Whilst in Brighton for GMB Congress , members of GMB NWI Equalities Forum and friends paid a visit to Woodvale cemetery to pay respects and lay flowers in honour of Mary O’ Shaughnessy , a remarkable woman who was born in our North West & Irish region near Wigan.
The visit followed on from a presentation at Holocaust Memorial Day at GMB region back in January 2023 and Joe Smith, GMB Wigan & District 87 Branch Secretary and Ruth Pitchford , GMB Bolton 23 Branch organised the visit.
In 1940 , working as a governess when France was invaded and under German Occupation , Mary supported allied troops to access networks to help them evade capture and is recorded as caring for an injured airman for moths before he was able to access the French Underground Movement to escape.
Over time her actions came to the attention of the Gestapo and she became a person on their ‘wanted list’. Failing to escape France, she was betrayed by a contact and arrested and taken to Lyon where she was interrogated for ten days refusing to give information. After this she was sent by overcrowded crowded cattle truck on a five day journey to Ravensbrueck Concentration Camp in Germany.
Whilst in the camp she alongside witnessing horrific conditions and treatment of others, sustained a broken jaw and nose and lost eight of her teeth.
Towards the end of the war when the camp was liberated Mary returned to England and after the war appeared as a witness at the Nuremberg War Trials and was later made an honorary member of the Royal Air Force Escaping Society.
Joe Smith gave a short speech at the grave site, which is currently unmarked by a grave stone and Ruth Pitchford laid flowers on behalf of the group.
Posted: 15th June 2023