Nicknamed “the White Mouse” by the Gestapo, Nancy Wake was one of the most daring agents of World War II. Born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, she moved to France in the 1930s, and when the Nazis invaded, she joined the Resistance.

Her first missions were as a courier, smuggling notes and helping stranded Allied pilots escape occupied France, but her bravery and quick wit accelerated her rise within the Resistance. Trained by Britain’s Special Operations Executive, she parachuted into the Auvergne in 1944, landing in a tree before beginning her mission to arm and organize the Resistance. There, she rose to command over 7,000 fighters, orchestrating attacks on German supply lines, railroads, and communications in the lead-up to D-Day.

The Gestapo was so desperate to catch her that they placed a 5 million franc bounty on her head. She became legendary for her daring escapes, once eluding capture by sprinting across rooftops, and for her ruthlessness when survival demanded it. During one mission, she killed a German sentry with her bare hands to prevent him from raising the alarm.

Despite her heroics, Nancy Wake’s story nearly vanished from history. With SOE records locked away and male commanders claiming the spotlight, her daring missions went largely unrecognized for years. 

Several decades later, she was finally recognized as one of the most decorated women of the war, awarded medals by Britain, France, the United States, and eventually Australia and New Zealand.