Patricia O'Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Maureen Patricia "Paddy" O'Sullivan (3 January 1918 – 5 March 1994) was a member of the Special Operations Executive
(SOE) during World War II and worked as a wireless operator for the French Section.
Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1918, the daughter of John Aloysius O'Sullivan (1873–1949), an Irish journalist and a German mother, Johanna Repen (1889–1919), who died when Paddy was only 15 months old, she began her schooling at St Louis Convent in Dublin. At the age of seven she was sent to live with an aunt in Belgium
. There she attended convent school in Coutrai and then the Athenée Royale in Ostend
.
At the beginning of the war she was a nurse working at Highgate
Hospital in London. She joined the WAAF
on 7 July 1941, as an Aircraft Handler General Duties, and was later promoted to Section Officer
.
After joining the SOE, Paddy parachuted into Limoges
on 23 March 1944. The weather was extremely foggy and the pilot suggested that they return to England, but Paddy was determined and she jumped. Landing heavily, she was temporarily concussed, but always said her life was saved by the 2 million francs strapped to her back. Paddy's alias was Micheline Marcelle Simonet and her cover story was that she was a 'dame de compagnie' of a doctor in Paris, where she helped the doctor in the surgery as well as with his children; she was taking one month's leave to look for a lost Belgian parent in the Creuse
area.
Following successful work with the Fireman network, Paddy returned to England on 5 October 1944. She was awarded the MBE
Civil, which was gazetted on 4 September 1945. After her cover was blown in June 1945 she was posted to Force 136 in Calcutta as a liaison officer to work with the French.
, West Yorkshire
; the couple had two sons, John and Robin.
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 wireless operator for the French Section.
Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1918, the daughter of John Aloysius O'Sullivan (1873–1949), an Irish journalist and a German mother, Johanna Repen (1889–1919), who died when Paddy was only 15 months old, she began her schooling at St Louis Convent in Dublin. At the age of seven she was sent to live with an aunt in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. There she attended convent school in Coutrai and then the Athenée Royale in Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
.
At the beginning of the war she was a nurse working at Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
Hospital 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...
on 7 July 1941, as an Aircraft Handler General Duties, and was later promoted to Section Officer
Section Officer
Section Officer may be:*The equivalent rank to Flying Officer in the British Women's Auxiliary Air Force*The equivalent rank to Sergeant in some British Special ConstabulariesDefinition:...
.
After joining the SOE, Paddy parachuted into Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
on 23 March 1944. The weather was extremely foggy and the pilot suggested that they return to England, but Paddy was determined and she jumped. Landing heavily, she was temporarily concussed, but always said her life was saved by the 2 million francs strapped to her back. Paddy's alias was Micheline Marcelle Simonet and her cover story was that she was a 'dame de compagnie' of a doctor in Paris, where she helped the doctor in the surgery as well as with his children; she was taking one month's leave to look for a lost Belgian parent in the Creuse
Creuse
Creuse is a department in central France named after the Creuse River.-History:Creuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the former province of La Marche....
area.
Following successful work with the Fireman network, Paddy returned to England on 5 October 1944. She was awarded the MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
Civil, which was gazetted on 4 September 1945. After her cover was blown in June 1945 she was posted to Force 136 in Calcutta as a liaison officer to work with the French.
Family
She settled in England and went on to marry Eric Alvey, a chartered accountant, and lived near IlkleyIlkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
; the couple had two sons, John and Robin.