Franklin Rosevelt. Joseph Stalin. Winston Churchill. These are all the names that come to your mind when you think of World War Two, right? Not the nurses who braved the frontlines, not the devoted mothers at home who wrote letters to their sons, and certainly not the badass spies of Britain, who devoted their lives to stopping the war. Speaking of feminist spies, have you ever heard of the White Mouse? Guess not. She’s one of the many women whose stories were pushed into the corners of history, yet who’s heroic efforts were critical in creating the society we live in today.
The White Mouse, also known as Nancy Wake, was born in Wellington on the 13th of August, 1912. She immigrated to Sydney with her family, but devastation reigned on her home at the age of four when her father left; an event that sparked her monstrous temper and wild nature. In 1928, with nothing but a tiny inheritance and a small suitcase, she moved to Paris to study journalism. Here she met the French playboy, Henri Fiocca. Together they lived lavishly, abundant in money and champagne in the City of Lights. However, their luxurious lifestyle was put to an end when WWII broke out. It was here that Wake saw the true brutality of war, and the heinous actions of the German army. Although she had enough money to cloak herself from the abhorrent nature of war, Ms. Wake chose to help the resistance by becoming a messenger, a job that would soon make her a target for the Gestapo. After saying goodbye to her costly lifestyle, she fled to Britain to start her legacy as the White Mouse.
Still wanting to aid victims of war, Nancy worked for the Special Operations Executive, Winston Churchill’s clandestine spies, formed to aid the French Resistance against the Nazi’s. Although it is unknown how many lives she saved during her years in action, her most notable experience as a spy was on the 29th of April, 1944, where, during the dead of night, she parachuted into the Auvergne Region, where she coordinated 7000 resistance groups, as well as leading several successful attacks on the German Army. Throughout the war-torn years of the 1940’s, Wake became formally known by the German Army as ‘The White Mouse’ due to her distinct ability to avoid any of the traps the Germans set for her. Well, that and her ability to intimidate any soldier within a 5 meter radius. It’s no wonder that she topped the Gestapo’s most-wanted list.
Wake is considered to be one of the most venerated servicewomen of WWII, with Britain honouring her with the Wake the George medal, and America with the Medal of Freedom. France decorated her most appreciatively, as she received the Médaille de la Résistance, the Légion d'Honneur (the highest honour in France), and is a three time receiver of the Croix de Guerre. In 2004, she became part of the Order of Australia. Even after the war, Nancy worked for the British Embassy in Paris, as well as working for the British special operations in civilian posts. The White Mouse had a peaceful life, and lived her final days in London till her death on August 7th, 2011.
"She is the most feminine woman I know until the fighting starts. Then she is like five men." The White Mouse is what every young woman should aspire to be; kind, courageous, and someone who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty. She is the epitome of feminism in a time where women were greatly underappreciated, and she paved the way for other women to break stereotypes. For that, women and girls owe her a great debt of gratitude.
– christina
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