Vera Atkins: The secret life of a British spy
Explore the secret life and legacy of WWII British Intelligence officer Vera Atkins and discover her pivotal role during the Allied war effort.
Image: Vera Atkins | GL Archive / Alamy Stock Photo
The Lost Women Spies tells the story of the female spies whose vital missions during World War II have remained secret for more than 50 years. The show starts Tuesday, 14th January at 9pm on Sky HISTORY.
Vera Atkins is a name that is largely unknown to the general public, yet she was a British Intelligence officer and a key Special Operations Executive (SOE) figure during World War II.
Mainly orchestrating covert missions and managing a network of spies, Vera operated in the shadows — her life cloaked in secrecy. This article will explore the complex personality of the intelligence officer and a remarkable tale of intelligence, resilience, and controversy.
Early life
Vera Atkins was born in 1908 in Romania, to a family of Jewish descent. Her father, a successful businessman, and her mother, who was of French heritage, provided Vera with a comfortable and cosmopolitan upbringing.
The Atkins family relocated to France when Vera was young, and she spent much of her childhood there. She became fluent in French, a language that would prove crucial in her later career. However, it was Vera's academic prowess and exceptional linguistic skills that set her apart early on.
After studying in Paris, she moved to London in the 1930s to further her education and embark on a career. But like millions of others, Vera’s life was turned upside done when World War II broke out and the career she thought she was destined for was soon going to change.
Joining the SOE
Vera Akins wasn’t summoned to help on the front lines, it was the world of espionage, covert operations, and intelligence gathering that called. In 1941, the Special Operations Executive recruited her, a secret organisation tasked with undermining Nazi occupation forces in Europe.
Headquartered in London, the SOE was a shadowy network operating under the radar and its mission — and Vera Atkin’s mission — was crucial to the Allied war effort.
Vera initially joined as a secretary, but her remarkable organisational and linguistic skills quickly caught the attention of her superiors. She was soon appointed as a liaison officer for the SOE, responsible for managing a network of agents who were dropped behind enemy lines to carry out sabotage and gather vital intelligence.
Despite her low rank, Vera was involved in planning some of the most high-stakes espionage missions of the war. Her role required not only meticulous diligence but also an innate understanding of human psychology, as she had to manage agents from all levels of society, ensuring they were well-prepared for the dangerous missions they would undertake.
Recruiting agents
One of the most remarkable aspects of Vera’s role in the SOE was her responsibility for recruiting and training female agents, a task that was both ground-breaking and fraught with challenges. Many of these women were young and inexperienced, yet they were thrust into some of the most perilous assignments imaginable.
The women trained by Vera were often dropped into Nazi-occupied Europe to conduct sabotage, gather intelligence, and organise resistance cells. These female spies worked in dangerous conditions, living undercover for months at a time, often with little support.
Vera’s ability to recruit and manage these women was extraordinary, and many of her recruits went on to become legendary figures in the world of espionage. One of her most famous recruits was Noor Inayat Khan, a young Muslim woman of Indian descent, who became the first female wireless operator in Nazi-occupied France.
Noor's bravery and her eventual capture and execution by the Nazis left a lasting impression on Vera, who was devastated by the loss of her agent but continued her work with a renewed determination to thwart the Nazis.
Vera Atkins’ legacy
After the war, Vera Atkins was involved in efforts to trace the fates of many of the SOE agents who had been captured or killed during their missions. She investigated the disappearance of several agents, including Noor Inayat Khan. Vera was instrumental in bringing the truth about these agents’ fates to light and ensuring that their bravery was not forgotten.
Her post-war investigations also led to the publication of her story in the form of books and documentaries. However, Vera Atkins’ role remained obscure for many years. It wasn’t until the publication of biographies and historical accounts, such as Sarah Helm’s A Life in Secrets, that her contributions were fully recognised.
These works have finally brought to light the story of a woman whose work in the shadows played a significant role in the success of the Allied war effort.
