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BNPS.co.uk (01202) 558833. <br />
Pic: YaleUniversityPress/BNPS<br />
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Pictured: The cover of 'Mission France'. <br />
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The little-known story of a tragic SOE heroine who took out 30 German trains in one go is told in a new book.<br />
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Eliane Plewman was parachuted behind enemy lines into occupied France in August 1943.<br />
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During one daring operation in the New Year of 1944, the diminutive 5ft agent, together with her brother Albert Browne-Bartroli, evaded German patrols to lay explosives under a railway line. When they exploded, 30 locomotives were put out of service, hampering the enemy's attempts to move troops and supplies by rail.<br />
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Eliane's cover was blown when the network was infiltrated in early 1944 and she was captured by the Gestapo. She was imprisoned, tortured and executed aged 26.