A true heroine , and a wonderful story https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67100792 It's very interesting to read the comments from the imbeciles who were her so-called superiors , and who spent the entire war in the perilous dangers of private Mayfair clubs . Compare and contrast with the young women of our time , most of whom are fighting a losing battle to speak our language correctly . And who appear to know absolutely nothing , outside of celebrity gossip , and whatever is currently trending on Tik-Tok ..... but as usual , it's just my two Dong worth
- In September 1945, Phyllis was awarded an MBE. The recommendation says she was "a bit scatters" - a scatterbrain, in other words. "Always wanted to be doing something dangerous but had no idea it was dangerous. Thought it was all rather fun. Tons of guts. Wants to go on with the work, provided it's dangerous enough." - Wonderful!
Quite an amazing, special woman. I often think when I read these accounts, that as child & young adult I must have been around people who served & fought in the war all the time, yet not one ever mentioned it.
She sounds like a female version of Paddy Mayne or Mad Jack Churchill - the sort of crazy people for whom war is just one huge jape. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Mayne https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill
A good friend of mine was in hospital with his very elderly mother who’d had a fall. The doctor told her she was lucky she hadn’t broken her hip. Her reply , “well they teach one how to roll properly when you parachute out of planes you know”. Apparently she spoke perfect French and was very coy about what she did in the war. My friend still hasn’t been able to access her record since she died, he thinks it was because she lied about her age as she was much too young and the file has been sealed. He’s still hopeful of getting the full story one day.
Very simply put, that’s because being involved in combat, whether as an actor or a victim, is one of the shittiest thing that can happen in the life of a human being. Who in their right mind would discuss their worst memories with their kiddos? The psychological damage (PTSD) that no one talked about before the 90’s, is a big player too. That’s sad, as knowing and remembering may help preventing it happen again too soon. Heroism is not perceived by veterans (civ and mil). It’s not wanted either. It’s made up afterwards by nations to build strength into their people, in anticipation for the next event. Fair enough. Today, people watch wars on TV, cinema, etc. And a lot of kids fantasize about being a war hero. That’s a way to create your next generation of soldiers. Back in the day, they taught the hatred of the enemy culture at school, and before school, around the house fire. Horrible, but a matter of survival…
just so everyone can follow up without going to the BBC :- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Latour
I think Mayne was a bit of a psycho tbf. I think it was him and his cohorts that murdered a Mess full of unarmed German and Italian officers. Very naughty if true. And he gobbed his CO once. I wouldn’t have thought that was the best career move. But a handy lad to have on a seek and destroy commando type gig I guess.
