Odette Hallowes died aged 82 in Surrey, England, remembered as one of the most decorated heroines of the French Resistance.
Odette Hallowes died on 13 March 1995 at her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, at the age of 82. By the time of her death she had long been regarded as one of the most celebrated women of the Second World War, having survived Gestapo torture, a death sentence, and imprisonment at Ravensbrück concentration camp.
Her later life had been devoted to public remembrance of the SOE and its agents, many of whom did not survive the war; she was closely involved with the Special Forces Club and veterans' associations, and continued to give talks and interviews about her wartime experiences and the sacrifices of her fellow agents, including Violette Szabo and others who were executed.
Her death was widely reported internationally, including in obituaries by The New York Times, The Independent, and Le Monde, reflecting her stature as a Franco-British symbol of resistance and endurance. She remains one of only a small number of women to have received the George Cross, and her story continues to be taught as an example of courage under extreme duress.
Her legacy endures through books, films, memorials, and the continued study of the role of women in intelligence and resistance operations during the Second World War.