A Cool and Lonely Courage: The Untold Story of Sister Spies in Occupied France

by Susan Ottaway

Overview

The incredible true story of British special agents Eileen and Jacqueline Nearne, sisters who risked everything to fight for freedom during the Second World War.

When elderly recluse Eileen Nearne died, few suspected that the quiet little old lady was a decorated WWII war hero. Volunteering to serve for British intelligence at age 21, Eileen was posted to Nazi-occupied France to send encoded messages of crucial importance for the Allies, until her capture by the Gestapo.

Eileen was not the only agent in her family; her sister Jacqueline was a courier for the French resistance. While Jacqueline narrowly avoided arrest, Eileen was tortured by the Nazis, then sent to the infamous Ravensbrvºck women's concentration camp. Astonishingly, this resourceful young woman eventually escaped her captors and found her way to the advancing American army.

In this amazing true story of triumph and tragedy, Susan Ottaway unveils the secret lives of two sisters who sacrificed themselves to defend their country.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316326971
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	09/30/2014
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	199,237
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Susan Ottaway is the author of several books, including Violette Szabo: The Life That I Have, a biography of SOE agent Violette Szabo for which she personally interviewed Eileen Nearne. She has appeared on BBC television to be interviewed about her work, and she took part in the four-part television series for the Discovery History Channel entitled George Cross Heroes.

Table of Contents

Prologue 3

1 Exile 9

2 Secrets and Lies 25

3 A Shaky Start 42

4 Escape 56

5 Broken Promises 68

6 Betrayal 77

7 Buckmaster Passes the Buck 85

8 Coming Home 98

9 Monumental Errors 105

10 An Uncomfortable Journey 114

11 The Deadly Discovery 121

12 A Bad Decision 132

13 A Brilliant Actress 144

14 Torture 151

15 Didi Vanishes 162

16 The End of the Line 175

17 Lost Opportunity 188

18 The Getaway 201

19 A Narrow Escape 211

20 Allies or Enemies? 225

21 Thoughtless Demands 236

22 Adventures, Problems and Losses 252

23 The Ultimate Secret Agent 272

Epilogue 294

Acknowledgments 299

Notes 303

Bibliography 313

Index 315

What People are Saying About This

author of Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival and The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys—The True - Dean King

A powerful story. A Cool and Lonely Courage reminds us of the staggering courage displayed by men and women clandestinely deployed in France during World War II in the fight to save freedom and the Western world. The Nearne sisters, SOE agents born in England and raised in France, risked all to serve the Resistance, played vital roles in foiling the Nazis, and deserve a special place in our hearts and lore.

author of The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville - Clare Mulley

This is a book with great depth, not only a deeply felt account of two remarkable sisters, whose courage and contribution continue to inspire, but also an honest critique of the all too fallible system and people behind the agents. Fascinating, appalling, and inspiring.

author of A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight and To Kingdom Come: An Epic Saga of Sur - Robert J. Mrazek

With vivid color and remarkable detail, Susan Ottaway has written a gripping and magnificent tribute to two courageous young women who braved torture and death from the Gestapo to carry out important Allied undercover work in German-occupied France.

author of The Admirals and American Spring - Walter R. Borneman

Susan Ottaway skillfully unravels a gripping and suspenseful tale of one family's personal sacrifice, courage, and commitment to serve their country and the cost to them to do so.

author of The Liberator: One World War II Soldier's 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dacha - Alex Kershaw

A wonderfully told story of two extraordinary sisters, operating behind enemy lines, whose cool and lonely courage helped defeat Hitler.

author of Dog Company: The Rangers Who Accomplished D-Day's Toughest Mission and Led the Way across Europe and First - Patrick K. O'Donnell

I love untold stories and this is a compelling one! Susan Ottaway skillfully transports the reader into the shadowy cloak and dagger world of occupied France and allows them to experience the daring exploits of a sisterhood of spies. I highly recommend A Cool and Lonely Courage.

bestselling author of We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Women Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese - Elizabeth M. Norman

Seven decades later, remarkable tales from World War II continue to be discovered. The story of the Nearne sisters is certainly one of them. Their extraordinary experiences from young schoolgirls to British Intelligence agents working behind enemy lines as couriers, saboteurs, and wireless operators are remarkable, and when you read about one sister who was captured, tortured, and escaped from the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, you wonder why it has taken so long for us to learn about these women. Thanks to Susan Ottaway, they are back in our lives. And thank you to Jacqueline and Didi Nearne. We should all possess your courage, tenacity, and loyalty.

co-author of The Last Lion: Defender of the Realm - Paul Reid

An incredible story of sisterly love and courage in the face of absolute evil.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer and The Good - Kai Bird

Susan Ottaway has written a true-life spy thriller, an extraordinary story of danger and survival set in war-time occupied France. Ottaway's colorful tale of spycraft is reminiscent of Ben Macintyre's Operation Mincemeat—or Eric Ambler's classic spy novels. But drawing on newly declassified records from the British archives, Ottaway gracefully documents the uncommon courage of the Nearne sisters and unearths an important and untold chapter in the history of British espionage operations in World War II.

author of The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy - Judith Pearson

At a time in history when women weren't given credit for being capable of anything combat-related, the work of Eileen and Jacqueline Nearne exemplifies women's crucial role in WW II. Susan Ottaway's tribute to them, and others like them, not only celebrates their courage; it provides a vital blueprint of encouragement to today's women and girls. This is an amazing read!

