D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II

Just months before the 75th Anniversary of the allied landing at Normandy, so-called “D-Day”, I sit on my back patio and turn the last page on Sarah Rose’s book “D-Day Girls”. I am momentarily speechless. As I watch my grandchild playing in the grass, I am keenly aware of the freedoms he enjoys because of the sacrifices of my grandparent’s generation. How can he understand what life was like before that day? How can I? The answer is storytellers; historians. The answer is Sarah Rose. In her beautifully written book, “D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II”, Sarah Rose takes us back to a time when the uncertainty about the outcome of World War II in Europe was of prime concern to every man and woman worldwide. To the observer of modern politics, it becomes easier to imagine the rise and spread of fascism that led to that historic day. To the military strategist, it brings home the reality of a world where space and satellite technology were not tools readily available to battle planners; where any question, large or small, could not be answered by Siri, or Alexa, or Google; any need not satisfied by a visit to Amazon. Where communication was slow, complicated, and at times imminently dangerous. Through detailed research and carefully chosen anecdotes, Rose brings to us a history long overdue for the telling. Others have written about the challenges of D-Day. What is so extraordinary about this book is that it brings to light the hitherto unappreciated, and ultimately necessary, role women played in those challenges. One is struck by how much has changed in our view of women in society and the military, and perhaps sadly, how much has not.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. We were drawn in to the dangerous activities of the young women (SOE agents) scurrying here and there on their bicycles as couriers, whilst others sat in darkened rooms tapping out Morse code messages to HQ in London on their portable wirelesses - ever aware of the Gestapo roaming the streets of France, listening for these signals and ready to pounce. Once caught, few agents escaped unscathed. This is their story. A story of courage and determination to rid France of the German invasion and to be free once again. Enduring the torture and brutality of a concentration camp must surely have been hell itself and yet, many were able to overcome this evil. We can but salute them. The stated intention of Hitler that the Third Reich would reign for a thousand years should ring alarm bells for political parties worldwide, who are likewise convinced. It doesn't happen. A well researched book and a great read.

Great book

D-Day Girls is the true story of an extraordinary group of women and girls who were not happy "sitting at home and keeping the "home fires" burning while waiting for the men to return. This group wanted a chance to fight for their country's freedom. Winston Churchhill , a firm believed in guerilla warfare, wanted a guerilla group for England. His only problem was that all the men were already fighting! So began the life of the SOE (Special Operations Executive). Women who were interested were trained in all fields as the men were. Parachute jumping, invisible ink writing, explosives, encryption, shooting and hand-to-hand silent killing, etc. They learned to blow up trains and power lines, and to recruit, train and command Resistance Units. The women of this book were the first to be trained for these jobs and sent behind enemy lines in France. Their names were Andree Borrel, Lise de Baissac, Yvonne Rudellat, Odette Sansom (the only one married with three girls), and Mary Herbert. Sarah Rose told the stories of these women after all their files had been decommissioned. But the way she wrote it was not like a boring non-fiction account but more like a "good thriller". I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in WW2 and would like to read some true facts.

I wanted to like this. I tried hard. But it felt too dense; too full of details and people and dates and locations. I ended up buying the audible version to listen to as a companion bc I would read a few chapters and already forget what happened. I loved the audible version. Much easier to understand and follow. It is full of info. Reads best when the characters are really explored and you get to know who these heroes ARE and not simply what they DID.

Fast-paced, well documented women’s history

Very credible, historically accurate, account of the subject written in engaging style. The image on the dust cover, however, is a ridiculous cartoon. No secret agent ever rode around with a rifle strapped on her back, and the type/design bicycle she is riding did not appear until years after World War Two ended. I often wonder why SOE agents are called spies these days when, in fact, collection of secret information was incidental, not assigned. Their job was to illegally move people and supplies all over the country and arrange air drops, establish and maintain routes of escape for downed Allied pilots, train and arm local resistance. They were also expert saboteurs, disseminators of misinformation and occasional assassins, NOT spies.

I read a lot of WW2 fiction and non fiction. I found this book well written and very readable, telling about the women and men in the SOE in France. There is also a lot of information about the war that I have not read elsewhere. I highly recommend it.

Probally the worst written account of the heroic men and women who gave their lives in this war.I was extremely disappointed.

As described

This is such a great book. This story hasn't been told before. So much research must have gone into this book; the tiny details the author found about her subjects. She brings these agents lives to life - the fear of discovery, their affect on the war effort, especially right after D-Day when they were sabotaging everything in sight. Really recommended for lovers of history and people who want to understand the heroism of these women.

I am usually not all that interested in historical non-fiction, especially war history, but Sarah writes in a way that makes it personal and captivating. Really enjoyed this read and feel I have a much better understanding of what those war years were like for many average (and above average!) women. Bravo for this well researched and captivating read.

Story of women who worked in French Underground in WW2. Full confession. I didn't read it, as it was a gift for a friend. She really enjoyed it.