Service Zero

Invisible Women

Service Zero

November 10, 2020

When real life stories have been kept secret for over 60 years, it’s difficult to coax them into existence.

This episode introduces eight such stories and the challenges involved in uncovering them — from the male gatekeepers I had to traverse to inviting the women to share their stories, most of whom had not previously done so.

We begin with Edie’s story, a young woman who worked for Service Zero, a large resistance cell in Belgium.

Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing.

Episode Details

Service Zero
Podcast Episode # 01
Runs: 48:50

Credits

Host and Writer: Diane Greig
Edie: Patti Allan
Casting Director: Eileen Barrett
Producer: Robert Ouimet
Sound engineer: Scott Whittaker

Show Notes

Invisible Women is a podcast about eight women who worked in espionage during World War 2
They were six different countries
What they had in common was the opportunity to step outside societal norms while at the same time working in the shadows
The podcast is about cultural shadow. Its also about projections, and societal expectations
Didn’t plan to search out women in espionage
Intrigued by image of agents being flown in behind enemy lines by the light of the full moon
The challenge in finding these women and the men gate keepers
All were living ordinary lives until war struck and then they were thrust into this unusual work
Introduction to Edie

Edie’s story
In 1939 was 16 and living at home in Ghent, Belgium
May 1940 was on a family vacation in Ardennes when Belgium was invaded
Harrowing trip back to Ghent, now occupied by German soldiers
Introduced to resistance work by her brother – a cell called Service Zero
Reported on rail , troop movement, airfields and construction to British Intelligence
Typed up and couriered reports to wireless operators
The every day risks and dangers of inspections at train stations and on the road
Avoiding going to a forced labour camp
Family has been through this kind of things before, mother was a role model
Resistance work ended in 1943 when her brother is arrested
Her final assignment – to warn the head of Service Zero that someone has exposed the group
Father is arrested
After liberation, reunited with her father and later her brother