Mary O'Shaughnessy

Contributed by
deniso
People in story:
Mary O'Shaughnessy
Location of story:
France / Germany
Article ID:
A2082052
Contributed on:
26 November 2003
I would like to tell the story of my Aunt Mary, who I consider to be one of the many unsung heroines of World War Two.
Prior to the commencement of the hostilities in Europe she was leading a happy life working as a Governess in France. In 1940 she was in Angies with her employer's family and was watching the events in Belgium with great interest.
When the disasterous events occurred in France and the allies where in retreat of the German Armies she assisted as much as she could by directing any lost groups to the safety of Southern France via Marseilles.
After the allied armies had left France and the country was under German Occupation she proved to be the means of a return to the UK for many an airman who had been shot down over France.
For months she cared for one particular airman whose injuries prevented him from travelling, until he was able to escape via the French Underground Movement.
In time the work she was carrying out came to the attention of the Gestapo and it was not long before she was on their 'wanted list'. She was in Paris when a search of her apartment was carried out and she was informed of this by friends in the undrground movement. She then decided it was time to leave France and to return to the UK via Spain and all the necassary arrangements were made.
Unfortunately, before these arrangements could be implimented she was betrayed to the Gestapo by a so called 'friend',arrested and taken to Mont Luc at Lyon where she suffered her first experiences at the hands of the Germans.She was interigated by her captors for ten days and when no information could be got out of her she was placed in a cattle truck with several hundred other prisoners and commenced a five day journey to Ravensbruik Concentration Camp in Germany.
Whilst incarcerated in this Camp she both witnessed and suffered untold cruelties by the guards and on one occasion was beaten to the extent that she suffered a broken jaw, broken nose and lost eight teeth. Food became more scarce and the cruelties harsher and then the Germans began to use the Gas Chambers.
Eventually the allied bombing of Berlin and other towns in Northern Germany became the beginning of the end for the Germans, and Mary was eventually liberated by a Swedish Mission and returned to England via Sweden.
After the War had ended she appeared as a witness at the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials, and later returned to her work as a governess, but this time she went to work in Kenya, where she survived through the Mau Mau uprisings (but that is another story).
She passed away on 11 September 1973, during a visit to the UK from Kenya to see an old friend from her days in Ravensbruik.
After the war Mary was made an Honourary Member of the Royal Air Force Escaping Society in recognition for the work she had carried out.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/52/a2082052.shtml

her name was Miss Mary O'Shaughnessy and she came from the small town of Leigh in Lancashire and was one of an ordinary working class family of three daughters and two sons, whose Mother and Father were both Irish Immigrants.

Amazing story, Lolly. There must have been many women who did similar work during the war. It does show how cruel the nazis were.

God bless these ladies, and long may their memories last.

A very brave lady...God bless her.

She should have a star on Wigan's Walk of Fame

https://wigan-peers.forumotion.com/t3946-wigans-walk-of-fame#44854

An online talk about the life of Mary O'Shaughnessy by Professor Nicholas O'Shaughnessy.
Join us online as we explore the extraordinary life of Mary O'Shaughnessy. Mary was born in Ashton-in-Makerfield and grew up in Leigh. She was working as a governess in Angers, France when the Second World War broke out. Mary helped the French Resistance, and in 1944 she was imprisoned in Ravensbrück concentration camp.

The talk will be delivered by Mary's relative, Professor Nicholas O'Shaughnessy, a Professor Emeritus of Communication at Queen Mary University of London. He is also Visiting Professor in the Centre for Strategic Communication at King's College London (Department of War Studies); and Quondam Fellow of Hughes Hall Cambridge University.

This talk will be held on Zoom and should last from approx. 1 hour.

When and where
Date and time
Thu, 23 March 2023, 19:00 – 20:00 GM
The image of Mary O'Shaughnessy was drawn by Billy Scott. It was commissioned by Babs Hennessy to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-extraordinary-woman-the-life-of-mary-oshaughnessy-tickets-559350782247?aff=ebdsoporgprofile