This is Nancy Wake who was the Gestapo's most wanted person during World War 2

This is Nancy Wake who was the Gestapo's most wanted person during World War 2.

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Wake was born in New Zealand in 1912 and was of European and Māori descent. In 1914, her family moved to Australia. At age 16, Wake ran away from home with £200. She traveled to New York City and then London where she began working as a journalist. ⁣

During the 1930s, she saw the rise in power of the Nazi Party. In Vienna, she witnessed “roving Nazi gangs randomly beating Jewish men and women in the streets.” She later admitted, “my hatred of the Nazis was very, very deep.” ⁣

When France was invaded by Germany, Wake immediately joined the French resistance. From 1940 to 1943, she saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers by guiding them through occupied France to Spain. During this time, she had numerous close calls with the Nazis, but always managed to elude capture. They called her “la souris blanche” (the white mouse).

In 1943, Wake had to flee France because the Nazis had put a 5-million-franc bounty on her head. Her husband—who stayed behind—was captured and executed... 

Wake managed to make it to England where she decided to join the British intelligence group. After training for a year, Wake was sent on a mission to France to help prepare for D-Day.

When Wake found herself tangled up in a tree after parachuting into Auvergne province, one of the French resistance fighters remarked, "I hope that all the trees in France bear such beautiful fruit this year," to which she replied, "Don't give me that French shit." ⁣She went on to help set up communication lines and stockpile ammunition and weapons. 

After the war, Wake was showered with medals, including the Legion d’Honneur (France's highest military honor), George Medal (Britain’s second-highest civilian honor), and the Medal of Freedom (United States’ highest civilian honor). She was also bestowed the Order of Australia but initially refused it, saying: "The last time there was a suggestion of that I told the government they could stick their medals where the monkey stuck his nuts." 

Wake died at the age of 98 in 2011.

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