A bitterly cold day for the February Last Post.
Our Individual Remembrance concentrated on Ensign Violette Szabó who was brutally murdered together with Denise Bloch (previously remembered) and Lilian Rolfe at Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, north of Berlin sometime during the period of 25th January to 5th February 1945, around 80 years ago.
All three were agents of F (French) Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE) and had been captured in France in 1944.
Violette had been recruited as a member of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) in order to serve in the SOE. Later decorated posthumously with the George Cross, she had served in two dangerous missions in German-occupied France. Violette had been caught after running into an enemy checkpoint and giving covering fire to enable her two male companions to escape. Violette was just 23 years old at her death.
All three agents were featured in the film ‘Carve Her Name With Pride’.
There were seven standards on parade with standards representing The Royal Engineers, The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, The Royal British Legion, branches Richmond (Surrey) and the Knaphill, Bisley and West End branch, the Woking Royal Naval Association, the Artist Rifles and the Brookwood Last Post. The Union Flag was statically displayed.
A wreath was laid on behalf of the Secret WW2 Learning Network.
Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post and Rev Rob Bennett led prayers and a blessing.
We retired afterwards to the Trench Experience where the stories continued.
The ceremony was videoed and may be watched here along with a dedicated ceremony at the Memorial to the Missing led by Paul McCue.
Thank you to Mike Hillman for the photos, Alan Meeks for the video and Paul McCue of the Secret WW2 Learning Network for the analysis on our individual remembrance.
Brookwood Last Post 