A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II Paperback – March 24, 2020

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win WWII was written by Sonia Purnell. This book was impossible to put down once you were into it.This is the story of how one woman stood up to be counted and made a difference to the history of the world. Virginia wanted to protect rather than destroy; to restore liberty rather than destroy it. She neither pursued fame or glory, nor was she really granted it She defied stereotyping and served in the American and British Secret Service.Barbara Hall had raised her only daughter (youngest child) to make an advantageous marriage. She wanted Virginia to live as the highest social circle did; but didn’t have the money. Ned was inept at business and failed to keep the family fortune; but not even to raise it. Virginia’s duty was to haul the family fortune back to where it was supposed to be by marrying money.Virginia was outgoing, a pleasure to be around, young men flocked to her, and she defied convention. She rode, shot, hunted, etc. like the boys and yet knew how to act as a young lady. They saw her as a natural leader. Her classmates voted her president of her class, editor in chief, ‘captain of sports, and “Class Prophet”. She was a true “original”. Her brother followed the plan set forth for him in following in his father’s business.She seemed to follow her Mother’s plans when at nineteen, she became engaged to a suitable young man. However, unlike other young ladies of her time, she strenuously objected to his cheating on her. It was the Flapper Era and women showed their independence, Virginia dropped her fiancé for his cheating and left him in her dust. Virginia began looking for a career instead. Limits on what women could do were lifted and she w anted to follow that life. Set on proving she was equal to men in her chosen field. She decided she would do better in school if she did it in Paris. She became a free spirit there and coasted through her classes. Became engaged again; but this time her Father objected and she obeyed him. Heartbroken, she returned home. Returned favoring Women’s emancipation, loved the idea of freedom for everyone and an abiding love for France. She knew five language fluently and the politics of Europe. Witnessed the rise of Hitler and Mussolini. Wall Street crash wiped out family fortune. She tested to enter the State Department but was rejected. She determined to enter by the “back door”Father’s death caused family fortunes to completely collapse and she applied for and obtained a secretarial position in the American Embassy in Warsaw. She was in but definitely by the back door. She did her job with a flair and did it well. Also got a glimpse of the intelligence world. Retook the exams to be in the diplomatic corps but missed the oral exam application deadline. Transferred to Turkey which had even fewer chances to advance. Then tragedy struck. On an organized snipe hunt, she was distracted and failed to keep her gun on safety. She fell and the resulting bullet hit her foot. Unfortunately, gangrene entered her wound and the ultimate result was the amputation of her left leg below the knee. Then sepsis attacked the knee and she once again fought for her life. She dreamed her Father came to her and told her “it was her duty to survive”. Eventually, she was fitted with a prosthetic. She taught herself to walk again and eventually returned to her duties at the embassy, although not back in Turkey; but in Venice. She asked for no favors due to her handicap. She just devised ways to get around as easily as possible and continued her work. She also entertained as her place in society required. She continued to do her duties well and even stepped in for the vice counsel when he was away. She impressed her superiors with her dedication to their work. She tried once more to gain a spot in the diplomatic corps; but was denied due to her leg and an obscure law against amputees being in the corps. She returned to Venice but others took her cause to President Roosevelt. He consulted with Hull and despite his own paralysis and the glowing reports of others on her behalf, he refused to change Hull’s mind. As a result, she was sent from Venice to Estonia. Her replacement in Venice got a promotion and a raise. Her request to stop in Paris for repair on her prosthetic was denied, so she had to pay for the detour herself. In Paris, she made contacts with her friends before going on to Estonia. Here, she was back to mundane work which was beneath her capabilities. There was now no hope of promotion or a raise (not having one in seven years) so she resigned from the State Department. She tried joining the British but couldn’t as she wasn’t British. She did join the French Ambulance service and drove ambulances in some of the worst conditions possible. She was caught in France when the Nazis took over. She found her being an American helped her get fuel needed for the ambulances to bring wounded to Paris for treatment. She noted how she received preferential treatment. However, she decided to return to Britain and looked for some way to help.On her way to Britain, she ran into George Bellows, an undercover British agent. They talked and she told him what was going on in France as she saw it. He saw a passionate and extremely brave young lady. He wired a friend in London telling him of this young lady. His friend was with the newly set up of the SOE. They were having problems finding men to take the positions they offered. Bellows believed Virginia could easily do the job. Meanwhile, she was having problems finding a position since she had quit once. Her Mother finally persuaded her to come home; but it was too late to get a safe ticket home. It was then that she contacted the name Bellows gave her. He invited her for dinner and unknown to her began his interview of her. They quickly decided she was what they needed and grabbed her up. The pay wasn’t any more than the State Department had given her; but the adventure and the fact that she would be helping the French made this offer attractive to her.Thus, Virginia became the first female F Section agent and the first liaison officer of either sex of the SOE. However, obstacles were put in her way by the State Department since she was an American and had resigned from them. In addition, Churchill had in place that women were not to be on front-line service of any kind. Old-fashioned attitudes of women were still in existence. As an American, could she be trusted? For once, her disability did not come into question at all. Eventually, things were approved and she was sent to training, her first step. When she finally started on her first mission, she was given a fifty-fifty chance of survival. This was a blind step for everyone concerned. No one had done this before. She was the first and no one knew what problems would arise. Her cover as a journalist enabled her to send articles on everyday life in France. This enabled the SOE to make sure their agents were well informed about the customs and rules the French had to follow. This enabled future agents to avoid dead giveaways. Since the United States was not at war at this time, she received no help from the US ambassador although some of his staff helped her without his knowledge.

This book offers a powerful and deeply moving portrayal of real-life experiences during wartime. Through vivid storytelling and authentic accounts, it immerses the reader in the harsh realities and emotional depths of life during conflict. The writing is so compelling that you find yourself eagerly turning the pages, not wanting the story to end.What makes this work especially meaningful is its focus on individuals who chose to live selflessly—driven not by recognition or reward, but by a profound sense of duty to humanity. Their courage, compassion, and resilience serve as a timeless reminder of the human spirit’s capacity for good, even in the darkest of times.Reading this book is not only an emotional journey but also a necessary one. It brings to light the lives of truly admirable people whose stories deserve to be remembered and honored. It’s a testament to the power of empathy and the importance of preserving history through personal narratives.

Compelling - as I kept reading to the end, even though I had many issues with the writing. Know that I will quit reading a book, and early on, if I don't like the writing style, So here are my complaints. This was difficult to read as characters were not developed, and "many" names were dropped and many unnecessary details given and then even more details given. It was easy to get lost in where and what was happening. Also, I found the book grammatically awkward - often re-read sentences/paragraphs. Again, it was just so fact filled that I often skipped and speed read through long drawn out details - history lessons. Yet for all my complaints, this woman, Virginia Hall is an untold hero during WWII. Her involvement in the United States first espionage is compelling and adventuresome! The trials that she and others faced is hard to imagine and then the stories of all the lives lost thorough torcher, execution, starvation, and concentration camps. Awful!! These are things that should not be forgotten. Our freedoms have come at a high price. Virginia Hall was the beginning of what is called the CIA today - OSS during WWII. So yes I would recommend this book:-)

This is an amazing account of one woman and her role in organizing resistance to the Nazis in France during the war. Her bravery, feats and accomplishments are so incredible as to seem almost unbelievable. A remarkable book about a remarkable woman.