Leyton & Leytonstone

Historical Society

Peggy Knight, The Leyton Typist with Nerves of Steel (continued)

Henri Frager, leader of the 'Donkeyman' circuit, was arrested on 8th August*  and killed at Buchenwald concentration camp on 12th October 1944†.  The fight for France was at a crucial stage.  Teams consisting of a member of each of the UK, US and French forces were parachuted in uniform behind the German lines.  One of these groups of three was dropped on 15th August to join ‘Donkeyman’, but in error 33 kilometres away.  Whilst they furtively made their way towards the 'Donkeyman' network it took open control of Sommecaise and Les Ormes.  

On 22nd August American troops reached Courtenay.  Peggy and a female member of the Resistance cycled into the German stronghold of Montargis to pass information on dispositions to the Americans.  On another occasion she cycled about 40 km from Gien to Briare and Cosne.  (We now know that the Allies were decoding messages sent by radio between the German forces using the ‘Enigma’ machine.  This was so vital to the Allies, and unsuspected by the Germans, that information obtained in that way had to be restricted to the highest commanders.  It could not be passed to troops on the ground.)  

The Allies pushed forward.  As the Germans fell back the Resistance played its part, such as taking control of a large quantity of petrol at Moneteau.  For a while the situation was very confused.  There was no ‘front line’ and Peggy continued to cycle round gathering information.  

On 12th September Roger Bardet allowed Peggy to leave for Paris.  4 days later she was flown to London.  She had survived an experience for which her only preparation, in terms of danger, had been German air raids on London.

(Peggy Knight has been described as a ‘shorthand typist’ when she was summoned by the SOE.  Sound recording machines were not then widely available, and managerial staff would have composed letters and documents ‘out loud’, known as ‘dictating’.  Peggy would have written in a special abbreviated script that allowed her to keep pace with what was said to her, and still be able to read her own notes later. That was a skill, and she would have been helping senior managers carry out their work.

* Wikipedia

† Wikipedia and other websites like http://en.factolex.com/Henri_Jacques_Paul_Frager:executive_personnel