Post by corsair67 on Nov 1, 2006 18:57:15 GMT 12
Of course, if she was some lesbian, feminist academic who'd burnt her bra and protested against the Vietnam War she have had several gongs from Helen by now.
This is very embarassing for New Zealand.
From stuff.co.nz.
Kiwi war heroine still not recognised by her own country
01 November 2006.
New Zealand-born Nancy Wake, one of the most decorated women of World War 2 will get royal recognition in London this month, as the Government continues to ignore her bravery.
Ms Wake, 94, will become the first woman to be presented with the New Zealand Returned Services Association top award – the Badge in gold and life membership – at a function at Buckingham Palace in a fortnight.
RSA president John Campbell said today the award would be presented by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, in front of about 10 of her close friends, many of them wartime French resistance fighters.
Ms Wake has bravery awards from Australia, England, France and America for her work with the French resistance during the war, but New Zealand has refused to officially honour her.
Harvey Dalton, an RSA chaplain and chaplain to the Kings Empire Veterans Association, of which Ms Wake was a member, said it was disgraceful she had not been recognised by the Government.
He said the Government had said it would not officially and formally recognise her because she had not fought alongside New Zealand troops.
Mr Dalton said he had a thick file of letters to the Government which had come up with every excuse possible for not recognising her deeds.
"We have given her nothing. There is every reason the woman should be recognised. She is the most decorated woman in the Allied world and Upham (double Victoria Cross winner Charles Upham) was the most decorated man.
"Two of the most decorated people of World War 2 were Kiwis," he said.
He said the Government needed to move urgently to recognise her bravery, as other countries had, before it was too late.
Ms Wake, who now lives in a London rest home, was born in Wellington but moved to Australia at an early age and in her early 20s moved to Paris to work as a journalist.
Ms Wake met German dictator Adolf Hitler before the war and was determined to do what she could to stop Nazism.
Her status during the war as a resistance fighter was legendary with the Gestapo naming her the "White Mouse" because they could not catch her.
This is very embarassing for New Zealand.
From stuff.co.nz.
Kiwi war heroine still not recognised by her own country
01 November 2006.
New Zealand-born Nancy Wake, one of the most decorated women of World War 2 will get royal recognition in London this month, as the Government continues to ignore her bravery.
Ms Wake, 94, will become the first woman to be presented with the New Zealand Returned Services Association top award – the Badge in gold and life membership – at a function at Buckingham Palace in a fortnight.
RSA president John Campbell said today the award would be presented by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, in front of about 10 of her close friends, many of them wartime French resistance fighters.
Ms Wake has bravery awards from Australia, England, France and America for her work with the French resistance during the war, but New Zealand has refused to officially honour her.
Harvey Dalton, an RSA chaplain and chaplain to the Kings Empire Veterans Association, of which Ms Wake was a member, said it was disgraceful she had not been recognised by the Government.
He said the Government had said it would not officially and formally recognise her because she had not fought alongside New Zealand troops.
Mr Dalton said he had a thick file of letters to the Government which had come up with every excuse possible for not recognising her deeds.
"We have given her nothing. There is every reason the woman should be recognised. She is the most decorated woman in the Allied world and Upham (double Victoria Cross winner Charles Upham) was the most decorated man.
"Two of the most decorated people of World War 2 were Kiwis," he said.
He said the Government needed to move urgently to recognise her bravery, as other countries had, before it was too late.
Ms Wake, who now lives in a London rest home, was born in Wellington but moved to Australia at an early age and in her early 20s moved to Paris to work as a journalist.
Ms Wake met German dictator Adolf Hitler before the war and was determined to do what she could to stop Nazism.
Her status during the war as a resistance fighter was legendary with the Gestapo naming her the "White Mouse" because they could not catch her.
