Nancy Wake(1912-2011)
- Actress
- Producer
Nancy Wake was born in New Zealand but her family moved to Australia
when she was 2. She spent her childhood in Sydney and after her studies
she traveled to Europe where she worked as a journalist. In 1939 Nancy
married French industrialist Henri Fiocca who was killed during the
War. Nancy Wake joined the French Resistance with the nickname of "The
White Mouse". After having been arrested, she was released but left
France for Spain, then England. There, she became a British special
agent. On 29th April 1944, Nancy was parachuted into Auvergne (region
of France) with the task of helping the resistance to prepare for the
armed uprising that was due to coincide with the D-Day landings. She
received several medals after the war and worked for the Intelligence
Department at the British Air Ministry before coming back to Australia
in the 60s after she married John Forward. An English TV movie is based
on her story:
Nancy Wake (1987).