Warsaw-born Krystyna Skarbek is often overlooked. Initially, British intelligence refused her services because she was female. That attitude didn’t last long. Having initially approached the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), she later found a home with its paramilitary rival, the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Around this time, she adopted the fair more British-sounding name Christine Granville, to allow her to blend in more easily.

Returned to her native Poland, Skarbek was arrested while running a network of couriers delivering information. Feigning tuberculosis, Skarbek secured her release in January 1941. Her exploits in France were even bolder, including saving two SOE agents from execution, threatening the German officer responsible that if they died he’d soon join them.

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For her work, Skarbek was awarded with the George Medal and made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. In 1946, she was naturalized as a British citizen and officially took the name Christine Granville for good. Supposedly, Vesper Lynd of Casino Royale was based on Granville, although Ian Fleming never met the Polish spy.

Sadly, Granville’s end wasn’t as noble. In June 1952, she was murdered in a London hotel by an obsessed suitor, Dennis Muldowney. Muldowney pled guilty and was hanged that September.

6 Incredible Female Spies of World War II

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