Book Review: A Woman of No Importance - Sonia Purnell

World War 2 was won by many men with big guns and feats of daring-do. Sure, the boffins in Bletchley might have helped a bit - but it was bombs, muscles, and blokes which saved the day. Well, that's what we're all taught, right?

Would it surprise you to learn that a significant contributor to Victory in Europe was a woman? Britain's first "James Bond" wasn't a suave man leaping from building to building. She was a one-legged American woman who used her wit and cunning to help lay the foundations of guerrilla warfare in France.

I am often amazed that the Allies won the war. The UK's relentless dedication to the "Cult of the Amateur" consistently excluded anyone useful and instead relied on "decent chaps". Only through her persistence did Virginia Hall defy all the people too stuck in their ways to understand what the future of warfare looked like.

The book says:

The future of Allied intelligence in France now rested on a solitary woman who had been written off for most of her adult life.

It doesn't seem like an exaggeration.

The book is a fascinating glimpse at the exploits of someone who should be lauded but is now mostly forgotten. The book highlights how incredibly frustrating it must have been to suffer the ignorance and apathy of men.

she may have been the only F Section field agent to be considered eligible as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire while still active in enemy territory. And as such her citation could not include operational details and hardly did her justice: ‘She has devoted herself whole-heartedly to our work without regard to the dangerous position in which her activities would place her if they were realised by the Vichy authorities. She has been indefatigable in her constant support and assistance for our agents, combining a high degree of organising ability with a clear-sighted appreciation of our needs … Her services for us cannot be too highly praised.’ She was turned down.

Time and time again she proved herself. And time and time again the men of the world dismissed her efforts, failed to recognise her talents, and utterly ignored their responsibilities to her. She showed true courage and fortitude, even when those around her did not.

The book is thoroughly referenced and contains some lovely photographs to round it out. It can be a harrowing read at times, but it covers an important part of our collective history.