A wet Sunday, SOE and a new book

en830 · 18-11-2007, 10:33 PM

Not often I get to post something like this. This week saw the launch of a new book on the final few years of the Life of Violette Szabó, the SOE operative and subject of the film Carve her Name with Pride.

The book is special as it is written by her daughter Tania Szabó. The launch on Thursday was attended by many local dignitaries as well as Sir Henry Cooper and his wife, Bob Large, the 161 Sqn Lysander pilot who brought Violette back to the UK after her first mission to France and the author Harry Patterson.

I must admit to being smitten by Tania, I first met her back in 1999 when she helped me with some translation for the Scheidhauer memorial, and then again in 2002 when she read High Flight at the Woodward and McPhail memorial service. She is great fun and I guess, from what I’ve read and heard about her mother, a chip off the old block, being just as mischievous as her mother appears to have been.

Here are a couple of photographs taken by the present Mrs En830

The author and an admirer

Left to right, Mrs En830 Senior, Flt Lt R G (Bob) Large, DFC, Legion d'Honneur, En830, Mrs Bob Large and Paul Holly (Tania's partner and former army intelligence officer)

Bob also flew with 616 Sqn and 66 Sqn during which he had the ignominy of being shot down by one of Galland’s henchmen for which he was kill No 36. He recalls that it was in a pressurised Spitfire Mk VI

Bob went on to undertake many sorties with 161 Sqn for which he was awarded his various medals. Later he flew Meteors and his dog Patrick, became the first dog in the Allied Forces to fly in a jet which took place in a Meteor 3 on 11th May 1946 and is now recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

We spent 20 mins chatting to Bob and his party, hopefully we didn't bore them too much.

For anyone interested the book is called "Young Brave and Beautiful"

Cpl Rootes · 18-11-2007, 10:48 PM

Wow I'll look out for that book En830. Looks like you had a good time with some remarkable people.

Alex

Gage · 19-11-2007, 09:09 PM

That looked like a fantastic day. What an honour that must have been. Brill pictures en830. Violette Szabo, such a couragous woman. Have to keep an eye out for that book.

Tania SZ · 02-01-2008, 02:44 PM

Hello everyone and En,
Young Brave and Beautiful is obtainable by emailing paul.simmonds@jerseywartunnels.com, the CEO of The Jersey War Tunnels. They purchased the entire first print of the hardback.
I have not written another biography but have dramatically recreated her two missions in 1944 in Rouen and in Sussac - covering almost each day and using 'flashback' to fill in a necessary background to her life. It corrects many errors, contains a great deal of personal research - mostly with corroboration from other sources and puts paid to the suggestion that she may not even have had a gun battle against part of the Das Reich Panzers and their Feldgendarmerie outpost. She did and she killed at least one German corporal and this was instrumental in her being awarded by 'Rivier' the Croix de Guerre with Star in September of 1944 in her absence. But Rouen is opened up so that it can be seen just what she accomplished on that first extremely perilous mission in the most dangerous area of France in April 1944 with the exception of Calais-Dieppe. Well, thanks for reading this and happy year all year to each member. Ciao for now. Au revoir.

von Poop · 02-01-2008, 03:15 PM

A very warm Welcome and a happy new year to you Tania.

Cheers,
Adam.

Paul Reed · 02-01-2008, 03:22 PM

Yes, indeed. Welcome to the WW2 forum and I hope your book is a great success.

Gotthard Heinrici · 02-01-2008, 03:27 PM

Hello Tania! Best of luck with the book and nice to see you posting on the forums!!

Gage · 02-01-2008, 03:36 PM

Hiya Tania. Thanks for the info and reminder.

Peter Clare · 02-01-2008, 05:09 PM

Hello Tania,
Welcome to the forum, good luck with the book, and a happy New Year.

Owen · 02-01-2008, 11:08 PM

Welcome to the site, Tania.
I see you joined before me.

Quote:

Join date: Sep 2005

Looks like I might have to get your book now.
I'll make a change for me not to read about hairy-a*sed soldiers.

18-11-2007, 10:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
en830 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Jersey C.I Posts: 68	A wet Sunday, SOE and a new book Not often I get to post something like this. This week saw the launch of a new book on the final few years of the Life of Violette Szabó, the SOE operative and subject of the film Carve her Name with Pride. The book is special as it is written by her daughter Tania Szabó. The launch on Thursday was attended by many local dignitaries as well as Sir Henry Cooper and his wife, Bob Large, the 161 Sqn Lysander pilot who brought Violette back to the UK after her first mission to France and the author Harry Patterson. I must admit to being smitten by Tania, I first met her back in 1999 when she helped me with some translation for the Scheidhauer memorial, and then again in 2002 when she read High Flight at the Woodward and McPhail memorial service. She is great fun and I guess, from what I’ve read and heard about her mother, a chip off the old block, being just as mischievous as her mother appears to have been. Here are a couple of photographs taken by the present Mrs En830 The author and an admirer Left to right, Mrs En830 Senior, Flt Lt R G (Bob) Large, DFC, Legion d'Honneur, En830, Mrs Bob Large and Paul Holly (Tania's partner and former army intelligence officer) Bob also flew with 616 Sqn and 66 Sqn during which he had the ignominy of being shot down by one of Galland’s henchmen for which he was kill No 36. He recalls that it was in a pressurised Spitfire Mk VI Bob went on to undertake many sorties with 161 Sqn for which he was awarded his various medals. Later he flew Meteors and his dog Patrick, became the first dog in the Allied Forces to fly in a jet which took place in a Meteor 3 on 11th May 1946 and is now recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. We spent 20 mins chatting to Bob and his party, hopefully we didn't bore them too much. For anyone interested the book is called "Young Brave and Beautiful" __________________ Ian A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. Sir Winston Churchill 1874-1965 Last edited by en830; 18-11-2007 at 10:51 PM.

