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Last update - 20:36 01/04/2008 U.K. archives shed light on female spy who led anti-Nazi resistance By The Associated Press Tags: Nazis, Britain  The secrets of a female spy who posed as a cosmetics saleswoman during World War II and helped lead the resistance inside Nazi-occupied France have been unsealed. Pearl Cornioley outfoxed the Nazis by - among other tricks - concealing secret messages in the hem of her skirt and helping airmen escape to safety, according to records unsealed at Britain's National Archives on Monday. The release follows Cornioley's death on Feb. 24. The records shed light on a woman who quickly adapted to life as an agent but never forgot about her family in Britain, requesting in handwritten notes that officials in London send her mother and sisters timely birthday and Christmas presents. Advertisement The National Archives released two packets of information, detailing Cornioley's training as a special agent, her activities in the war and her struggle to be recognized by the government. Cornioley, whose nom de guerre of Genevieve Touzalin while in France, was educated in Paris. She escaped France ahead of the Nazi invasion and returned to Britain via Spain. Upon returning to Britain, she worked briefly at the Air Ministry in London but used her French to gain a slot as a Special Operations Executive agent - one of about 40 women to serve. The Air Ministry became part of the Ministry of Defense in the 1960s while the Special Operations Executive evolved into the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6. Early in her training with the Special Operations Executive, supervisors noted she lacked the natural moxie to excel as an agent, but she compensated with her social nature, innate skill with weapons and useful memory. "She is of average intelligence and fairly practical, but rather slow in picking up new ideas. She has, however, a good memory and does not forget what she had learnt, a review of her training states. Outstanding shot with pistol and other weapons. Probably the best shot (male or female) we have had yet." She parachuted into France initially posing as a cosmetics saleswoman to deliver coded messages to members of the French Resistance. Following the capture of her leader, she assumed control of the cell in the north Indre department of the Loire River valley, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southeast of the Normandy beaches. She interrupted the Paris-Bordeaux railway line more than 800 times and attacked convoys in June 1944, the same month of the D-Day invasion. All told, she led 3,000 French Resistance fighters in a host of guerrilla warfare missions. She proved so crucial that the Nazis issued a 1 million franc award for her capture, hoping to quash her pivotal role in the Resistance. "She's obviously a very brave woman. She goes through Gestapo lines, helps airmen escape to safety and baffles the Nazis in the field," said Mark Dunton, a historian specializing in World War II until the present. The records also showed her struggles with what she considered prejudices against women. She refused a British government award for extraordinary service to the country because the honor was for civilians rather than military personnel. She alleged that the government refused military honors on the basis of sex discrimination. "She's really standing up for women," Dunton said of evidence in the records. Later in life, she was showered with recognition. Queen Elizabeth II made her a Commander of the Order of the British Empire during a visit to Paris in 2004. Two years later, Royal Air Force officers presented her with coveted parachute wings in 2006 at her Paris retirement home. She also received France's Legion d'Honneur. She met and fell in love with Henri Cornioley, a French prisoner-of-war who escaped and joined the Resistance. They married in a quiet London ceremony after the war and spent the rest of their lives in France. He died in 1999. More Jewish World news and features Related articles: France bestows top honors on family of Nazi hunters Belgian gov't, banks to pay 110M euros to victims of Holocaust Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bread will abound J'lem court allows pizzerias, bakeries to sell leavened products during Passover. The looking glass A T.A. film festival tackles Israel's hardest issues from war to polygamy.   1.   Only the last paragraph is suspect 08:11  |  The Archives 01/04/08   2.   what resistance movement? 10:36  |  zweistein 01/04/08   3.   # 1 Zweistein 11:54  |  Nick Ferriman 01/04/08   4.   "French farmers stared with hate at our passing tanks" 12:24  |  Absolute Sweden 01/04/08   5.   Lets keep things in proportion 13:48  |  Assulin 01/04/08   6.   ATTENTION ALL ANTI FEMALE MALES 14:17  |  petra 01/04/08   7.   Of course there was "resistance", didn`t you watch "Hallo, hallo" 14:21  |  Mefisto 01/04/08   8.   The underground resistance was pretty effective 14:51  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/04/08   9.   Let`s see the real figures 14:53  |  le brize 01/04/08   10.   Re 8: The real figures 15:19  |  Bernard 01/04/08   11.   I will say this only once 16:03  |  Big Sooz 01/04/08   12.   Those who criticize France 16:10  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/04/08   13.   #11 Alicia Yasmeen 16:46  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/04/08   14.   Eisenhower estimated.... 17:01  |  P.Dac 01/04/08   15.   The real figure/2 17:02  |  le brize 01/04/08   16.   No, no Alicia... 17:06  |  Assulin 01/04/08   17.   Le Brize, merci, je me suis beaucoup apprise de Vous! 17:34  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/04/08   18.   Le Brize : The powerful French Communist Party was against resist 17:45  |  Absolute Sweden 01/04/08   19.   to no1 shame on you 17:52  |  ben 01/04/08   20.   To Absolute Sweden / 2 19:12  |  le brize 01/04/08   21.   To Zweinstein 19:17  |  le brize 01/04/08   22.   "French farmers stared with hate at our passing tanks" / 2 19:29  |  le brize 01/04/08   23.   Le Brize : "forced labour in Germany" : Mitterand did it volunta- 19:42  |  Absolute Sweden 01/04/08   24.   Le Brize : "forced labour in Germany" : Mitterand did it volunta- 20:12  |  le brize 01/04/08   25.   To Asulin, No no Alicia... 00:09  |  le brize 02/04/08   26.   French bashers 17:31  |  aconstant 04/04/08

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