Search hotels

Check-in date

Check-out date

Join in

Send page to a friend

Eileen Nearne

For her neighbours in Torquay she was a reclusive little old lady that nobody much visited. But after her death the truth about Eileen Nearne’s heroism has come out, and an extraordinary tale it is too: parachuted into occupied France she worked as a radio operative for the Special Operations Executive; was captured and tortured by the Gestapo but didn’t crack; spent time in Ravensbruck concentration camp, then escaped from a forced labour camp only to be recaptured but again prove courageous enough to fool her SS interrogators. In an age where telling all has become the norm, Eileen Nearne’s ability to keep quiet about her incredible past is an object lesson.

Previous heroes of the hour

More British Heroes

Brit Quote:
Nowadays you can go anywhere in the world in a few hours, and nothing is fabulous any more - Roald Dahl
More Quotes

On this day:
Edward I Expels Jews from England - 1290, Authority of the pope declared void in England - 1536, British Cops’ 1-2-3 in Olympic Tug o’ War - 1908, Mein Kampf Published - 1925, Great Martinstown Downpour - 1955, First UK Broadcast of Big Brother - 2000
More dates from British history

click here to view all the British counties

County Pages