Susan Mary Gillian Travers (23 September 1909 – 18 December 2003) was a British nurse and ambulance driver who served in the
French Red Cross
The French Red Cross (french: Croix-Rouge française), or the CRF, is the national Red Cross Society in France founded in 1864 and originally known as the ''Société française de secours aux blessés militaires'' (SSBM). Recognized as a public ...
during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. She later became the only woman to be enlisted in the
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army ...
, having also served in
French Indochina
French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
, during the
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh ( Democratic Republic of ...
.
Early life
Travers was born in
Kensington and spent her early years in England, the daughter of Francis Eaton Travers, a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
Admiral, and his wife Eleanor Catherine ().
World War II
At the outbreak of
World War 2
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, Travers joined the
French Red Cross
The French Red Cross (french: Croix-Rouge française), or the CRF, is the national Red Cross Society in France founded in 1864 and originally known as the ''Société française de secours aux blessés militaires'' (SSBM). Recognized as a public ...
as a nurse. Later, she became an ambulance driver with the French Expeditionary Force in
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bo ...
in 1939. After the
fall of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second Wo ...
, she went to London and joined the Free French under
de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...
. In 1942, she drove a medical doctor of the
1st Free French Division
The 1st Free French Division (french: 1re Division Française Libre, 1re DFL) was one of the principal units of the Free French Forces (FFL) during World War II, renowned for having fought the Battle of Bir Hakeim.
Consisting of troops from m ...
during
Operation Exporter in Syria and Lebanon, during which the Allied forces invaded and seized Syria and Lebanon from the
Vichy French
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its t ...
. She served in the
13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion
) and veteran foreign regiments (french: Anciens régiment étranger, link=no) of the Legion, in case of the CEPs, BEPs & REPs, the context reference is referring to the paratrooper veterans (french: Anciens legionnaires parachutistes, link=no) a ...
as a driver for the medical officer, where she gained the nickname "la Miss".
The 13th Demi-Brigade was incorporated into the 1st Brigade of the 1st Free French Division, commanded by Colonel
Marie-Pierre Kœnig. Travers was assigned as the driver to Kœnig. They became lovers.
In May 1942, the 1st Free French Brigade was posted at
Bir Hakeim, the southern end of the
British Eighth Army
The Eighth Army was an Allied field army formation of the British Army during the Second World War, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns. Units came from Australia, British India, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Free French Forc ...
's line at
Gazala in Libya. As the
Panzer Army Africa
As the number of German troops committed to the North African Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps, the Germans developed a more elaborate command structure and placed the enlarged ''Afrika Korps'', with ...
prepared to attack the British line, Kœnig ordered all women out of the area. The Axis forces attacked on 26 May, initiating the
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala (near the village of ) was fought during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to ...
.
Four German and Italian divisions attacked Bir Hakeim. Not long after, Travers joined a convoy into the rear area, and Kœnig allowed her to return to Bir Hakeim, as it seemed the Axis attack had failed. During the next two weeks, the Axis continued to attack, heavily shelling and bombing Bir Hakeim. During the bombardment, a shell tore off the roof of Kœnig's car. Travers, aided by a Vietnamese driver, fixed it on the spot immediately.
During the night of 11–12 June, 1st FF Brigade evacuated Bir Hakeim, with Travers driving Kœnig's staff car. The column ran into minefields and German machine gun fire. Kœnig ordered Travers to drive at the front of the column. Travers stated:
At 10:30 a.m. on 11 June, the column entered British lines. Travers' vehicle had eleven bullet holes, with a shock absorber destroyed and the brakes unserviceable.
Kœnig was promoted to general and left the North African theatre for higher command and a reunion with his wife. Travers, driving a self-propelled anti-tank gun, remained with the French Foreign Legion. She later served in the
Italian Campaign and the
Western Front (in France and Germany), during which she was wounded when she drove over a land mine.
Post-war
After the war, her military status was regularized. She applied to and was formally enrolled in the ''Légion Étrangère'', as an ''
adjudant-chef''.
Travers served in Indochina. She married Legion ''
Adjudant-Chef'' Nicolas Schlegelmilch, who had fought at Bir Hakeim with the 13th Demi-Brigade. In retirement, they lived on the outskirts of
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
. The couple is survived by two sons.
She waited for all the other principals in her life story to die before writing her autobiography. In 2000, aged 91, assisted by
Wendy Holden, she wrote her autobiography, ''Tomorrow to Be Brave: A Memoir of the Only Woman Ever to Serve in the French Foreign Legion'' ().
Decorations
*
Légion d'honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...
*
Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
*
Médaille commémorative 1939–1945 with clasp – "Afrique" – "Italie" – "Libération"
*
Médaille Coloniale
The Colonial Medal (french: "Médaille Coloniale") was a French decoration created by the "loi de finances" of 26 July 1893 (article 75) to reward "military services in the colonies, resulting from participation in military operations, in a colo ...
, du mérite syrien de 4e classe
* Croix de libération finlandaise
*
Officier de l'Ordre du Nichan Iftikhar
*
Médaille militaire
The ''Médaille militaire'' ( en, Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic ...
Notes
References
*
*
External links
(German) ''La Miss und die Legionäre'', Der Spiegel, 34/2001
{{DEFAULTSORT:Travers, Susan
1909 births
2003 deaths
Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France)
Knights of the Legion of Honour
French military personnel of World War II
French military personnel of the First Indochina War
Women in war in France
People educated at Heathfield School, Ascot
British women memoirists
French women in World War II
Female recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France)
20th-century British memoirists
20th-century French women