VIOLETTE SZABO MUSEUM OPENING

Saturday, 24th June 2000 was the date set for the opening of Violette`s Millennium Museum and Miss Rigby`s Millennium Green - Why that date? - it was because it was the nearest Saturday to what would have been Violette`s birthday, 26th June.

So who was Violette Szabo and what did she do to have a Museum named after her? Violette was the daughter of a French woman and an English father and when she was twenty years old she met and later married Etienne (an Officer of the Free French Forces) unfortunately, he was killed at El Alamein shortly after their daughter, Tania, was born, a daughter he never knew. Violette was devastated and willingly volunteered for duty in France so she became a member of The Women`s Transport Service/First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, commonly called FANY`S, a Corps founded in 1907, who volunteered to help Winston Churchill in his efforts to "SET EUROPE ABLAZE". Working for SOE, Special Operations Executive, she learnt how to parachute, to be a radio officer, and many other attributes that would be necessary in her life ahead.

Her first assignment was near Paris where she was taken by Lysander aircraft, together with Philippe Liewes to study Resistance possibilities in the Rouen area. Her second and last parachute drop was near Limoges a few days after D-Day, unfortunately whilst giving covering fire to allow the escape of a key Agent, she was captured when her ammunition gave out and incarcerated in Ravensbrück where in 1945, after horrifying experiences, she was shot. Her Daughter, Tania, at four years of age, received her Mother`s George Cross awarded posthumously to Violette.

During Violette`s youth and later during her Military training, she often visited her Aunt and Uncle who lived at "Cartref", Wormelow, Herefordshire where Miss Rigby has lived for the past 33 years or more. Miss Rigby decided that Violette`s courage and bravery should never be forgotten and so last October Virginia McKenna, who played Violette in the Film "Carve Her Name With Pride" came to launch the project. Not only did Miss Rigby set out to form a Museum but she also decided to give the people of Wormelow in perpetuity, a three acre field for it was here that Violette used to play as a child.

I arrived at the Site at 10.am. and found it already to be a hive of activity. I made my way to the vehicle belonging to the company who were setting up the public address system., and where the Special Station run by Royal Signals Amateur Radio Society was operating with the callsign GB2SZB Already several Australians had been worked on 20 metres by Derek, G3LCK but conditions deteriorated so we moved to 40 metres and I commenced operating until the engineers said there were problems with the CW coming through the ‘speaker system. They changed to another vehicle hopefully to isolate our signals but unfortunately the power, not only to the vehicles but also to the nearby properties failed so I had a chance to look around whilst repairs were effected.

A large white marquee was erected in the garden of Cartref and ladies from the village and other organisations were busy preparing for the influx of people wanting tea, coffee and home-made cakes etc. Miss Rigby was being interviewed and photographed by TV people so I left and looked at the field where a large tent had been erected and occupied by the Special Forces Association - U.K. and here various leaflets pertaining to the event were distributed including the Order of the Service. Another leaflet was about a new hiking trail, named The Violette Szabo GC Trail, a 6 mile hike through fairly rough country and terminating at the Museum. A caravan arrived and the side awning was erected and more food could be obtained there and nearer the entrance to the Field was a large Chestnut Tree, where later in the day another ceremony would take place.

In front of the Museum, which is below the rear of Cartref`s Garden, chairs were being laid out in rows and signs put on the front row for Special Guests. As the Museum was open, I decided to go inside and take pictures and check that the model dressed in the FANY uniform had the special leather belt we wore - it did. After I returned to the operating vehicle Tony, G3ZRJ, who was a wizard on the old type of straight key and I were able to make a few more contacts. In the meantime more and more people arrived and after a cool, very windy morning the sun came out just as the Parade started at 2.30 p.m. This was led by a contingent of flag bearers - in the centre of the first row of three was a FANY. There were about 30 flags altogether carried by members of the Royal British Legion and following them in two groups were four FANY`s then more men in uniform and they were lined up at the top of the slope leading to the arena and the Museum. Altogether there must have been about 1000 - 1500 people attending the ceremony, some had come from Australia, USA,. France and other parts of the world.

Miss Rigby arrived with her Guests who included Virginia McKenna, Tania, Mayor and Mayoresses of both Salon Le Tours and Lambeth, Jean Guiet and Bob Maloubier who jumped with Violette, Mr Paul Keetch, MP for Hereford, Leo Marks (who wrote the poem which Violette used for coding and de-coding) and others. The Service began with the hymn "How Great Thou Art" this was followed by a welcome speech by Miss Rigby MBE. and a letter was read out from The Speaker of the House of Commons. A group of Brownies from Much Birch sang "Stand Up, Clap Hands, Shout Thank You Lord" this they did with very sweet voices accompanied by clapping.

Miss McKenna then recited most beautifully the poem by Leo Marks "The Life That I Have" (see below) which moved many of those present and this was followed by us all singing "All Things Bright and Beautiful". The unveiling of the Plaque outside the Museum followed then Virginia was handed the key to the door of the Museum. The Service finished with the Lord`s Prayer, The Last Post was sounded and a silence came over the crowd before Reveille and then the Blessing. The ceremony ended with the singing of the National Anthem.

Then came the handing over by Virginia McKenna of the Millennium Green, a flare was set off by the chestnut tree and we were aware that a helicopter was flying around and someone was parachuting from it - he circled the area and landed right on the spot.

The day was a very warm tribute to Violette Szabo and rewarded Miss Rigby and all her helpers for all the hard work they had put into the project. Violette will, I think , be remembered for a very long time. Odette Samson, another FANY Agent, said of her "Violette was the bravest of them all"