Bissley, Giselle: my French Red Cross recollections (March 25, 2012)
ABSTRACT: At the outbreak of the Second World War Giselle Bissley volunteered as a nurse for the French Red Cross. She was trained mainly in battle field wounds and was one of the few French citizens allowed to travel freely between the Vichy and occupied zones. She was involved in evacuating children from France. She worked as a nurse for the First Special Service Force during the liberation of Southern France and later joined the regular French Army. 0:00 – 2:17 – Early work with the Red Cross 2:32 – 3:14 – Working with the Germans, Nazi hardliners vs. regular soldiers 3:14 – 5:00 – Work with Red Cross in Southern France, hopes for liberation 5:00 –12:00– Problems with the resistance, first meeting with FSSF, lack of food and potable water in France at the time, curfews 12:00 –17:50-First work with FSSF, first impressions, esprit de corps within the unit 17:50- 21:00 – Lasting friendships within the Force 21:00- 26:57- Vehement disagreement with the question of poor discipline in the last months of the force’s existence 26:57- 28:44- Disbandment of the force, the last supper 28:45 – 36: 45- Work with the American army, whirlwind wedding services, secret meeting in England, suspicions of being a German spy 36: 45 – 39:37- First Special Service reunions 39:37- 43:15- Meeting members of the force back in England 43:15- 46:23-Transfer from Red Cross to the French Army, work with the US Army 46:23- 50: 54- last description of the FSSF, conclusio
Interviewee: Bissley, Giselle, b. 1920
An interview/narrative of Giselle Bissley's experiences whilst serving with the French Red Cross. Interview took place on March 25, 2012.
Interviewer: Lundeberg, Faelan
- In Collection:
- World War, 1939-1945--France
- Red Cross and Red Crescent
- Women in war
- Liaisons
- Allied Forces--Special Service Force, 1st--Reunions
- World War, 1939-1945--France--Red Cross
- Allied Forces--Special Service Force, 1st--Canadian Special Service Battalion, 1st
- Negotiation
- Allied Forces--Special Service Force, 1st--Nurses
- Jews--France
- Prisoners of war--Germany
- Evacuation of civilians
- Castillon-du-Gard (France)
- Ambulance service
- World War, 1939-1945--Jews--Rescue--France
- Nurses
- France--History--German occupation, 1940-1945
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy
- Sospel (France)
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
- V-E Day, 1945
- Allied Forces--Special Service Force, 1st
- World War, 1939-1945--Armistices--France
- Civil-military relations
- Waffen-SS
- World War, 1939-1945--Children--France
- World War, 1939-1945--Evacuation of civilians--France
- World War, 1939-1945--War work--Red Cross
- France--Colonies--Africa
- Marseille (France)
- World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--France
- Armistices
- Military attache?s
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Africa, North
- Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter-Partei--Schutzstaffel
- Croix-Rouge franc?aise
- Menton (France)
- Ambulance drivers
- Prisoners of war--France
- World War, 1939-1945--Medical care
- Children and war
- Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter-Partei
- D-Day, 1944 (Normandy invasion)
- Jewish children in the Holocaust--France
- Women spies
- Soldiers, German
- World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons
- Hidden children (Holocaust)
- Frederick, Robert Tryon, 1907-1970
- Operation Dragoon, 1944
- France--Politics and government--1940-1945
- War wounds
- World War, 1939-1945--Atrocities--Germany
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 49, 0
- Original sound recording (WMA) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- BG_715
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- March 25, 2012
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 52 kbps and 22 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2012. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
