A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII’s Most Dangerous Spy

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII’s Most Dangerous Spy is a 2019 biography by Sonia Purnell. It tells the story of Virginia Hall, a US spy whose efforts were critical to France’s success in World War II. Despite its larger-than-life nature and importance to the Allies’ success, Hall’s story has remained largely unknown until now. In recounting Virginia Hall’s life, Purnell examines themes like the importance of Serving a Higher Purpose, Choosing One’s Own Sense of Liberty, and The Relationship Between Loneliness and Courage, and The Hypocrisy of Discrimination Against Women in Wartime.

Summary

Virginia Hall was born into an affluent family. Her mother, Barbara, wanted her to climb the social ladder and marry into money as she had. Uninterested in both romance and wealth, Virginia traveled to Paris instead. When World War II began, her love for France, her need for adventure, and her loathing of fascism prompted her to join the espionage effort.

Originally denied entry to the Foreign Service because of her sex and her disability—her foot was amputated after a hunting accident—Virginia persevered and joined F Section. F Section was the French branch of the Special Operation Executive (SOE), the British Secret service responsible for wartime espionage.

Virginia was one of the first successful secret agents in France. The SOE had struggled to infiltrate the Nazis and therefore been unable to organize resistance groups. Virginia’s courage, commitment to detail, sense of duty, organizational skills, and relentless work ethic made her an ideal spy. She also found freedom in the solitary lifestyle.

As the war progressed, Virginia made increasing inroads against the Nazis, leading groups in intelligence gathering, sabotage, prison escapes, and more. Klaus Barbie, a brutal Nazi commander and torturer, became obsessed with finding her. At every new juncture, men were initially unwilling to take orders from Virginia, but most eventually admitted that she was a formidable and invaluable asset.

After the war, Virginia returned to the United States with Philip Goillot, a spy she fell in love with in Europe. They hid their relationship from Barbara, who disapproved of Philip. Virginia spent the remainder of her professional life with the CIA, which gave her relatively menial, repetitive tasks unbefitting her rank and experience. Though Virginia Hall is now honored by the CIA, her story still remains relatively unknown.