SOE Memorial
Yesterday afternoon, this bust of heroine Violette Szabo was officially unveiled on London's South Bank to commemorate all those who served in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II. Winston Churchill and Hugh Dalton created the SOE in 1940 to conduct espionage and sabotage behind enemy lines. Anthony Mann's The Heroes of Telemark (1965) dramatized one of the SOE's most successful operations. The artist who created this bust and whom BBC News forgot to mention is Karen Newman.
posted by Unknown @ 5.10.09
6 comments
6 Comments:
A bit late, but stunning
Hello Ian, I had an enquiry in Reference today about this event, when I searched, by amazing co-incidence, your site was one of the top hits. Small world. I asked the gentleman if he'd like to talk to the author, but he politely declined.
Hi, Andy
Yes, Coxsoft Art gets around. You'd be suprised how many artists I'm in contact with and how many obscure inquiries my blog generates.
Hi, Christine
Yes, it seems we're just beginning to appreciate what heroes and heroines did during the war. Lovely bust. The sculptor has caught just the right mood.
This welcome memorial to all those who so unselfishly and bravely gave their lives over 60 years ago is long overdue.Many of them died in the most apalling circumstances after being captured. If what I have read is true, then much of the blame for the capture of many of these agents was down to blunders, and insufficient expertise back in London.After the war, it seems that because the SOE was never considered to be an official part of the Armed Forces, and the women agents in particular were associated with F.A.N.Y, which was a civilian organisation, it took a long time for their brave deeds to be properly acknowledged. I believe that it was a Vera Atkins, the lady who was responsible for the women sent to France, who after the war, went on a personal mission to discover how and where they died. The sculpture is beautiful.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, it's a beauty and long overdue. The movie Carve Her Name With Pride is another tribute worth seeking out. And of course The Heroes of Telemark, which I've already mentioned.
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