Her Last Words: 'Liberte'
The name Noor Inayat Khan may not ring a bell, but her heroism as a World War II spy earned her the nickname ‘Spy Princess.’
Born in Moscow in 1914, Noor Inaya Khan was descendant of an 18th century Muslim ruler named Tipu Sultan. Noor’s family were Indian Muslims living in Russia. Her father grew weary of the unrest boiling in Russia and chose to relocate the family to Great Britain.
Descendants of Tipu Sultan, who had died fighting against British rule in 1799, their noble lineage along with Noor’s father’s well known pro-India beliefs drew the attention of the British. As British surveillance tightened on the Khan family, they uprooted from Britain and headed south to Paris.
Settling in Paris, Noor’s comfortable life there would be cut short, as were the lives of thousands of other Parisians. In 1940, the Nazis invaded Paris. Noor quickly fled back to Britain along with thousands of other French residents who feared what would become of their country now that it was in German hands.
A Return to Britain and the Start of Her Military Service
It is Noor’s return to Britain in 1940 where her heroic story begins. A refuge in Britain, she immediately joined the war effort. Finding the Nazi beliefs and hatred for Jews repulsive, and as someone who grew up in a strong belief of religious harmony, Noor could not stand idly by.
Serving in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force branch of the British Royal Air Force, she excelled as a wireless operator. Her performance caught the attention of many, and when members of the Special Operations Executive, a unit of British spies that supported local resistance movements, heard her speak fluent French, they found another calling for her.
True to Noor’s character, despite extreme risks of the new opportunity, she eagerly accepted the offer. The first female wireless operator sent to France in British history received her code name, Madeline, and was sent to France in 1943.
Her New Calling
Arriving in Paris, she immediately began coordinating with the local resistance group ironically named Prosper. Many believed Prosper’s role as an organized resistance group in Paris was the most important of its kind in Europe.
Having been established in 1942, the operation was fairly large. Aside from numerous resistance fighters spread throughout the city, Prosper was supported by nearly 150 agents from the Special Operations Executive. Their goal was to unite resistance and work to destroy the German occupation from within.
An Unexpected Turn
Noor had very little time to settle into her new role. Within days of her arrival, at the result of a blunder by a Prosper lieutenant, many of the agents were captured by the Nazis.
The loss of many of the high-ranking agents and their wireless equipment was a significant blow, but it did not deter Noor. Given the chance to return home, she declined and opted to stay to ensure the work continued.
She continued her efforts for several months as the only operator remaining in the field. It is worth nothing that a wireless operator, especially one in the field, was one of the most dangerous jobs one could have in the Special Operations Executive. They were critical to communicating plans of sabotage action and where weapons for resistance fighters needed to be dropped.
Noor Captured and Taken Into Custody
In October, in what is believed to be betrayal from a double-agent within Prosper, Noor’s identity and whereabouts became known to Nazi troops. She was captured and sent to Germany.
In German hands, Noor was considered a highly dangerous prisoner. Despite multiple attempts to convince Noor to give up other remaining agents and resistance fighters in Paris, Noor never cracked. Her resiliency did not stop there. While in German custody, she attempted escape two different times.
For a year, Noor would be shackled and tortured by Nazi interrogators. Her bravery and commitment earned compliments from her Nazi interrogators. One of which years later would speak of Noor’s courage, bravery and kindness.
A Cry of Freedom at Dachau
After a year of a relentless interrogations and torture, Noor would be moved to the concentration camp at Dachau. It is here, alongside three other captured female Special Operation Executive agents that Noor would be shot and killed. It was September 1944. An anonymous prisoner was noted that Noor’s final cry before being executed was “Liberte.”
In 1949, Noor would posthumously receive the George Cross and the French Croix de Guerre. The George Cross recognized gallantry in the face of the enemy and is the highest award a civilian can receive in Great Britain.
In November of 2012, a bronze bust of Norr was unveiled in Bloomsbury, London. Seven years later, her home in London received a blue plaque memorializing the place she called home and fearlessly left in service to Great Britain.
History for the Hurried:
April 15, 1912: In the frigid waters off Newfoundland, carrying 2,224 passengers, the RMS Titanic strikes an iceberg and sinks early in the morning. It is arguably the most famous maritime disaster.
April 17, 1989: Soildarity, the Polish labor union is granted legal status after a tumultuous decade-long struggle. This paved the way for the downfall of Polish Communist Party.
April 18, 1775: The legendary Midnight Ride by Paul Revere and William Dawes to alert patriots at Lexington and Concord of the approaching British takes place.