Editorial Reviews

10/01/2014
Eileen Nearne (1921–2010) lived a remarkably private life in a seaside town in England. After she died, her neighbors realized there was much more to this withdrawn figure than met the eye. Ottaway (Violette Szabo) introduces readers to the Nearne family, specifically Eileen and her older sister Jacqueline. Born in London to a British father and a Spanish mother, the sisters spent their formative years in France, but with the emergence of World War II and the sudden German occupation of Paris, they made the decision to return to Britain to assist with the war effort. From there, the sisters' stories become sensational. Both began working as spies for Allied powers. Based in war-torn Paris, they knowingly entered a web of secrets, lies, and danger. Ottaway's narrative focuses mostly on Eileen, who faced imprisonment and torture at the hands of the Gestapo but never divulged her sources. VERDICT Readers who are interested in the history of World War II, espionage, and the actions of women during wartime will definitely enjoy this striking biography of two courageous heroines.—Rebecca Kluberdanz, GB65 Lib., New York

Library Journal

08/11/2014
Ottaway (Violette Szabo: The Life That I Have) relates the harrowing true story of Eileen Nearne and her sister, Jacqueline, both British agents with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) who worked with the French Resistance in WWII. The story opens when Eileen, known to her family as “Didi” and to neighbors only as a sprightly yet reclusive old lady, dies at age 89. Strange papers are found among her possessions, and her history is revealed when her only descendant, a niece, is found. Eileen, along with her sister, was able to pass as French; Didi worked as a wireless operator sending messages between the Resistance and the SOE while Jacqueline served as a messenger, traveling all over France with packages, helping with missions, and establishing new agents. Jacqueline’s workload and constant movement threatened her health, but Didi’s was ruined when she was captured by the Germans and sent to a series of work camps until finally escaping. Both sisters were decorated for their wartime service, and Ottaway’s riveting account details the risks they took, the friends and colleagues they lost, and their family’s fate during the war. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Riveting."—Publishers Weekly

"A realistic picture of life as a spy: lonely and filled with constant fear. Ottaway is a gifted storyteller, rarely losing momentum and skillfully weaving family strife, SOE bureaucratic problems and on-the-ground Resistance work into a cohesive narrative.... A compelling story sure to please history buffs and novices alike."—Kirkus Reviews

"A remarkable and haunting book."
—The Guardian [Bookshop] (UK)

"An incredible, inspiring story....Eileen Nearne was one of the bravest secret agents of World War II."
—Annabel Venning, DailyMail (UK)


"A life of incredible heroism and courage."
—Daily Express (UK)

From the Publisher

The two sisters in this story of WWII intelligence work were cool, collected, and unassuming. They did their job out of patriotism, not a sense of adventure. And that’s exactly the tone Catherine Harvey takes in her narration. That’s not to say her style is detached. She’s an engaging narrator and carries the story along well but doesn’t get in the way of the story. She lets events speak for themselves. Her diction is good, and her facility with French adds a nice touch. She adopts a more clipped tone when quoting official documents and dispatches, which gives the listener solid aural clues as to their sources. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2014 - AudioFile

The two sisters in this story of WWII intelligence work were cool, collected, and unassuming. They did their job out of patriotism, not a sense of adventure. And that’s exactly the tone Catherine Harvey takes in her narration. That’s not to say her style is detached. She’s an engaging narrator and carries the story along well but doesn’t get in the way of the story. She lets events speak for themselves. Her diction is good, and her facility with French adds a nice touch. She adopts a more clipped tone when quoting official documents and dispatches, which gives the listener solid aural clues as to their sources. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2014 - AudioFile

2014-07-16
Ottaway (The Wind Beneath My Wings: John Hutchinson Concorde Pilot, 2013, etc.) returns to the familiar territory of British agents in World War II France. Born in England but raised mostly in France, Eileen and Jacqueline Nearne dedicated themselves to the Allied war effort after Germany's invasion forced them from their family home. With excellent language skills and knowledge of the country, first Jacqueline and then Eileen were trained by England's Special Operations Executive to work with the Resistance in France. Jacqueline worked for more than a year as a courier before returning to England for rest and recuperation. Though she took new training courses in preparation for an expanded role in the Resistance, she was not sent back to France until the country was liberated. Shortly after Jacqueline's departure, Eileen (referred to throughout the book by her nickname, Didi) was arrested. Though she managed to convince her interrogators that she wasn't a spy, she was still imprisoned in Paris. Ten days before Allied troops reached the city, she was removed to Ravensbrück concentration camp. Though Didi eventually escaped her captors, she witnessed and was subjected to many horrors in her time at multiple camps. Though the sisters' adventures aren't exactly edge-of-the-seat suspense tales, they paint a realistic picture of life as a spy: lonely and filled with constant fear. Ottaway is a gifted storyteller, rarely losing momentum and skillfully weaving family strife, SOE bureaucratic problems and on-the-ground Resistance work into a cohesive narrative. She draws attention to issues within the SOE administration but also goes to great lengths to show how their agents fought tirelessly for the cause. The author does not provide much background on the war, leaving some readers out of the loop on certain points, but even this snag won't lessen enjoyment of the book. A compelling story sure to please history buffs and novices alike.

Kirkus Reviews