The FANY in Peace and War: The Story of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, 1907-2003

The strangely named First Aid Nursing Yeomanry traces its origins to the First World War.

As a mark of their outstanding service they remained in being between the Wars. However, it is for their service during the Second World War that they are best known.

They worked in a wide variety of roles both at home and overseas, both overt and covert. Of the latter there were 39 girls who worked with SOE behind the lines with Resistance movements. Of these 13 were captured and killed, often after torture, including Odette Churchill and Violette Szabo. Many others worked as coders and decoders, running safe-houses and training agents and in a variety of supporting roles.