Danielle Georgette Reddé épouse Mourgues - Les Français Libres

Les Français Libres, de juin 1940 à juillet 1943

 
Accueil
 
Presentation
Liste des Français Libres
Recherche même nom
Recherche déces même jour
Ajout d'un Français libre
Liste du SHD
Liste Chaline
Liste Ecochard
 
Contact
 
 

Une Française Libre parmi 62907
 

Danielle Georgette Reddé épouse Mourgues



Naissance : 7 octobre 1911 - Châtillon-sur-Seine (21)

Point de départ vers la France Libre : Metropole

Engagement dans la France Libre : en aout 1942

Affectation principale : Résistance intérieure / Pat O'Leary

Grade atteint pendant la guerre et spécialité : P2

Décès à 95 ans - 16 juillet 2007 - Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade (13)

Dossier administratif de résistant : GR 16 P 502905

Dans la liste d'Henri Ecochard V40 : ligne 43796

Contribuez à son livre ouvert !

Ouvert à tous pour exprimer vos sentiments, évoquer vos souvenirs, préciser son parcours, sa vie, poser des questions, citer des livres, des articles, des sites, déposer des documents, photographies, ...

Votre nom Votre e-mail il restera caché

Titre de la contribution

Texte de la contribution

Une image (gif ou jpg) sur votre ordinateur

Et pour prouver que vous n'êtes pas un robot : 7 multiplié par 9 =  ?


Danielle Georgette Reddé épouse Mourgues - son Livre ouvert !
 

"... Danielle Reddé, l’aventurière sans frontière

Dactylo et employée aux PTT, cette Bourguignonne travaille tout d’abord dans la résistance pour le compte des Anglais. Arrêtée par la Gestapo en 1943, elle s’évade, passe par l’Espagne et parvient à rejoindre Londres. Après une formation au BCRA, les services secrets du général de Gaulle, elle est parachutée en France occupée pour monter un réseau de transmission, tâche dont elle s’acquitte parfaitement. Elle se porte ensuite volontaire pour servir en Extrême-Orient dans les services secrets, comme opératrice radio. Elle finit la guerre dans un bureau à Saïgon, au Vietnam, avant d’être démobilisée en 1947. ..."

www.femmeactuelle.fr 

Laurent Laloup le samedi 25 septembre 2021 - Demander un contact

Recherche sur cette contribution


Nom : REDDE
Prénom : Danielle Georgette
Sexe : F
Jour de naissance : 07
Mois de naissance : 10
Année de naissance : 1911
Code insee naissance : 21154
Commune de naissance : Châtillon-sur-Seine
Pays de naissance : FRANCE
Jour de décès : 16
Mois de décès : 07
Année de décès : 2007
Code insee deces : 13080
Commune de décès : Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade
Pays de décès : FRANCE

Fichiers des personnes décédées établi par l'INSEE

Laurent Laloup le samedi 25 septembre 2021 - Demander un contact

Recherche sur cette contribution


Edith Fournier au Laos en 1945

Edith Founier était l'opératrice radio du lieutenant Klotz lors de sa mission au Laos en 1945. cf commentaire de Bernard O'Connor.
Le Lieutenant Léo, Francis Klotz (1920 - 1945) est issu de l’Armée d’Afrique. Ecole des Elèves-aspirants de Cherchell-Médiouna en 1943. Intégré à la DGER le 1er août 1945.
Parachuté au Laos après la reddition japonaise. Abattu par un vietnamien le 27 septembre 1945 près de Thakhet (Laos). Décoré de la croix de guerre avec étoile de vermeil. Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur à titre posthume. Inhumé à Lauterbourg (Bas-Rhin, 67).

Elle est bien médaillée de la Résistance (D 15/10/1945). Source livre "Médaille de la Résistance française", annuaire des médaillés établi par l'Association nationale des médaillés de la résistance française (Editions BRODARD et TAUPIN - 1955), page 266.

Elle a reçu la décoration britannique suivante : médaille de l'empire britannique (British Empire Medal).

Edith FOURNIER et Francis KLOTZ sont cités dans les mémoires du colonel David Smiley (1916-2009), officier de la Force 136 qui a collaboré avec les Français au Laos et en Thaïlande en 1945.

