In this episode of Spymasters, Antonia Senior speaks with bestselling historian Dr. Helen Fry about her riveting new book, The White Lady.

Set in German-occupied Belgium during World War I and World War II, Fry’s book uncovers the incredible true story of a secret  spy network that risked everything to gather intelligence behind enemy lines. Together, Fry and Senior explore:

How ordinary women became extraordinary spies

The ingenious knitting codes and covert communication systems they used

The bravery of Thérèse de Radiguès

How these early networks inspired were remobilised in the run up to World War II

The untold stories of courage, deception, and sacrifice that shaped modern intelligence work

If you love stories of espionage, resistance networks, women in war, and WWI intelligence, this conversation is not to be missed.

📘 Buy Helen Fry’s The White Lady on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1526779318

“Espionage was a family affair in many cases.”
“The genius of deception saved lives.”
“Bravery and sacrifice — the cost of freedom.”

00:00 — Introduction: Helen Fry and The White Lady
01:07 — The Espionage Networks of World War I
03:47 — The Knitting Women of Belgium
07:20 — The Consequences of Espionage
10:08 — Thérèse de Radiguès’s Heroism
13:41 — The Significance of the White Lady Network
15:56 — How Intelligence Shaped the War
19:33 — The Return of Resistance in WWII
23:45 — Thérèse’s Defiance Against the Gestapo
27:21 — The Legacy of Women in Espionage
31:22 — Closing Reflections

WWI espionage, Helen Fry, The White Lady, women spies, Belgian resistance, SOE, secret agents, female intelligence networks, World War I history, Spymasters podcast, Antonia West, hidden histories, British intelligence, resistance heroes

🔊 Sound Bites⏱️ Chapters🔎 Keywords

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices