In The News

Funeral takes place of World War II heroine

Funeral takes place of World War II heroine

The funeral has taken place of a heroine of the Second World War who had never revealed her exploits to friends and neighbours.

Eileen Nearne was 89 when she died on September 2 at her home in Torquay.

Since no relatives were known the local council became involved in making the funeral arrangements.

It was only as council officials were sorting through Ms. Nearne’s documents that details of her heroism came to light.

The officials discovered that the pensioner, who was fluent in French, had worked as a British spy in occupied France. During her work for the Special Operations Executive Ms. Nearne was captured three times by the Nazis.

Each time she was sent to concentration camps and each time she managed to escape.

The council officials also found the medals which the pensioner had been awarded for her heroism.

After the story came to light military charities donated money for the funeral and a local funeral director also offered help in arranging a service befitting a heroine.

Hundreds of people attended the funeral and the last post was played by a French bugler.

 

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