Extrait : "Le commandant Kemp est déjà en contact avec deux parachutistes français largués près de Thakhek après la reddition japonaise. L’un est le lieutenant Francis Klotz, l’autre son opératrice radio, Edith Fournier, jeune fille de vingt-deux ans. Ils appartiennent tous les deux à la Force E, organisation chargée du rapatriement des prisonniers, et dont le commandement travaille en collaboration étroite avec la Force 136. Je les rencontre tous deux à Nakhom Phanom. Klotz est jeune, il parle parfaitement l'anglais quoique lentement. Edith Fournier est du même âge, compétente. Dans son treillis vert, de jungle, elle dégage une belle assurance. Elle ne parle pas bien l’anglais mais mon français est suffisant pour converser..."

"Irregular Regular" - Editions Michael Russell - Norwich - 1994 – (ISBN 0 85955 202 0).
Traduction par Thierry LE BRETON sous le titre Au coeur de l’action clandestine. Des Commandos au MI6 - L’Esprit du Livre Editions – 2008 (ISBN 978-2-915960-27-3)

LE BRETON Thierry le vendredi 13 novembre 2020 - Demander un contact

Recherche sur cette contribution


"... Le parcours de Marguerite Soulas, l'un des derniers témoins vivants de cette époque, nous donne l'occasion de pénétrer ces réseaux de Résistance particulièrement secrets mais aussi de dépeindre une galerie de portraits hauts en couleur. On retrouve d'abord deux hommes, les frères que je n'ai jamais eus, selon Marguerite. Il y a le pharmacien Gustave Gimon, alias l'agent 2G, membre de plusieurs réseaux de Résistance et celui sans qui rien dans cette aventure ne serait arrivé. Plutôt que de rejoindre le maquis, Gimon se spécialise dans la recherche et la transmission de renseignements. Il entraîne Gabriel Debard, surnommé le Setter, fonctionnaire à la mairie de Saint-Etienne. Celui-ci infiltre la Gestapo et fait notamment main basse sur un livret contenant les noms des collaborateurs et des indicateurs français travaillant pour les Allemands. On croise aussi Danielle Reddé, la pianiste, opératrice qui émet depuis le domicile de Marguerite. Danielle connaît des aventures rocambolesques (évasion des locaux de la Gestapo, parachutages…). Les deux femmes deviennent des amies inséparables. Au fil du récit, il est question des maisons closes dans le quartier chaud de Saint-Etienne qui accueillent des Anglais parachutés en pleine nuit, des chocolats Pupier en ces temps de rationnement, des cachets de cyanure confectionnés par Marguerite pour d'autres combattants de l'ombre, de l'arrestation et de la déportation d'Henry et Anna Tavernier qui possèdent eux aussi un poste-émetteur, de la triste mort d'Elise Gervais (une résistante très connue dans la région stéphanoise), de la vie quotidienne sous l'Occupation (le ravitaillement en Haute-Loire, les trams de la CFVE…), des bombardements de Saint-Etienne et de La Ricamarie mais aussi de moments plus heureux à la Libération jusqu'au baiser américain…

La Résistance dans la Loire 
Marguerite Soulas une femme d'exception 
Editions De Borée
Prix: 24,90 € 
Préface de Lucien Neuwirth ..."

www.zoomdici.fr 

GR 16 P 525294| ROUX épouse SOULAS ( Marguerite )| 1920-06-08| Le Chambon-Feugerolles| Loire| FRANCE|
GR 16 P 256356| GIMON ( Gustave Georges Louis )| 1907-11-21| Saint-Etienne| Loire| FRANCE| FFc FFi
GR 16 P 161440| DEBARD ( Gabriel Louis Jean )| 1920-09-23| Saint-Etienne| Loire| FRANCE|
GR 16 P 253189| GERVAIS ( Elise )| 1898-06-15| Mézériat| Ain| FRANCE| FFc

 

Laurent Laloup le mercredi 01 avril 2020 - Demander un contact

La page d'origine de cette contribution

Recherche sur cette contribution


Lieu de naissance

Danielle, ma tante, est née à Châtillon sur Seine.

