Odette Marie Celine Sansom

Role in War: Agent 

Known simply as ‘Odette’ she became a part of the Special Operations Executive, a British secret service organisation. 

 

Born and raised in France, she married a British man and had three daughters. At the outbreak of WW2, Odette’s husband was sent to war, and she was scouted by the Special Operations due to her French upbringing and knowledge of the coastline.

   Odette with her three daughters: Françoise Edith, Lily Marie and Marianne Odette 

In her attempts to encourage underground resistance in enemy- occupied territory like France in 1943 Odette was arrested. She endured 14 interrogations by the Gestapo; she was physically tortured multiple times but refused to give up any information. Her time in prison eventually led to her transfer to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, an all women camp ran by female members of the SS. With solitary confinement, severe treatment and immense fear Odette survived the camps; after the war she would receive many honours from both Britain and France for her impeccable service.

      The Ravensbrück Concentration Camp is located in Northern Germany, it was liberated by the Soviet Union in 1945.

                               

Her incredible journey is one of survival, endurance, and courage amid being an agent, mother and wife. 

 

Hear her story in her own words with this audio file: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn510824

Pictures from: 1 ,  2

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Secret Agent