Sister Marie-Laurence: Four years in Ravensbrück for helping to repatriate English casualties

Kate McCarthy (my great-aunt) became Sister Marie-Laurence when she took holy orders. She was over 6ft tall. As a nun she nursed soldiers during both the First and Second World Wars in Béthune. During her lifetime she was known variously as Kate McCarthy, Kate Anne McCarthy, Sister Marie-Laurence, Soeur Marie-Laurence, Sister Mary and Sister Laurence.

Sister Laurence was a member of the French Resistance and helped to arrange repatriations to the United Kingdom. She helped 120 Allied soldiers to escape. She was arrested in 1941 and sentenced to death but she lived into old age and I met her in 1970 when I was six.

After the war Sister Laurence was decorated for bravery by General de Gaulle and Churchill. The 'London Gazette' newspaper of 21 January 1947 reported her as receiving the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct Medal for "services during the enemy occupation of North-West Europe." After the war she returned to Ireland where she remained until her death in 1971.