Reddé le samedi 09 juin 2018 - Demander un contact

Recherche sur cette contribution

Réponse :

Merci !


margueritesoulas.wordpress.com 

Laurent Laloup le jeudi 30 novembre 2017 - Demander un contact

Recherche sur cette contribution


DANIELLE REDDÉ
parachuted near Montluçon (Allier) on 9 February 1944, awarded the Member of the British Empire Medal, Croix de Guerre and Companion de Légion d’Honneur

The first RF Section woman to be infiltrated into France was 33-year-old Danielle Reddé, a member of the Corps Auxilaire Feminin, the French equivalent of the Auxiliary Territorial Service in the Army. She was listed by Foot as the first of nine RF Section women to be parachuted into France; the two others were landed by Hudson. (Foot, SOE in France, p.418)
According to her personnel file, she was born in Chatillon-sur-Seine, a southwestern suburb of Paris, on 7 October 1911. She was 1.68 m, had brown hair, chestnut eyes and no distinguishing features. The only indication of her early life was in her cover story which, whilst sticking closely to the truth, had been altered to avoid incriminating her family and possibly others in the resistance.
She was born Maria Félicité Kermarec on 6 September 1910 at Plougasnou, Finistere and her feast day was 15 August. Her father, Yves, was also born in Plougasnou in 1885 where he ran a café. Her mother was Yvonne le Magueresse, born in 1886 at Etel Morbihan. There was no mention of her having two brothers.
Between 1915 and 1922 she attended the local school and joined the young girls of Morlais, After her ‘bac’ she stayed at home and her father died of gas poisoning received during the First World War. The following was crossed out, presumably as it was easy to check. In 1928, with the help of friends, she found temporary work as a helper in the central telegraph office, 101 rue de Grenelle, working in the telegram and telephone section. She was living at this time at 20 Boulevard Brune XIV.
In 1932, as the pay for auxiliaries was very low, she left and worked as a secretary for Mme Vivienne Augustin Gouin, a wine merchant, at 10 rue Gallois, Paris XII. Her mother died in 1938 following a gall bladder operation and was buried with her husband in Plougasnou. She stayed in her work until the German occupation when she fled Paris and went to Marseille. In January 1941, she got a job at Maison Chermette,120 rue Vauban, Lyon, another wine merchant who she had corresponded with whilst in Paris, and lived at 39 rue Imbert Colomès.
There was nothing in her personnel file relating to Danielle’s work with the resistance but, according to the World War Two Escape Lines website, she was working as a telephonist in Lyon when she met Tom Groome, an Australian agent aka Georges de Millevill, who worked as a wireless operator in Pat O’Leary’s escape organisation. Groome had been parachuted into France in October 1942 and she worked as his courier, helping to get escapers and evaders out of France and into Spain. Her codename was Camille Fournier. 
Airey Neave, the head of MI9 from 1942, mentioned in his wartime autobiography, Saturday at MI9, that Danielle took his decoded messages to room 202 in the Hotel de Paris at Toulouse at 1430 hours and returned with O’Leary’s reply for transmission to London.
On 11th January 1943, she, Groome, and some of the men they were wanting to get out of the country, were arrested at a house in Montauban, about 60 km north of Toulouse. Groome had failed to set a look out whilst he was transmitting and was caught by German direction finding equipment. Taken to the Gestapo HQ at Hotel Ours Blancs in Toulouse, he jumped out of a window trying to escape. Although he was recaptured, Danielle managed to escape in the commotion and crossed the Pyrénées in March with Nancy Wake, an Australian who had also been working for Pat O’Leary, and several others involved in the French resistance.
Subsequent evidence suggest that she suffered badly at the hands of the Gestapo during her imprisonment but her personnel file gave no details.
She arrived at Greenock via Perpignan, Barcelona, Madrid and Gibraltar on 4 June 1943 and, following debrief, she was recruited into the Corps Auxilaire Feminin ten days later. This was the women’s section of de Gaulle's Free French Forces. According to her personnel file, she had been selected by Colonel de Cheveigné to work as a wireless operator in a new network he was creating. Whether de Cheveigné was a nom de guerre is unknown but there was a 21-year-old Maurice de Cheveigné parachuted blind from a Halifax about 3 km south of Thoissey, Ain, on 30 May 1942. He had worked for three years with an American Radio Corporation before escaping to Britain and was a French Air Force radio instructor. Recruited by SOE, he needed very little wireless training, only paramilitary, parachute and clandestine warfare courses. Codenamed Salm, he was given 100,000 francs to fund his mission as a wireless operator to Jean Moulin who had been parachuted on 1 January 1942 to try and unite important political figures in both the Occupied and Non-Occupied zones.
