Odette Marie Léonie Céline Hallowes, better known as Odette Sansom or Odette Churchill, was a British Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent during World War II. Operating under the code name Lise, she became the first woman to receive the George Cross, the highest civilian award for bravery in the United Kingdom. France also recognized her service with the Légion d'honneur.
The SOE was formed to carry out espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in Nazi-occupied Europe. Agents like Odette worked alongside resistance groups, providing them with weapons and vital intelligence. She was sent to France on the night of 3/4 November 1942 to serve as a courier for the Spindle network, led by Peter Churchill—whom she would later marry. In early 1943, after facing the threat of capture, they relocated their operations to the French Alps near Annecy. However, on 16 April 1943, both were arrested by Nazi counterintelligence officer Hugo Bleicher.
Odette endured months of brutal interrogation and torture but refused to betray her comrades. She was ultimately deported to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, where she remained imprisoned for the rest of the war. Her incredible resilience and survival made her one of the most celebrated members of the SOE, with her story later told through books and a film. Despite the horrors she faced, she emerged as a symbol of courage and sacrifice in the fight against Nazi tyranny.
