Oldest Resistance heroine

On 3 February 2009, Andrée Peel (France) celebrated her 104^th birthday making her the oldest, known, surviving female member of the French Resistance.  Born Andrée Virot and known as Agent Rose, she was, after the German invasion of France in May 1940, involved in the distribution of clandestine newspapers but was quickly made Head of an Under-Section in the French Resistance reporting troop movements and other information on military targets.  She then became active in the secret return of allied airmen, assisting allied aircraft to land on improvised airstrips and helping and arranging for their departure on submarines and gunboats.

 In 1943, she was betrayed and sent to the labour camp at Ravensbrück.  Miraculously, she survived both Ravensbrück and, later, Buchenwald until liberated by the America Army.  After the war, she married and settled in England.  Apart from a letter of commendation from Winston Churchill for her wartime achievements, she also received American Medal of Freedom from President Eisenhower, the Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct from King George VI and France’s highest award for bravery, the Légion d’Honneur from her brother, who at the time was a four-star general.