In April the following year, he was appointed chief of clandestine wireless operations in France and, according to his citation for a King’s Medal for Courage, ‘recruited and trained wireless operators, inspected centres and dealt satisfactorily with all difficulties in regard to material and security.’ (TNA HS9/306/2)
On 15 June 1943, he was brought back by Hudson with resistance leaders Henri Frenay, Paul Rivière, Raymond Fassin and four others and prepared for another mission. This included additional wireless operators and couriers, hence RF Section recruited Danielle and a number of other women.
Recruited as a wireless operator, Danielle was trained with two other French women selected to help de Cheveigné, Eugénie Gruner and Yvonne Gittus. Their stories can be read later. Although she was given the cover name Edith Daniel, she was known to her friends as ‘Eddie’ Reddé. (Neave, A. op.cit.)
Her overall assessment at Winterfold STS 7 was C, average. Her intelligence was rated at 8, Morse and mechanical were good but instructional was poor. Her instructor commented that she was ‘A pleasant, serious, intelligent girl with imagination, forethought and practical sense and a fervent desire to get back to France. She is rather self-effacing and her general outlook is rather a pathetic one. She is, however, thoroughly reliable and conscientious and out to do her best. She is at present in a state of nervous tension and is obsessed by her experiences with the Gestapo in France. She has the aptitude and personal knowledge for W/T, and if trained not too hurriedly under psychiatric supervision in which the C/S concurs, she should become very suitable for return to the field.’ (TNA HS9/392/4, 8 September 1943)
A note in her file indicated that she ‘certainly knows a great deal about home-made explosives and should be useful in the field where she is anxious to go as soon as possible. A short stay at STS 6 will be beneficial. She will then be fitted to go to whatever specialised School is considered the most appropriate.’ (Ibid, 14 September 1943)
Whilst waiting for her security to be checked, she spent a few weeks at West Court (STS 6), one of the SOE’s requisitioned country houses near Finchampstead, Wokingham, Surrey. Corporal Hodson reported that, ‘I have seen very little of this student since she has been here as she has not been well and only left her room the day before yesterday. She looked much better that when she first arrived when she gave me the impression of being nervous and rather scared. She has settled down and is cheerful and much more at ease. I understand she had a hard time before coming over here and needs a rest. (Ibid, 18 September 1943)
Two days later, Major Dunn-Hills reported that ‘she has done a little silent killing’ but had been ill in bed most of the first week. She did no fieldcraft but was a very good shot with a pistol ‘better than most of the men.’ She did very little on the explosives and demolition course, knew little about map reading but impressed him with her W/T skills. She had learnt Q code and procedure and sent at 17 wpm and received at 14. (Ibid, 20 September 1943)
At the end of the training, Hodson added that, ‘She is very much better and has profited by her stay here. She is leaving here tomorrow to continue her training as a W/T. She is very keen to get on with her training so that she can get back to France and get to work. She is a good type of French woman, rather more artistic than practical and inclined to be sentimental. I think her security mindedness is good and she realises how important security is.’ (Ibid. 24 September 1943)
His final report before being sent to Thame Park (STS 52) for wireless training was ‘not too physically fit, but as far as ability goes, is ready for STS 52, A very good pistol shot.’ (Ibid, 25 September 1943)
After a fortnight’s preliminary wireless training, her instructor commented that, she ‘Sends 17, receives 19 wpm. Had difficulty in technical subjects, but knows her set well and has quite a good style. A very hard worker and should be successful in the field. Slow at codes but reliable.’ (Ibid, 10 December 1943)
