Dear tina, My mother in law lives in lye in France and was very good friends with pearl for the last couple of years. In july 2007 whilst on holiday there, I went to visit Pearl with Katharine (my m - in - l) it was a very humbling and rewarding experiance. Stacey Tordoff.

Stacey tordorr, Wigan, England

R I P Pearl Witherington-- another modest unsung S O E hero most of whom were disgracefully let down by the powers that be after the war.But they are remembered in various books now available due to the availability of their exploits through the Public Records Office. Check their stories out--

David Murphy, Richmond, Surrey

“This student, although a woman, has got leader's qualities..." says it all doesn't it? How many unsung women are there whose stories should be made known? Thank goodness the male view that the little woman should remain at home in the kitchen was not allowed to prevail all the time. We owe them.

Denise, Colchester,

Thankyou for all the insights into the extraordinary courage of one of the bravest of the women Resistance fighters, Pearl Cornioley (Witherington). The role that she and others played in the fight against Germans should not be forgotten. Without their heroic actions, the outcome of the War would have undoubtedly been different. As an Australian, most of these stories are little known and recognised in our country, yet her story would be inspirational to many young women especially. All my childhood, a faded news-paper article on "Pearl Cornioley, resistance fighter" had pride of place in the family photo album. At the top was written the words "Dad's cousin". About a year ago, we discovered that she had a website, and was still living in France, totally unaware of family connections in Australia! My great saddness is that we were never able to reach her and make contact. The inspiration of her life will remain part of our family history. I wish I had known you!

Tina Cornioley, Canberra, AUSTRALIA

Vale to one of the best SOE agents sent to France - it proves that women can lead in war. Pearl and the Stationer group made a great contibution to resistance in France - your heroism will never be forgotten.

Lyn Crough, Rye, Victoria, Australia

I wish to put one or two things straight about my Auntie Pearl's original obituary in yesterday's Times. She was a grand old lady whom I adored and often visited but she was born on 24 June 1914 and not 1916 - which made her 93 (not yet corrected). She was hugely proud of her marriage to Uncle Henri and I know that she would have wished to have had her obituary titled Pearl Cornioley. She and Uncle Henri were not childless - their only child and my cousin, Claire, is married to a Frenchman and is alive and well and living in France. Not only was she CBE (Civil) and MBE (Military) but she was an Officier de la Legion d’Honneur, she was awarded the Croix de Guerre avec palmes and the Medaille de La Resistance - a somewhat better and more fitting recognition by the French than by us !

Some might think that I am being a little pedantic but I am hugely proud of my Aunt and would not wish these points to go unmentioned.

Anthony (Tony) Thompson , Havant, Hants, England

I wholeheartedly agree - my father, Philip Worrall, also served with SOE, in Greece. Sadly, he died one year ago ( I believe the Times obit is still available online). Like Pearl W., he was a tremendously brave and resourceful man, who, at the age of 26, found himself responsible for the lives of 7.000 starving Italian troops in the Greek mountains and was awarded the OBE for his valiant attempts to save their lives. It wasn't so " glamorous " as F Section: but it saved the lives of many men. He and my mother were lifelong members of the Special Forces Club, as was, of course, Pearl Witherington, who played a leading role there throughout her life - a tradition I am now continuing by being a member, something I heartily recommend to other children of SOE operatives. The Club is dedicated to their memories - it was also the first London club to accept both men and women as members - and with our support it can continue to keep those memories alive.

simon worrall , Longtown, England

Extraordinary. A very humbling read. We owe Pearl and her generation so much. I've read about the SOE of course before. Always bug-eyed at their courage. I can't imagine myself parachuting into France to do what they did in similar circumstances even if I could speak decent French. And so many never came home. Their treatment on capture doesn't bear thinking about. Wish I'd met Pearl to say thank you. Rest in peace.

The official disregard for honouring the SOE agents was so small minded. Can't believe Her Majesty wouldn't have been anything but an unabashed admirer of them all.

Philip Sutherland, Sydney , Australia

My English father, Richard Pinder, SOE "F" Section (see below) was awarded the Croix de Guerre avec palme. The citation , 27 November 1946 can be read in Picard et Chaussade, "Ombres et Esperances en Quercy 1940-45: Les groupes Armee Secrete Veny dans leurs secteurs du Lot", (Bouriane 1980; 2nd ed. 1999), p. 161. George Hiller also received the Croix de Guerre avec palme (ibid.). Those interested can find out more about them and others not only in the Imperial War Museum, but also at the Museum of the Resistance, the Deportation and The Liberation at Cahors (Lot).

Caroline Cracraft, Chicago , USA

Madam Cornioley (for that was her real married name, and how she was known in France since her marriage) was actually CBE, MBE. She was awarded a civil CBE and previously a military MBE, a civil award in The Order of the British Empire does not replace a junior award made as a military award, and legally you can wear both and use the post-nominals. In regard to her award of the military MBE, the vast majority of SOE and Secret Intelligence Service (MI.6) operatives in France decorated, received awards from the Order of the British Empire, and equally General de Gaulle refused to award French decorations!!! The bulk of SOE/SIS operatives received no awards from anyone. Whilst the failure to be awarded the parachute qualification badge was just a clerical stuff up, most of the books relating to the resistance workers in France show photos of them wearing the badge - male and female!

G.A.MACKINLAY, country NSW, Australia

Brave woman and we owe so much to her and her ilk !!!

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

I feel greatly privileged to have met Pearl Witherington once. My father also served in SOE; dropped into South Central France to train the Resistance there in the use of the weapons ans explosives sent by the Allies. He survived a year in a Nazi slave labour camp and went on to have a good career. So many in SOE did not. So many were hideously tortured, or thrown alive into the ovens (the four women at Natzweiler). He had the greatest respect for the women agents - who he regarded as fearless, resourceful, and often (like Witherington) better shots than their male colleagues. These agents had no mobile phones, no lap-tops, intermittent and dangerous (German tracker vans) contact with London. They had to win the confidence of the French Resistors. They had only their wits and skills to rely on. Pearl Witherington was one of the last of that group of extraordinary men and women who volunteered for service that few of us can imagine - to help liberate Europe from monstrous tyranny.

Caroline Cracraft, Chicago,