A WOMAN from Wormelow, near Ross-on-Wye, recently received a Prime Minister’s Award for creating a museum dedicated to World War Two secret agent Violette Szabo, who was executed by the Nazis at the age of 23.

Rosemary Rigby explained what led her to create the memorial: “I found out that my home was where Violette’s uncle and aunt lived and she used to spend her holidays here. I started to look into her history and discovered one of the bravest secret agents of the war.

“Violette, who was posthumously awarded the George Cross, had a French mother and a British father and grew up between France and England. She was recruited by the Special Operations Excutive around 1942 and sent to France on intelligence gathering and reconnaissance in 1944. Violette was captured, after providing covering fire to allow her companions to escape, on her second mission in the same year. She was eventually executed at the infamous Ravensbruck con-

centration camp in February 1945.”

Rosemary originally erected plaques to Violette on the house in Wormelow, but soon began to amass a collection about the agent.

She said: “I had help from Hereford Museum when I began to plan my museum, which opened on 24 June 2000. It’s full of photographs, artefacts and documents and people often pass things over to me. It’s a small space packed with information.

“There’s a remarkable atmosphere in the museum, like a church or a cathedral. It’s like a veil of peace.”

In a personal letter to Rosemary, PM Theresa May said: “The memorial and museum you have created is preserving the memory of a war hero who bravely gave her life in service to this country. Your remarkable project is keeping the story of Violette’s extraordinary life alive for future generations.”

Rosemary, who already has an MBE for services to the Royal National Institute for the Blind, added: “I’m delighted to accept this unique honour from the Prime Minister. This joy recognises the endless years of hard work which preceded it.”

The museum is open on a Wednesday from April to October and by appointment at other times. Visit www.violette-szabo-museum.

co.uk or ring Rosemary on 01981 540477 for details.