A subsequent unsigned note whilst she was at Ringway, probably from her conducting officer, reported that ‘Mademoiselle Daniel in my opinion is both mentally and physically very tired and depressed. She seems apprehensive of her future work and very sensitive. Her left wrist which she has strained in some sort of way should be attended to as this might handicap her in future jumps.
I was very impressed by her low “morale” and feel that she is in need of mental and physical rest as her low spirits might act as a drag on the other people that she might be working with. She has a very loyal and straight character, a kind heart and understanding of people. She is very patriotic, most security minded and very pro British. She has a definite inferiority complex and has to be encouraged in her work but I feel sure that she would go to any lengths iin serving her country and her ideals. She seems unable to understand why she is not working for the “Service Anglais” and I think it would help her morale if an explanation could be given.’ (Ibid, 20 December 1943)
One imagines this was done and she was allowed some time to rest and recuperate before being sent to Ringway. Having completed this training, her instructor reported that, ‘This student worked quite well throughout the course. She was extremely nervous during the first days training, so much so that she could not bring herself to make the practice jump through the fuselage aperture. It was ascertained that she had been in contact with one of our former students who told them that this course is a most terrifying business. It was found impossible to dissipate this idea and although still very nervous indeed she was able to carry out the ground training on the second day. Their first descent was made from a balloon by da, Mme Gruner would not go at first command, but finally went with a little help from the despatcher. Mlle Daniel closed her eyes, said a prayer, and fell out. Miss Gittus went out alright. Their second descent was from an aircraft by day, they all went all right the despatcher reported but he gave each a little assistance. If circumstances had permitted she would doubtless have completed the course with good results. They all received lectures on containers and disposal and on reception committee working. TWO DESCENTS, THIRD CLASS. (Ibid, 19 December 1943)
Having celebrated Christmas, her clandestine warfare training continued on Boxing Day at Boarmans (STS 36). A fortnight later, her report stated that she was ‘Not intelligent, but has common sense and some practical ingenuity. Fair imagination, Keen and worked hard. Lacks self-confidence; is serious minded, enthusiastic, methodical and persevering. Well-disciplined and agreeable personality. Inclined to worry and needs encouragement. A good student who would do her best work under a chief who would be patient and encourage her. Codes: Taught Innocent Letter, based on Playfair, with conventions. Secret Censorship. Understands the systems but has not a good memory. Considerable practice is required. (Ibid. 11 January 1944)
Her FANY conducting officer reported that she ‘worked hard during the whole course and appeared to benefit greatly from the lectures and practical exercises. I found her very well balanced in every way but she is inclined to lack confidence in herself without any justification. She did not express at any time any regrets for undertaking this work and I was most impressed with her splendid morale. She did however mention a fear of talking in her sleep, which I did notice but this seemed to me to be incoherent. She did appear to me to be overtired and to require several days complete rest.’ (Ibid, 8 January 1944)
Whether she was allowed a few days off was not mentioned but, as the weather that winter was severe, her flight was postponed until the February moon. During the wait, she escorted another student to Ringway where she undertook another jump. Her instructor commented, ‘This student was escorting, but also made one descent. She had carried out the ground training on a previous visit and had little difficulty although she was still very nervous on the trapeze, having to be helped off. She jumped well from the airbrake. She was extremely nervous but made a good descent from an aircraft by day. ONE DESCENT NOT CLASSIFIED. (Ibid, 11 January 1944)
Codenamed Morroccin/Marocain, an RF officer briefed her for her mission which was subject to the approval of the Military or Civil Delegate of the Action Committee in France. On 14/15 February, she was to rendezvous in Lyon with two resistance leaders, code-named Latin and Phénicien, and work as the latter’s wireless operator in the South Zone. Her personnel file identified she subsequently worked with Bohémien. As yet their identities have not come to light.

