Tuesday - September 14, 2010

Eileen Nearne. Ever heard of her? Me neither. And that’s sad cos she was a brave Battling Brit. RIP

RIP, Eileen Nearne
A fighting veteran of WW2 nobody knew about as she never spoke about her experiences in the war, and was quite reclusive in old age.  And alone. Sad.

Caught this only a bit over an hour ago.  Quite a story. Read it all at the link below.

A fitting farewell at last for forgotten WWII heroine Eileen: Undertakers agree to foot bill for a proper church funeral after public outcry

By Graham Smith and Luke Salkeld
Last updated at 1:55 PM on 14th September 2010

The daring British Second World War spy who died alone in her flat earlier this month will receive an all-expenses-paid funeral following public outcry that she was to be cremated unmourned.

Eileen Nearne had hardly any visitors to her Torquay home over the past two decades before she was found dead after suffering a heart attack at the age of 89.

It is understood she has no surviving family and no-one was found to pay for her funeral.

Hundreds of well-wishers have today volunteered to donate money so that Miss Nearne could be given a send-off befitting her wartime service.

The members of the public, moved by her heroic tale, inundated the local council asking for details of where her funeral would be taking place and offering money to help pay for it.

But these donations are no longer needed as both the funeral home and crematorium have waived their fees.

Such was the national interest in Miss Nearne’s fate that the funeral director has offered to not only pay for the service, but to move it to a larger church to accommodate the members of the public who wish to attend.

The British Royal Legion has confirmed it will place a flag on her coffin.

Dozens of MailOnline readers joined an impromtu campaign by leaving messages expressing their admiration for Miss Nearne - and demanding she receive a ‘military funeral with full honours’.

Lawrence Rainform, from Ormskirk in Lancashire, said: ‘The bravery of those people working in occupied France helped to secure our freedom from Nazi domination.

Jane Roberts, from Oxford, added: ‘How sad, and how dreadful that a woman who served her country with such courage should have died alone.

‘I think some lasting plaque should be erected in Torbay to her heroic memory. God bless her.’

Details of her glorious past emerged after out-of-date French currency, correspondence written in French, and a selection of medals were discovered by officials trying to trace relatives or friends among her private possessions at her flat in Torquay.

As part of the UK’s Special Operations Executive Miss Nearne served in occupied France as a radio operator under the code name ‘Rose’.

READ MORE HERE WITH PIX

Posted by peiper     on 09/14/2010 at 08:52 AM   
Filed Under: • Battling Brits • OBITITUARIES •  
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