. She then moved into a flat looked after by fellow SOE Agent Lisé de Baissac
(Claude's sister).
. The Gestapo had found out that the flat was maintained by an SOE Agent, and they initially thought that Herbert was Lisé de Baissac. She was separated from her baby daughter and the child was looked after by the French Social Services. She created a cover story for herself that she was Madame Marie Louise Vernier, a Frenchwoman from Egypt; she protested her innocence saying she knew nothing of the woman who owned it and had only been there a few weeks.
During the few months in prison, the Germans learnt nothing from her but she endured the harsh conditions. She was released at Easter 1944 and after, arguing with the authorities at the orphanage that she was wrongly arrested, reunited with her child. Herbert then hid in a small country house near Poitiers until the end of the war with her daughter. In September 1944 she was reunited with Claude and his sister Lisé de Baissac was part of the Judex Mission.
On 23 January 1983, Herbert committed suicide by hanging herself from a crabapple
tree in her garden.
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) during World War II and worked as a courier for the French Section.
Early war service
At the outbreak of war, Herbert worked in the British Embassy in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and then as a civilian translator in the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
in London. She joined the WAAF
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
at RAF Innsworth
RAF Innsworth
Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire became the home of the Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in 2010.The Barracks were named after the Battle of Imjin because of the connection with the Gloucestershire Regiment which formed part of the United Nations contingent in the Korean War, and was...
on 19 September 1941 as a General Duties and Intelligence Clerk. She was released at her own request from the WAAF so she could join the SOE in March 1942.
SOE training
In May 1942 Herbert joined the SOE. She was the first WAAF officer to volunteer, as she had been granted a retrospective commission with the rank of section officer dated from 15 January 1941.Herbert trained with the second group of SOE women agents, including 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:...
, Jacqueline Nearne
Jacqueline Nearne
Jacqueline Nearne MBE was a secret agent for the British Special Operations Executive in Nazi-occupied France during World War II.-Biography:...
and Lisé de Baissac
Lisé de Baissac
Lise Marie Jeanette de Baissac was born in Mauritius of French descent and British nationality. She was a heroine of the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War, a special agent who risked her life running her own operations, but was denied a gallantry award after the war.-Escape...
. They did not go to Scotland for training, but were predominantly trained at Special Training School 31 at Beaulieu. Peter Churchill
Peter Churchill
Peter Morland Churchill DSO Croix de Guerre was an SOE Officer in France during World War II.He was a brother of Group Captain Walter Churchill DSO DFC and Major Oliver Churchill DSO MC who was also an SOE Officer during World War II.-Biography:...
's first impression of Herbert was that she was too fragile for the rigours of Resistance life. She was tall and slim with fair hair, religious, well educated and had a degree in art. She was also 39 years old when she joined the SOE.
Mission in France
Following her training, she landed by feluccaFelucca
A felucca is a traditional wooden sailing boat used in protected waters of the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean including Malta, and particularly along the Nile in Egypt, Sudan, and also in Iraq. Its rig consists of one or two lateen sails....
off the south coast of France, having travelled from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
via Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on 30 October 1942. On arrival in France she travelled to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to act as a courier to the Scientist
SOE F Section networks
These are the networks, also known as circuits, established in France by F Section of the British Special Operations Executive during the Second World War...
circuit, using the codename Claudine
SOE F Section Codenames & Aliases
This is an incomplete list detailing the codenames and aliases used by F Section agents of the Special Operations Executive.- A :* Adele - Lisé de Baissac* Alain - Émile Georges Jean Duboudin* Alice - Cecily Lefort* Alice Wood - Eileen Nearne...
. She travelled by bicycle and train, liasing with the different groups within Scientist, carrying messages, acting as a 'post-box for the members of the circuit and also seeking out safe houses and potential recruits. Additionally she helped to arrange and was present at parachute drops.
Whilst working in France, she met fellow SOE Agent in the Scientist circuit, Claude de Baissac
Claude de Baissac
Claude Denis Boucherville de Baissac, known as Claude de Baissac or by his codename David was a Mauritius-born agent in the Special Operations Executive...
by whom she had a daughter in December 1943. The child, named Claudine after her mother's codename, was born by caesarian section at a private nursing home in La Valence, a suburb of Bordeaux. She then moved into a flat looked after by fellow SOE Agent Lisé de Baissac
Lisé de Baissac
Lise Marie Jeanette de Baissac was born in Mauritius of French descent and British nationality. She was a heroine of the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War, a special agent who risked her life running her own operations, but was denied a gallantry award after the war.-Escape...
(Claude's sister).
Arrest
On 18 February 1944, Herbert was arrested in PoitiersPoitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
. The Gestapo had found out that the flat was maintained by an SOE Agent, and they initially thought that Herbert was Lisé de Baissac. She was separated from her baby daughter and the child was looked after by the French Social Services. She created a cover story for herself that she was Madame Marie Louise Vernier, a Frenchwoman from Egypt; she protested her innocence saying she knew nothing of the woman who owned it and had only been there a few weeks.
During the few months in prison, the Germans learnt nothing from her but she endured the harsh conditions. She was released at Easter 1944 and after, arguing with the authorities at the orphanage that she was wrongly arrested, reunited with her child. Herbert then hid in a small country house near Poitiers until the end of the war with her daughter. In September 1944 she was reunited with Claude and his sister Lisé de Baissac was part of the Judex Mission.
Post-war life
Herbert and Claude de Baissac were married in November 1944 but never lived together. She gave French lessons privately.On 23 January 1983, Herbert committed suicide by hanging herself from a crabapple
Crabapple
Crabapple is a term used for several species of Malus in the family Rosaceae, which are characterized by small sour fruit resembling familiar table apples . They are usually small trees or shrubs....
tree in her garden.