18-11-2007, 10:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cpl Rootes Very Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: With Puff the Magic Dragon, living by the sea Posts: 1,052	Wow I'll look out for that book En830. Looks like you had a good time with some remarkable people. Alex __________________ Regards, Alex http://rootsie.wordpress.com/

19-11-2007, 09:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gage Angels one-five Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somewhere in Time Posts: 1,187	That looked like a fantastic day. What an honour that must have been. Brill pictures en830. Violette Szabo, such a couragous woman. Have to keep an eye out for that book. __________________ 'There I stood at the bar, wearing a Mae West, no jacket, and beginning to leak blood from my torn boot. None of the golfers took any notice of me - after all, I wasn't a member!' Kenneth Lee - after being shot down on the 18th August 1940. In the USAAF in World War II, over three times as many men were killed as wounded. Donald L. Miller. Avatar: SOE agent Andree Borrel killed at Natzweiler 6th July 1944.

02-01-2008, 02:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tania SZ Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 3	Young Brave and Beautiful - the 1944 missions of Violette Szabo Hello everyone and En, Young Brave and Beautiful is obtainable by emailing paul.simmonds@jerseywartunnels.com, the CEO of The Jersey War Tunnels. They purchased the entire first print of the hardback. I have not written another biography but have dramatically recreated her two missions in 1944 in Rouen and in Sussac - covering almost each day and using 'flashback' to fill in a necessary background to her life. It corrects many errors, contains a great deal of personal research - mostly with corroboration from other sources and puts paid to the suggestion that she may not even have had a gun battle against part of the Das Reich Panzers and their Feldgendarmerie outpost. She did and she killed at least one German corporal and this was instrumental in her being awarded by 'Rivier' the Croix de Guerre with Star in September of 1944 in her absence. But Rouen is opened up so that it can be seen just what she accomplished on that first extremely perilous mission in the most dangerous area of France in April 1944 with the exception of Calais-Dieppe. Well, thanks for reading this and happy year all year to each member. Ciao for now. Au revoir.

02-01-2008, 03:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks. Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 7,617	A very warm Welcome and a happy new year to you Tania. Cheers, Adam. __________________ It's only the Internet.

02-01-2008, 03:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: UK/France Posts: 2,851	Yes, indeed. Welcome to the WW2 forum and I hope your book is a great success. __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

02-01-2008, 03:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
Gotthard Heinrici Ostfront is where its at! Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,468	Hello Tania! Best of luck with the book and nice to see you posting on the forums!! __________________ *"The Eastern front is like a house of cards. If the front is broken through at one point all the rest will collapse."* - General Heinz Guderian "With amazement and disappointment, we discovered in late October and early November that the beaten Russians seemed quite unaware that as a military force they had almost ceased to exist." - General Blumentritt "In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen me fight so hard." Lieutenant General Wilhelm Bittrich - Commander of II SS Panzer Korps - (Commenting on the British Paratroopers at Arnhem) - September 1944 "Had Clark given more heed to Juin's views...the savage battles of Cassino would probably never have been fought and the venerable house of St Benedict would have been unscathed" Rudolf Böhmler - 1st Fallschirmjäger Division - 1944 (After the bombing of Monte Cassino)

02-01-2008, 03:36 PM	#8 (permalink)
Gage Angels one-five Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somewhere in Time Posts: 1,187	Hiya Tania. Thanks for the info and reminder. __________________ 'There I stood at the bar, wearing a Mae West, no jacket, and beginning to leak blood from my torn boot. None of the golfers took any notice of me - after all, I wasn't a member!' Kenneth Lee - after being shot down on the 18th August 1940. In the USAAF in World War II, over three times as many men were killed as wounded. Donald L. Miller. Avatar: SOE agent Andree Borrel killed at Natzweiler 6th July 1944.

02-01-2008, 05:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Peter Clare Very Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Windsor UK Posts: 4,958	Hello Tania, Welcome to the forum, good luck with the book, and a happy New Year. __________________ On weald of Kent I watched once more Again I heard that grumbling roar Of fighter planes; yet none were near And all around the sky was clear Borne on the wind a whisper came 'Though men grow old, they stay the same' And then I knew, unseen to eye The ageless Few were sweeping by

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