Odette Hallowes - Honours

Honours

Odette Sansom Hallowes was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and was the first of three Second World War FANY members to be awarded the George Cross (gazetted 20 August 1946). She remains the only woman to have received the George Cross whilst alive, all other female GC awards to date being posthumous. She was also appointed a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur for her work with the French resistance. In later life her mother's home was burgled and Odette's GC was stolen. After a public appeal it was returned with a note saying:

You, Madame, appear to be a dear old lady. God bless you and your children. I thank you for having faith in me. I am not all that bad - it's just circumstances. Your little dog really loves me. I gave him a nice pat and left him a piece of meat - out of fridge. Sincerely yours, A Bad Egg.

On 23 February 2012 the Royal Mail released a stamp featuring Hallowes as part its "Britons of Distinction" series.

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