Yvonne Fontaine

Yvonne Fontaine (b. August 3 1913, France - d. May 9 1996) was a member of the French Resistance working with the Special Operations Executive (SOE).

Resistance & Special Operations Executive Work

Fontaine, a native Frenchwoman, began working with the Tinker network in 1943 with the organizer Ben Cowburn. She worked initially as a courier, but soon became deeply involved in the network forming part of the nucleaus with Cowburn, his radio operator Barrett and another locally recruited Frenchman, Pierre Mulsant. As the Gestapo closed in on the network in November 1973, Fontaine and Barrett were taken to England on a Henri Déricourt pick up.

In England Fontaine underwent SOE training. She returned to France by boat on March 25 1944 to work with the Minister circuit as a courier.

There is some discussion as to whether Fontaine was an official member of the SOE. Vera Atkins claimed that she was recruited in the field and never became an official F Section Agent. [Liane Jones, "A Quiet Courage: Women Agents in the French Resistance", London, Transworld Publishers Ltd, 1990. ISBN 0-593-01663-7]

Honours & Decorations

After the war Fontaine was awarded the Medaille de la Resistance Francaise [ [http://www.specialforcesroh.com/awards-4064.html Yvonne Fontaine - Special Forces - Roll Of Honour - Archive ] ] . She married a Frenchman by the name of Dumont and died May 9 1996.

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