Rachel Millet was an independent young Englishwoman who earned a medal for bravery during World War II.
Millet, nee Howell-Evans, was a nurse at the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital for three years before becoming a matron at a prep school. When war broke out, she joined the Mechanised Transport Corps and learned first aid, map-reading and car maintenance.
After the Fall of France, Millet was recruited as a driver and nurse of the Hadfield-Spears mobile hospital. She was sent to North Africa to aid surgeons with the 1st Division of the Free French. Though she helped out on the wards when it was busy, Millet's main job was driving and maintaining her Ford truck.
Her unit followed the Allies to Italy, where she was asked to join a small French Commando party landing in the South of France. They arrived at night on the wrong beach, and were attacked by American bombers the next morning who thought they were Germans. She was eventually awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery for that mission.
In 1946, she married René Millet, who worked in the French diplomatic service. The couple traveled to Ankara, Johannesburg and Bangkok, where she helped to start a center for the blind.
Her autobiography, "Spearette: a Memoir of the Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit 1940-1945," was published in 1998.
Millet died on June 1. Cause of death was not released. She was 89.
Posted on July 5, 2003 5:36 PMHow these amazing women didn't get more recognition whilst alive is beyond me. I'm a living historian hoping to recreate the Hadfield-Spears hospital in North Africa later this year.
Rest in peace, brave lady.
Kate
wow am i related?
Posted by Shanley Millet on June 9, 2004 5:06 PMFrance,Brest the first of september 2004
when looking for information about my mother "Gisèle Joland" who served in the first "division française libre" during WW II as a nurse and knew a lot about Hadfield Spears H.U ,I found your site.I am very sorry to say,as Kate who sent you a tribute,that the memory of such meritous and humble women is ,in France and even on such official sites about the Free French Forces and De Gaulle ,quite almost negligible.Thanks God,In the UK and the USA your memory is more reliable than in france.
these wonderful women fought for Liberty and they deserve all our thanks for that.
God bless them and give them the praise they deserve!
My late great aunt, Mrs Annie Norah Pellew, served as a driver in the Mechanised Transport Corps 1939-45 and subsequently worked with ENSA as a Welfare Officer in Germany 1945-50. She went to France in early 1940 with the Hadfield Spears Formation and was one of the drivers who sped across France just ahead of the Germans and escaped to England in June that year. A brave woman who lived to be 96. Her experiences in both world wars, seem to have been the most exciting parts of her life. She kept many of the documents, orders, photographs, etc. pertaining to her army career and I have them now. Well done Aunt Norah.
Posted by Sheila Gorman on July 12, 2007 7:04 PMI met Rachel shortly before her death as my great Aunt, Edith Irving, had served alongside her in the Hadfield-Spears Unit and I was interested in her recollections. She was a truly wonderful woman, and poured me the largest, strongest glass of gin I've ever tasted!
Posted by Richard Mosley on July 21, 2008 7:58 AM