A. Purpose of the Mission

MOROCCAN will visit France as a wireless operator.
MOROCCAN will be at the disposition of Phoenician, Inspector of Transmissions in the South Zone.
PHENICIEN will use MAROCAIN as a wireless operator for one of the transmission centres in the South Zone.

B. Agent
MAROCAIN will leave on her own and will be forwarded to PHENICIEN by the intermediary of MARQUIS.

C. Material put at her disposal
1. Ways to get in touch with the arrival of MARQUIS.
2. Necessities for her incorporation into life in France.
3. Conventions for different work.
4. Code.

D. Budget
MAROCAIN will leave with 50,000 francs which represents the first part of her funds. MAROCAIN will receive necessary funds to assure transmissions from the organisation’s intermediary, funds planned within the regional budgets.

E. Transport
MAROCAIN will leave by plane to MARQUIS during the January moon 1944.
Chief of BCRAL (Ibid.)

She was provided with a fake identity card with the address 18 rue Marengo, Marseille, a fake residence certificate for Croix Rousse, Lyon, a fake validation card, food and clothing coupons five travel certificates and the cover story mentioned earlier.
On 9 February 1944, she was parachuted near Montluçon, about 80 km northwest of Clermont-Ferrand. Clark mentioned five Halifax flights that night and six agents being dropped with 34 containers but made no mention of Danielle. (Clark, op.cit. p.216)
Her mission had three distinct phases. Firstly, from February until the end of June she was to be in the region around Saint-Etienne, Loire and Haute Loire trying to create and test a reseau which, despite advances and various efforts, had been limited by a fearful population and a business community who spoke well but promised little.
Secondly, from June until the end of July, she was to be around Morestel, Isëre, which had a number of resistance areas. Its population was devoted to the resistance; there was little traffic and any arrests would need a strong force. Maure and Phénicien were mentioned.
Thirdly, from the end of July until September, she was to go to the Lyon area where the Allied victories would give hope and courage to the weak but there would be difficulties with the surviving transport system. For a long time, there was only one accessible location, situated 800 meters from a German car repair shop, which would restrict possibilities. On 15 September she had to rendezvous with SFU 4 [possibly Special Forces Unit] in Lyon.
The success of her mission has yet to come light but her personnel file includes her undated report about her work.,

Material
The best results were given by ‘Le Big’ [a wireless receiver]. The only time ‘Light’ [another receiver] was tried it was in a poor condition. The reaction of ‘Mark’ had to be checked again in three different positions (instability). I regret that I learned too late that the duplex system is so easy to arrange on Mark. Le Big with a duplex would, in my opinion, be excellent. The crystals were employed on the fundamental, which might be an explanation for many crystals being out of use after a short period of employment. The antenna was copper wire. Lower in most cases. Its length was 1/4 of the average wave length. Reception is good. (QSA 5 and 4; output QSA 4 in general). It depends on whether the signals have been levied [sic] by the Central, while the reception in France was QSA 5. This happened one in every eight times approximately. Installation and setup audited. Finally, on 26 August, the reception was absolutely nil from both sides.
Broadcast
Listening to the Broadcast has been ensured, on the request of Phénicien, from around 15 June, in dubbing [sic]. The principal difficulty proved to be QRM or QRN, but the reception is rarely very bad two nights in succession. The receiver devices employed were Big, Mark, and a camouflaged ordinary receiver position. Handed to SFU 4 on 18 September 1944. (TNA HS9/392/4)

After the American and French Forces landed on the Mediterranean coast in August 1944, their northern advance eventually overran Danielle’s area and she returned to England on 24 October. (TNA HS9/392/4)
Having been debriefed, she was prepared for another mission, this time in Asia. On the Mémoire et Espoirs de la Résistance website, it mentions her arriving back in London on a ship from Calcutta on 3rd May 1945. What she was doing in India is unknown but the SOE was active in the Far East at that time.
Before long, she accepted another mission, this time as Sous-lieutenant Simone Fournier to work with the SOE in liberating Allied prisoners-of-war held in Japanese camps in Indochina.
On 22nd August, this time codenamed Edith Fournier, she and Lieutenant Klotz parachuted into Thakhek, Laos, just over the border from Thailand. She was to work as his radio operator. Details of her work were included in her citation for a bravery award.

