The annual Violette Szabo Memorial Gathering will take place at the Wormelow museum which does so much to preserve the memory of this SOE heroine, on Sunday, June 25th.

Each year this little rural corner of Herefordshire comes alive as people of various nationalities come together to remember Violette. Although she was born in France she made a dramatic contribution to British war-time history. Violette spent her childhood in England, often visiting cousins at their home at Cartref, in Wormelow.

This country house is now home to Rosemary Rigby and the Violette Sazabo Museum. Each year Rosemary organises a memorial picnic to give people from all over the world the opportunity to remember the young woman who gave her life to help preserve the British way of life she loved.

After Violette’s husband, Etienne Szabo, a French officer, was killed at the Battle of El Alamein in October 1942 she offered her services to the British Special Operations Executive (SOE).

After a successful first mission she was captured and executed, at the Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany in February 1945, one of 13 female SOE agents killed during the war. She was just 23 years old.

The picnic which takes place as close to Violette’s birthday as possible, will this year take place on Sunday, June 26th at 2pm. Guests are asked to bring something to add to the feast and a chair.