Tempsford Memorial

The memorial bears the names of 75 known women agents, of whom 29 were arrested, 16 were executed, three died of illnesses while imprisoned, and one committed suicide using a cyanide L-pill before being captured.

[1] Missions by British secret agents to Nazi-occupied Europe during the Second World War were coordinated by the Special Operations Executive, with participation from the UK Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), the Free French Bureau Central de Renseignements et d'Action, the US Office of Strategic Services, and the Soviet NKVD.

A book of remembrance at St Peter’s Church in Tempsford lists 623 airmen from the two squadrons killed during the war.

The memorial was unveiled by the Prince of Wales on 3 December 2013, who completed the mosaic by inserting the last piece at the centre of the moon, with a flypast by a Lysander in the colours of 161 Squadron.

In attendance was the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, with Baroness Crawley, Sir John Sawers, delegates from the 12 countries listed, and veterans and relatives of the SOE agents and RAF personnel.