Hello
everyone! Today I bring another amazing woman to your attention! She
was called Nicole Minet but her name was Simone Segouin. She was born
in Chatres to a farming family with her father and three brothers, so
she grew up in a man's world. She was very passionate about the love
she held for her country so when it was attacked int 1944, she joined
a combat group called Francs-Tireurs et Partisans – which was a
group made of communists and French nationalists. Simone was no
communist. She wanted to protect her country.
The
group gave her a new name, protection for her family in case she was
captured and new papers to go with it. She was now Nicole Minet and
the first thing she did was steal a German's bicycle, her first
mission. The bike was repainted and would be her transport for
delivering messages and finding targets.
Satisfied
she could handle sneaking about and more dangerous things, she was
given new missions. These included blowing up bridges, derailing a
train and assisting in the capture of some Germans in Thivars.
During the mission in Thivars, Simone met a man she fell deeply in
love with. His name was Roland Boursier and he was a fighter who was
in charge of the Thivars mission.
When
they met, Roland had to go into hiding in the country because he shot
a large group of Germans. Roland couldn't give his place away so he
asked Simone to help him by running messages back to the Resistance
group. er
for a while to see what her feelings were,’ Roland said during an
interview after the war ended. ‘When I discovered she had French
feelings I told her little by little about the work I was doing. I
asked her if she would be scared to do such work. She said: ‘No, it
would please me to kill Boche.
A
visit from General Charles de Gaulle who was the leader of the Free
French at the time and would later be president, was when Simone was
noticed by international journalists. General de Gaulle was headed to
Paris and stopped to make a speech on the steps of the post office.
The
journalists founded Simone eating a baguette with jam, holding her
machine gun by her side and wearing her FTP armband. She was
striking. There were so few women in the Resistance, they were
impressed by the eighteen year old woman who was proud to be security
for General de Gaulle. She was interviewed by an American reporter
named Jack Belden and Robert Capa took several pictures of her which
would be featured in a Life magazine titled “The Girl Partisan of
Chartres”.
Simone
was part of the troops going to Paris with General de Gaulle as part
of the 2nd
Armoured Division. It was at six o'clock in the morning on August 25
that the Germans surrendered to the Allied forces. Just a month
after, Simone's photographs were published in Life. At the time it
was a multi-million reader circulation and these pictures made Simone
into a legend.
This
fame she had would only grow with the some war footage shot by
director George Stevens of Simone in battle. Asked if she had ever
killed anyone, Simone said: ‘On July 14, 1944, I took part in an
ambush with two comrades. Two German soldiers went by on a bike, and
the three of us fired at the same time, so I don’t know who exactly
killed them. You shouldn’t have to kill someone like that. It’s
true, the Germans were our enemies, it was the war, but I don’t
draw any pride from it.’
At
the end of the war, Simone was awarded the Croix de Guerre as well as
being promoted to lieutenant. The Croix de Guerre is a highly
distinguished military honor the French receive. General George
Patton said that the advance of Allied troops from Normandy woudn't
have been possible without the FFI.
Simone
became a pediatric nurse in Chatres where she was born. She always
knew how few women could be part of the Resistance and many never saw
combat like she, but the ten percent of the Resistance that was women
made a mark on how women would be treated.
Women
in France were first allowed to vote locally in April 29, 1945 and
later in national one. Charles de Gaulle himself said that ‘women
are voters and eligible under the same conditions as men’. The
French Resistance in WWII helped a lot of things, like getting
Germany out of France and helping win the war, but the women who
helped in that made a difference for their fellows and we continue to
move forward.
Sources:
Murray, James 2016 April 17 "I was proud to march into Paris as a resistance fighter" says Simone Segouin
Blazeski, Goran 2016 October 6 18 Year old French Resistance daughter Simone Segouin captured 29 Nazis during the fall of Chatres
Allen, Peter and Adam Luck 2015 August 29 The hotpants headshot: Formidale derring-do of the Nazii-huntng, gun-toting teen pin up of the French Resistance
Murray, James 2016 April 17 "I was proud to march into Paris as a resistance fighter" says Simone Segouin
Blazeski, Goran 2016 October 6 18 Year old French Resistance daughter Simone Segouin captured 29 Nazis during the fall of Chatres
Allen, Peter and Adam Luck 2015 August 29 The hotpants headshot: Formidale derring-do of the Nazii-huntng, gun-toting teen pin up of the French Resistance
1 comments:
oderation.
I am loking for simone segouin
Hope this finds you well and safe. As you can see below I am Honoring WWII VETERANS witch she is one. I am trying to cover all veterans and all aspects of the war. I am on Facebook also my Email PatrickPratt33@gmail.com. I teach veteran groups and school kids. I would love for her to sign a WWII photo and a curent on i use them to teach because the history books leave so much out. If she would put a little of her story on back of photo. I would be Greatly Honored
Respect and Honor to all veterans and their families and friends
I want to thank all veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice when one in a family serves the family serves.
* If you had someone serve in WWII and has passed (sorry for your loss) would you please send me a photo with veterans name, unit served with, and photo location on the back or as much information as you can, it would be a great honor. Thank you
** I am also looking **** for WWII veterans to send me a signed photo of them in WWII
I am trying to honor ALL our great veterans (Teach the new veterans and school kids about the “Greatest Generation” and the hardship and sacrifice each veteran makes.Keeping their story alive.
I Respect and Honor those who gave so much
I am a combat veteran of the 2nd Armored Division, Army Officer 88 to 93. Iraq and Kuwait
Patrick pratt
15823 Camp Fire Rd Friendswood, Texas 77546
Most Veterans are not related by blood but they are brothers and sisters yesterday, today, and forevermore
All Gave Some, Some Gave All
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some gave all
I’m looking for pitures and information on battlefields, veterans, POW’s, concentration camps, etc. Looking for camp survivors and their families, liberators etc. Every story I can tell veteran groups and school kids is one story that stays alive. Thanks again
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