Violette Szabó GC, a Special Operations Executive agent of World War II, of whom Odette Churchill said "she was the bravest of us all, is finally and uniquely to have her story told by her daughter, Tania.
The long awaited book Young Brave & Beautiful by local author Tania Szabó will be launched on Thursday 15th November 2007 at Jersey War Tunnels in the presence of His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor.
The book, both stirring and heart-rending, brings to life in great detail the two missions of Tania's mother Violette in Nazi controlled France.
Widowed at the age of 21, after the death of her husband Adjudant-chef Etienne, an officer in the French Foreign Legion, who was killed at the battle of El Alamein, she volunteered and was accepted as a special agent into the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E).
Captured by the Germans shortly after D Day, her experiences of being shuttled, interrogated and incarcerated in various camps is vividly told, finally ending at the age of 23 with her execution at the notorious Ravensbrück concentration camp.
Such bravery brought her French and British military honours including the George Cross awarded to her posthumously and presented to Tania at Buckingham Palace, at the age of 4, by King George VI.
Jersey War Tunnels, Chief Executive, Paul Simmonds, commented:
“We are honoured to host this very special occasion, it is the first time that a such a comprehensive and accurate account of Violette Szabó’s life has been told and by the only person who could tell it, her daughter, Tania.”
Jack Higgins, acclaimed author of many best-selling novels with a war-time theme, and who is resident in Jersey, has written the Foreword.
Following the private launch, Tania will personally be signing copies of her book throughout the weekend of 17 & 18 November exclusively at Jersey War Tunnels where a permanent reminder of her mother’s heroic life is detailed within the Captive Island exhibition.
For further details visit: www.jerseywartunnels.com
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