French Armed Forces - Biography, World War II - War Narratives, 20th Century French History - World War II & Vichy Government, 1939-1945, World War II - Personal Narratives, Nurses - Biography, African & Middle Eastern Campaigns - World War II, Libya - Hi

Tomorrow to Be Brave

Name: Tomorrow to Be Brave
Author: Susan Travers, Wendy Holden
ISBN: 9780743200011

by Susan Travers, Wendy Holden

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Overview

It was early spring 1942, and under the pitiless sky of the Libyan desert the climax of the great siege of Bir Hakein was about to begin. General Koenig, the commander of the Free French and the Foreign Legion in North Africa, and his two thousand troops had been surrounded for fifteen days and nights by Rommel's Afrika Corps. Outnumbered ten to one, pounded by wave after wave of Stuka and Heikel bombers, the general and his men seemed doomed. Though their situation was hopeless, they chose to reject the Desert Fox's demand for surrender. Instead, one moonless night, the French made an audacious and suicidal bid for freedom by charging directly through the German lines. Leading the way was Susan Travers.

The only woman ever to serve officially in the French Foreign Legion, there was the indomitable Englishwoman, speeding across the minefields of 'no man's land' directly towards Rommel's deadly Panzer tanks, her foot hard on the accelerator, doing her job: driving the general's car. That it was leading two thousand men in one of the great military exploits of the Second World War, the legendary mass break-out from Bir Hakeim, that it would see her hailed as the heroine of the night and eventually earn her both the Military Medal and the Legion d'Honneur, was not on her mind as the night exploded around her and German artillery lit up the desert sky. Her only thought was this: she was trying to save the life of the man she loved.

Tomorrow to be Brave is the story of Susan Travers's extraordinary life, from her privileged childhood in England through her rebellious youth partying her way across interwar Europe, to her rash decision to join the Free French forces at the outbreak of World War II. In search of adventure -- and a break from her stifling upper-class world -- she could never have dreamed the pivotal role she would play. From her part in the North African campaign through her time after the war serving in the French Foreign Legion as a regular officer -- the only woman ever to have achieved this -- there was enough adventure and passion, heartbreak and heroism, to fill a hundred lifetimes. This, in her own words, is her story. It is a tale of exceptional courage against overwhelming odds and of an epic love affair played out against the backdrop of war as she risked everything for the country -- and the man -- she loved.

Synopsis

The only woman to serve in the French Foreign Legion describes how in 1940, she abandoned her privileged world to join the Free French, her work as driver for--and lover of--General Koenig of the Foreign Legion, and her heroism during the siege of Bir Hakeim and the battle against Rommel's forces. 30,000 first printing.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Englishwoman Susan Travers, aka "La Miss," now 91, was the only woman ever to serve officially with the French Foreign Legion. Travers's story begins with her lonely girlhood, spent wishing she were a boy and yearning for her military father's approval. In her late teens and 20s during Europe's decadent '20s Travers rebelled, hitting every baccarat table and aristocrat's bed she could find. When war broke out in 1939, she was ready to live out her girlhood fantasies of exotic travel and heroic service. Joining de Gaulle's Free French, she endured the mandatory nursing training and in North Africa found the work she wanted, as a front-line driver. Eventually, she became Gen. Pierre Koenig's personal driver and secret lover. She emerged a decorated hero of the bloody Bir Hakeim campaign in Libya, often referred to as the Verdun of WWII. Her (married) general's career also advanced too far for their affair to continue. In her despair, Travers joined up and became a true Legionnaire, escaping her unhappiness by immersing herself in the world of warfare. Still, "je ne regrette rien" is the message here, which may be why this prefeminist figure sounds so inspiring to modern ears. (June) Forecast: With enough review attention and the right endorsements, this action-packed romance could find its way onto many women's shelves. Its historical interest should attract students, and the saga of a woman fighting to live on her own terms could draw reading- group interest. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

At age 91, Travers decided that she could finally write the autobiography of her life and her part in the French Foreign Legion because all the principal people have passed away. Travers spent her childhood in England and eventually moved to France with her parents. In 1940, she left behind a privileged life to join the Free French. She fell in love with General Koenig of the Foreign Legion, and they ended up in Africa fighting Rommel. The only woman ever to serve in the French Foreign Legion, in 1942 Travers led a convoy of men and vehicles to freedom after being surrounded and outnumbered for 15 days. After the war, she served with the Foreign Legion in Tunisia. In 1997, she was given France's highest award for bravery, the Legion d'Honneur. Engrossing from the first page, this is a fascinating story of a young woman's bravery and heroism as well as a story of romance and heartbreak. For women's studies, biography, and history collections. Mary Salony, West Virginia Northern Community Coll., Wheeling Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

In this "memoir of the only woman ever to serve in the French Foreign Legion," as the subtitle reads, Travers relates how she as an Englishwoman earned medals for her role as a general's driver in the North African campaign against Rommel's forces. Includes photos and references. The intrepid author is now a widowed grandmother living near Paris. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Kirkus Reviews

An extravagant tale of war and romance, with a decided emphasis on the latter. Now in her 90s, Travers writes in an "I shall never forget" mode. With remarkable recall, she describes her cold English upbringing and portrays the tenor of society life in Cannes during the 1930s. In 1940 she changed her tennis whites for nurses' khakis and joined the Free French—who, apparently, were free in lots of ways. She was soon chauffeuring officers in Eritrea along the road to Kub-Kub (a map is provided), but she managed to find the time for various randy encounters and assignations. The liaisons are presented as guileless romance, mind you, not actual sex. Under the nom de guerre of "La Miss," Travers served as the driver for General Pierre Koenig—a dashing officer who soon became the love of her life. She was with him at Bir Hakeim when that North African outpost was besieged by Rommel; with her General in command, La Miss guided the historic breakout. Her description of the drive, negotiating between land mines and flying bullets, is the central and best part of her story, which really has less to do with military history than romance. She lived with lucky Pierre in domestic bliss during much of the war—but the joy faded with the arrival of the General's wife. After the war, La Miss became an authentic member of the French Foreign Legion, married a fellow soldier, and raised a family. Now she'd like to tell her grandchildren "what a wicked grandmother they had." It's all a bit melodramatic, full of old-fashioned schoolgirl romance, but this is not "Barbara Cartland Goes to War"—for Cartland surely never received, as La Miss did, the Croix de Guerre and the MédailleMilitaire. Decked out like a history, with index and bibliography: a striking, romantic, personal narrative.