The story of an unbefriended elder…

A wartime heroine who was captured three times by the Germans and endured spells in concentration and labour camps is to be buried by a council because no friends or family can be traced.  Eileen Nearne, 89, who died in her Devon home on 2 September, was one of 39 female agents sent to occupied France in her capacity as a member of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II.  Miss Nearne, who was fluent in French, was captured by the Germans just four months after arriving in France, but managed to persuade them she was an innocent French woman.  Her bravery and resilience continued throughout the war – she was caught again and sent to a concentration camp before being transferred to a forced labour camp in Silesia where she managed to escape.  She was later recaptured in Germany by the SS, but was again able to persuade her captors of her innocence and was released.  According to reports, she was hidden by a priest in Leipzig until the arrival of US troops.  Despite her daring adventures on the continent in the 1940s, Miss Nearne survived the war and ended her days in Torquay. 

The church venue for the funeral service has yet to be announced, but a Union Jack flag is to be placed on her coffin and the Royal British Legion has said its organisation will be at the funeral.  John Portreath, Devon manager for the Royal British Legion, added: “I’m sad to say that we had no idea she existed until the news came through yesterday…She was clearly a remarkable woman.“

Read the full story at the BBC.

How very, very sad…