Simone Segouin was a French Resistance fighter during World War II, who helped capture German troops and deliver crucial messages.
- Died: February 21, 2023 (Who else died on February 21?)
- Details of death: Died at a nursing home in Courville-sur-Eure, France at the age of 97.
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French Resistance
Segouin had her first taste of the Resistance as a young teen, when her father would take in Resistance fighters who needed food and shelter. By the age of 18, she had become one of those fighters. She stole a bicycle from a German patrol and painted it so it couldn’t be identified, then she used that bicycle to deliver messages and do reconnaissance on German troops. Her fresh-faced youth and simple mode of transportation were her disguise; she was rarely suspected of being anything other than the farmer’s daughter she was. Segouin was one of a small group of Resistance fighters that captured a unit of 25 German soldiers in 1944. She helped derail a train and destroy bridges, and she also later noted that she may have killed two German soldiers, though several Resistance fighters shot at once and no one knew whose shots had hit their mark. Segouin was honored after the war with the Croix de Guerre, a prestigious military decoration awarded for heroism in combat. A street in her hometown was also named after her. She went on to work as a pediatric nurse.
Notable quote
“One of the best days was when we arrested 25 German soldiers towards the end of the war. It felt good as we knew we would soon have our country back from occupation.” —as quoted by the Express in 2016
Tributes to Simone Segouin
Full obituary: The Washington Post
