Sonya Butt
Encyclopedia
Sonya Esmée Florence Butt MBE
, also known as Sonia d'Artois, was a heroine of the Special Operations Executive
during the Second World War.
on 14 May 1924. When the War broke out in 1939, Sonya was 15 years old, though by now the family had moved to Woking
.
, a girl had to be a minimum of 17½ years old. Sonya Butt joined up the moment she became eligible, to the very day: 14 November 1941, becoming 454240 Aircraftwoman (ACW) Butt. She served in the Administrative Branch.
The girl whose quest for adventure made her join up at the age of 17 was probably not going to be stimulated by filing paperwork, but in 1941 women were banned from front-line service. In April 1942, this provision was changed and one of the first organisations to take advantage of this was the Special Operations Executive (SOE). SOE trained teams to operate 'behind the lines' in countries under Nazi occupation. The role of Courier was particularly important, as movements around a district were likely to encounter German check-points and a male of military or working age attracted adverse attention; a woman on a bicycle, however, was not suspect and if she attracted attention at all, it was usually the sort that makes a besotted sentry forget to check papers & luggage properly. SOE began to look for potential female Couriers, but the work was highly dangerous and only the toughest in mind and body could perform successfully under such pressure, so SOE had to be very demanding, very selective and very secretive. It did not advertise its vacancies and recruited by 'the usual methods': word of mouth, and other quiet and roundabout means; a skill in the appropriate language was a good starting-point. Whilst working at RAF Gosforth (alongside another future SOE Agent Patricia O'Sullivan
) Sonya had been advertising her fluency in French in an attempt to get attached to the Free French squadrons and escape her dreary routine. She failed in this bid but her attempts did bring her to the attention of SOE and she was soon accepted for training. She was given an honorary commission (and a new service number: 9910) as an Assistant Section Officer.
and Violette Szabo
and also a certain French Canadian Officer Captain Guy D'Artois
, whom she would later marry.
On 28 May 1944, Sonya was parachuted into the department of the Sarthe
in the area of Le Mans
to work as a Courier, under the codename "Blanche". She was Courier to Christopher Hudson (codename Albin), the organizer of the Reseau (Circuit) Headmaster
. She was one of the last WAAFs landed in France before the Allied invasion, only nine days before D-Day
. After one of the other agents dropped with her was shot during a battle between the Maquis and the Germans, Sonya took on the additional role of Weapons Instructor. She later said modestly: "I filled in wherever the need arose." As a courier her primary roles were to carry money, pass messages and maintain liaison with all of the SOE Agents, Maquis and local operatives working with the circuit.
In June 1944, whilst communicating messages around the countryside, she was stopped by two Germans and detained for questioning. This was a very dangerous moment but her cover story and false papers withstood the examination and she was eventually released. In due course the Allied ground forces broke out from Normandy and Sonya's district was liberated.
In October 1944, she returned to England on the successful completion of her mission. Her pioneering bravery in front-line operations (or, rather, beyond the front-line) was recognised with the award of the MBE
and a Mention in Dispatches. She was still only 20 years old.
(DSO) and the Croix de Guerre
. In 1947, he received another very senior decoration, the George Medal
(GM) for his work in rescuing an injured missionary in Northern Canada. After a tour in Japan, Guy served in the Korean War, before the couple settled down again in Canada.
Guy and Sonia (the alternative form of her name) were to have six children, three boys and three girls: Robert, Michel and Guy, and Nadya, Christina and Lorraine.
Sonya's husband died at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Veterans hospital in March 1999. Sonya is now known under the style of: Toni D'Artois.
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...
, also known as Sonia d'Artois, was a heroine of the 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...
during the Second World War.
Early life
Sonya Butt was born in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on 14 May 1924. When the War broke out in 1939, Sonya was 15 years old, though by now the family had moved to Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
.
Service in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Sonya was only a schoolgirl at the start of the War, and would not be due to join up for at least a couple of years. Her preference was for the WAAF, as her father had served in the RAF himself, but in order to join the WAAFWomen'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...
, a girl had to be a minimum of 17½ years old. Sonya Butt joined up the moment she became eligible, to the very day: 14 November 1941, becoming 454240 Aircraftwoman (ACW) Butt. She served in the Administrative Branch.
