In 1942, a young Odette Sansom responded to a call from the British Admiralty, asking for individuals to send postcards or family photographs from the French coast for use in the war. She wanted to make use of photos she’d taken near Boulogne.
In error, however, she sent her correspondence to the War Office. Her simple mistake was the catalyst for her legacy as one of the best-known members of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War. Her letter caught the attention of the Col. Maurice Buckmaster, the leader of the French arm of the SOE, who invited her to join the SOE’s “F” Section.
Recruitment into the Special Operations Executive
Odette Sansom was the ideal recruit for “F” Section, as she was French, yet living with her English husband and three daughters in Somerset. This made her loyal to the Allies, but still able to pass as French in the German-occupied country. Joining the SOE was initially a difficult decision for Sansom, as she didn’t want to leave her children. However, she joined after hearing word of French citizens suffering at the hands of the Germans.
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