The unbelievable story of Nancy Wake; the woman with four code names

I recently started reading ‘Code Name Hélène’ by Ariel Lawhon as a result of being in a book group with some friends.

A work of historical fiction based on the true story of Australian-born Nancy Wake, Lawhon’s novel tells the story of how Nancy’s life takes an unparalleled amount of twists and turns throughout the Second World War. Whether it’s blagging her way through an interview at Hearst in Paris by telling them she read and wrote hieroglyphics, (and on her first assignment interviewing the newly elected Adolf Hitler himself pre-war), or ultimately her decision to leave her husband behind in Marseille whilst she went to occupied France to fight in the war with Maquis soldiers in the Auvergne forests. She is a woman who quite literally stepped onto the battlefield, who fought for her right to be there, and as a result was not only treated as an equal by thousands of soldiers, but as their fearless and respected leader. She is a woman whose dedication to her friends when they are in times of crisis, goes beyond anything I’ve ever read about. And she did it all wearing red lipstick.

The fact that Nancy’s story is true, still completely blows my mind. Reading through her life story by Lawhon, despite knowing that some moments are fictionalised, makes me tear up. To be even half as brave, as ballsy, as intelligent, as brilliantly funny and frankly as crass as Nancy Wake is something I want to channel in my life for evermore.

My takeaway? Everyone could, and should, be a bit more like Nancy Wake.

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Founder of The C Word Magazine, Emily is currently living in London. She is passionate about art, travel, culture, cinema, fashion, sports, feminism and a whole lot more. She is currently working on her own podcast with a friend and also dabbles in graphic design, when not doing her day job as an Associate Director of Media Planning. Find her on Instagram @emlrking or chatting on Confession Sessions, The C Word Mag’s own podcast.