During the period under review, 16 August – 15 November 1945, this officer, the only woman to drop by parachute into Japanese occupied territory, was attached to my HQ together with Lieut. KLOTZ with whom she was serving as a radio operator. Their orders were to locate and do all possible to help locate French and Allied P.W.s or civilians in the area of THAKHEK F.I.C. [French Indo-China]. They dropped ‘blind’ on 22 August and landed in broad daylight within a few hundred yards of a Japanese column which at once pursued them. They only escaped with the greatest difficulty, and under fire, but nevertheless salvaged all their W/T equipment, Sous Lieutenant Fournier herself carrying a load which most women would have found impossible.
For several days they lived in a cave in the hills near THAKHEK during which time S/Lt FOURNIER worked ‘skeds’ to RANGHOON day and night every two hours in attempts to make contact, but she was unsuccessful owing to atmospheric and other conditions outside her control. On 5 December 1945 she accompanied Lieut. KLOTZ to THAKHEK to visit some 50 French civilians, mostly women and children who were interned there by the Japanese and were in danger from the Annamese. In spite of the very great and obvious risks both from the Annamese who were well armed and very dangerously excited and from the Japanese who were taking the line that they had not surrendered to the French, S/Lt FOURNIER insisted on accompanying Lt. KLOTZ to THAKHEK. They entered the town in daylight, visited the internees, ascertained their immediate needs and by their presence, calmness and encouragement, vastly raised their morale. On leaving the town, these two officers were surrounded by an armed and excited crowd of Ammanese, who attempted to arrest them and tried with menace to deprive them of their pistols. At this moment they were undoubtedly in the gravest peril and the slightest hesitation or sign of fear by either of them would certainly have caused the instant death of both. However, with contemptuous disregard for their own safety and with an air of complete confidence and assurance S/Lt FOURNIER refused to hand over her pistol and, together with Lt KLOTZ pushed her way through the Annamese. The later opened fire on them but soon ceased without having hurt either. After this incident these two officers removed themselves to my HQ where they continued their work under my command. From that time until the middle of October she remained with me. During this time, she worked or rather overworked unceasingly. Her help was indispensable in the evacuation of the French internees from THAKHEK to NAKHAUN THANOM and in looking after them afterwards. In addition, she worked tirelessly trying to contact RANGHOON and also helping my own W/T operator in his work. At this time the excessive quantity and complicated nature of the work of this mission and the acute shortage of personnel to deal with it, demanded abnormal efforts from everybody. S/Lt FOURNIER’s contribution exceeded anything that could have been expected of even the strongest woman. She rendered such invaluable service that without her I do not know how the Mission could have carried on. The murder of Lt KLOTZ by Annamese on 27 September shook her profoundly but she refused to let it interfere with her work. In the very difficult and trying days that followed, her great talents, energy, loyalty and devotion to duty were beyond all praise. (TNA WO 373/184/101, 15 November 1945)

Whilst she was away, de Gaulle awarded her the Médaille du Combattant Volontaire de la Résistance, the Médaille commémorative des services volontaires dans la France Libre, the Croix du Combattant, the Croix de guerre avec Palme and Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.
In commending Danielle for the Croix de Guerre des théâtres d’opérations extérieurs avec Etoile d’Argent, Colonel Roos and Capitaine Goudry said that on 14th December 1945 Danielle parachuted with her radio into what they described as a very dangerous part of Laos with no reception committee. Despite being wounded on landing and surrounded by hostile forces she showed calm and composure. Thanks to her constant efforts and devotion, she saved numerous human lives and participated in the evacuation of all the French from the province where she was working and transmitted vital military and political messages. However, the wound she got on landing resulted in her being hospitalised in Bangkok. (Ibid,
On 29th March 1946, having recovered from her injury, she was assigned to Saigon in Vietnam. This mission involved dealing with all the social problems raised by repatriating the French women and children who had been interned in Shanghai, separate from their husbands.
For her work in the Far East, Danielle was awarded a Citation à l’ordre du Corps d’Armée. The British awarded her the Medal of the British Empire as well as an honorary Colonial medal. In 1953 she was given the Médaille en Argent du Million d’éléphants (à titre militaire) dans l’Ordre du Règne du Laos, the Médaille militaire and Médaille des Evadés. 
From Bernard O'Connor's book, Agents Francaises: An account of the French women infiltrated into France during World War Two.

Bernard O'COnnor le jeudi 21 avril 2016 - Demander un contact

Recherche sur cette contribution


This was Danielle REDDE not Redede.
Let me know when you have corrected the error and I will add a biography...

Bernard O'COnnor le jeudi 21 avril 2016 - Demander un contact

Recherche sur cette contribution

Dernière mise à jour le samedi 25 septembre 2021

 

Vous pouvez à tout moment obtenir la rectification des données, vous concernant, inscrites dans cette base qui est déclarée sous le n° 1137942 auprès de la Commission Nationale Informatique et Liberté





fiche.php PHPisé et MySQLisé par Jacques Ghémard le 28 1 2024  Hébergé par Nuxit  Temps entre début et fin du script : 0.88 s  8 requêtes