A Tenacious Upbringing
Simone Segouin was born on October 3rd, 1925, near Chartres, about 55 miles from Paris. She grew up as the only female in a household of three brothers. As a result of this, she also grew up to be a very strong and confident woman. Aside from her siblings, the other male figure of the family, her father, was a decorated world war veteran, which gave her a lot of inspiration. This resulted in her adoption of a fierce patriotism to her home country, France. Along with her desire to make her father proud, this undying devotion to her country would ultimately lead to her commitment to defeating the German invasion, and inevitably, ending the war as well.
In addition to her devotion, her conviction is inspiring as well. The fact that gender norms were in flux at the time in various countries only enhances the importance of what she did, which would be widely considered as preposterous only a couple of years beforehand. A clear example of this change in gender norms is America’s Rosie the Riveter. As a symbol for women in the workplace, she inspired women to take on the roles that male soldiers left behind in the factories, completely flipping the norms of the early 1900s on its head. In comparison to this change at home, stories of women honing their tactical skills for war and leading bands of troops in their countries’ defense are far more scarce – which is what makes Simone so unique and valorous.
Codename: Nicole Minet
Better known by her nom de guerre Nicole Minet, Segouin joined the Francs-Tireurs et Partisans (FTP) in 1944, at the peak of WWII. This was a particular group within the French Resistance, which the leaders of the French Communist Party had formed. It was one of the most effective groups during the French Occupation. Her first successful mission involved stealing a German officer’s bicycle. On top of that, she slashed the tires of the other bikes and motorcycles as well, in order to avoid being pursued after she escaped.
As a result of her success, Segouin’s stolen bike allowed her to easily pass through the city unnoticed as she delivered messages to other members of the Resistance – an action that would otherwise mean certain death if she had encountered any Germans without the bike. Her codename and falsified papers identified her as Nicole Minet from Dunkirk. Because this city fell victim to bombing during the war, there was no way to prove that her papers were fake.
This was an act of genius, and it gave her the best possible disguise to carry on with her work without worrying about being found out or shot at by the Germans. In addition to her sound-proof false identity, she was a fast learner who had expertise in tactics and explosives. With her experience, she led teams of Resistance fighters to capture German troops, set traps, and sabotage German equipment – making full use of her skill set.
In the Heat of War
As the war dragged on, her missions escalated to derailing German trains, blocking roads, and blowing up bridges. This is a big upgrade from her previous operations with the Resistance fighters. Large scale operations such as these are largely capable of pushing back against an unyielding opponent. Furthermore, she helped to create a path that was unoccupied by Germans. By doing this, she was able to help the Allied forces retake France from the inside. They never caught her, despite all of these risky, dangerous, life-threatening missions. They were all major, possible tide-turning events as well. Following this, Segouin, along with General Charles de Gaulle, attended the liberation of both Chartres and Paris. Her continued efforts in helping secure these major achievements resulted in a promotion to lieutenant and several military awards, including the Croix de Guerre.
Post-War Caregiver
For Simone Segouin, it simply wasn’t enough to be an amazing war heroine who fought for her country’s liberation. After her service, she went on to study medicine and worked as a pediatric nurse. Even though she had done so much for her country already, she never stopped giving service to it. She carried on, maintaining and caring for her country’s youth – her country’s future. A British military recently awarded Simone for her service during the war and her aid to the Allied forces. Reflecting on her service she said,
“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.”
-Simone segouin
Her remark on how it felt to arrest them only paints a small picture of her struggles during the war. The weight she carried on her shoulders is immeasurable. The impact she had on the war was immense, and her statement conveys how liberating it felt at the end, describing it as one of the greatest days. This highlights the significance of finally being able to free her country from the Germans.
Living on Today
Segouin will forever be known in WWII history as a heroine of the French Resistance. She helped fight for her country, and carried out numerous life-threatening and dangerous missions. This was an age where women were only just recently being encouraged to take up factory work. They had just started to break up the old norms, and she was at the front of the action. Like many women in history, she carried the torch to light the way to secure everyone’s future. She is a true inspiration to all, doing so many crucial things not only for her country, but to assist the Allies as well.
One more stunning example of her boundless resilience is how she resists the perils of old age and the calls of death. She is indeed still alive, and she will turn 96 in October 2021. It is wonderful that such a bright model of resistance is still alive, and that she has probably lived long enough to see her brave spirit live on in the people of today.
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