The girl whose quest for adventure made her join up at the age of 17 was probably not going to be stimulated by filing paperwork, but in 1941 women were banned from front-line service. In April 1942, this provision was changed and one of the first organisations to take advantage of this was the Special Operations Executive (SOE). SOE trained teams to operate 'behind the lines' in countries under Nazi occupation. The role of Courier was particularly important, as movements around a district were likely to encounter German check-points and a male of military or working age attracted adverse attention; a woman on a bicycle, however, was not suspect and if she attracted attention at all, it was usually the sort that makes a besotted sentry forget to check papers & luggage properly. SOE began to look for potential female Couriers, but the work was highly dangerous and only the toughest in mind and body could perform successfully under such pressure, so SOE had to be very demanding, very selective and very secretive. It did not advertise its vacancies and recruited by 'the usual methods': word of mouth, and other quiet and roundabout means; a skill in the appropriate language was a good starting-point. Whilst working at RAF Gosforth (alongside another future SOE Agent Patricia O'Sullivan
Patricia O'Sullivan
Maureen Patricia "Paddy" O'Sullivan was a member of the Special Operations Executive during World War II and worked as a wireless operator for the French Section....
) Sonya had been advertising her fluency in French in an attempt to get attached to the Free French squadrons and escape her dreary routine. She failed in this bid but her attempts did bring her to the attention of SOE and she was soon accepted for training. She was given an honorary commission (and a new service number: 9910) as an Assistant Section Officer.
Special Operations Executive
Sonya joined SOE, aged 19, on 11 December 1943 and in less than six months she was on operations in France. Her training followed the usual programme of tough outdoor training, to develop stamina and basic soldiering skills, followed by specialist training according to the role on operations, plus familiarisation with the routine of life in occupied Europe. Recruits could not discuss their training with outsiders, and in any case, this sort of training was unheard of for women, so at the time few would understand or even believe the full details of the armed and unarmed combat training the girls received. Only fellow students could give meaningful support and Sonya's colleagues included Nancy WakeNancy Wake
Nancy Grace Augusta Wake, AC, GM , served as a British agent during the later part of World War II. She became a leading figure in the maquis groups of the French Resistance and was one of the Allies' most decorated servicewomen of the war.-Early life:Born in Roseneath, Wellington, New Zealand in...
and Violette Szabo
Violette Szabo
Violette Reine Elizabeth Bushell Szabo, GC, was a Second World War French-British secret agent.-Early life and marriage:...
and also a certain French Canadian Officer Captain Guy D'Artois
Guy D'Artois
Major Lionel Guy d'Artois ,DSO, GM, Croix de Guerre was a Canadian Army officer and SOE agent.Lionel Guy d'Artois was born in Richmond, Quebec in 1917. He joined the Militia...
, whom she would later marry.
On 28 May 1944, Sonya was parachuted into the department of the Sarthe
Sarthe
Sarthe is a French department, named after the Sarthe River.- History :The department was created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790, pursuant to the law of December 22, 1789, starting from a part of the province of Maine which was divided into two departments, Sarthe to the east and...
in the area of Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
to work as a Courier, under the codename "Blanche". She was Courier to Christopher Hudson (codename Albin), the organizer of the Reseau (Circuit) Headmaster
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...
. She was one of the last WAAFs landed in France before the Allied invasion, only nine days before D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. After one of the other agents dropped with her was shot during a battle between the Maquis and the Germans, Sonya took on the additional role of Weapons Instructor. She later said modestly: "I filled in wherever the need arose." As a courier her primary roles were to carry money, pass messages and maintain liaison with all of the SOE Agents, Maquis and local operatives working with the circuit.
In June 1944, whilst communicating messages around the countryside, she was stopped by two Germans and detained for questioning. This was a very dangerous moment but her cover story and false papers withstood the examination and she was eventually released. In due course the Allied ground forces broke out from Normandy and Sonya's district was liberated.
In October 1944, she returned to England on the successful completion of her mission. Her pioneering bravery in front-line operations (or, rather, beyond the front-line) was recognised with the award of 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...
and a Mention in Dispatches. She was still only 20 years old.
Postwar life
Much to the annoyance of her superiors, Sonya left to marry Guy d'Artois without signing off. After the war, Sonya and Guy went to live in Canada. Guy d'Artois had parachuted into another district of France about the same time as Sonya. For the success of his mission he was awarded the Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) and the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
. In 1947, he received another very senior decoration, the George Medal
George Medal
The George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
(GM) for his work in rescuing an injured missionary in Northern Canada. After a tour in Japan, Guy served in the Korean War, before the couple settled down again in Canada.
Guy and Sonia (the alternative form of her name) were to have six children, three boys and three girls: Robert, Michel and Guy, and Nadya, Christina and Lorraine.
Sonya's husband died at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Veterans hospital in March 1999. Sonya is now known under the style of: Toni D'Artois.