Marthe Cnockaert facts for kids

Marthe Mathilde Cnockaert (born October 28, 1892 – died January 8, 1966), later known as Marthe McKenna, was a brave Belgian spy. She worked for the United Kingdom and its allies during the First World War. After the war, she became a successful writer. She wrote many spy novels, her own life story, and short stories.

Marthe's Early Life

Marthe Cnockaert was born in a small village called Westrozebeke in Belgium. Her parents were Felix Cnockaert and Marie-Louise Vanoplinus. Marthe started studying medicine at Ghent University. However, her studies were stopped when World War I began.

Marthe's Role in World War I

Becoming a Wartime Nurse

In August 1914, German soldiers attacked Marthe's village. They burned down her home and separated her family for a short time. Marthe had trained as a nurse. She got a job at a German military hospital in her village. She was very helpful because of her medical skills. She could also speak many languages, including English, German, French, and Flemish. The Germans even gave her the Iron Cross award for her good work as a nurse.

Joining the Spy Network

In 1915, Marthe moved to a German military hospital in Roulers. There, she was reunited with her family. Around this time, a family friend named Lucelle Deldonck approached Marthe. Lucelle told Marthe that she was a British intelligence agent. She wanted Marthe to join a secret Anglo-Belgian spy network in the town.

Gathering Secret Information

For two years, Marthe (whose secret code name was "Laura") worked as a spy. She used her job as a nurse and her parents' café, where she also worked, to get close to German soldiers. This allowed her to gather important military information for the British and their allies. She would pass this information to other spies in local churches.

She often worked with two other Belgian women spies:

• An older vegetable seller known as "Canteen Ma".
• A secret message carrier called "Number 63".

These women helped her send messages to and from the British General Headquarters.

Key Spy Missions

Marthe completed several important missions:

• She destroyed a telephone line that a local priest was using to spy for the Germans.
• She found out details about a planned visit by Kaiser Wilhelm II. This allowed the British to plan an aerial attack, though the visit was later canceled.
• At one point, her German lodger, Otto, tried to get her to spy on the British. Marthe tried to give him harmless information. But when it became too risky, she found a way to stop him from spying for the Germans.

Capture and Imprisonment

Marthe discovered an old sewer tunnel system under a German ammunition depot. She placed explosives there to destroy the ammo dump. However, during this mission, she lost her watch. Her initials were engraved on the watch. This led to her being discovered and captured. In November 1916, Marthe was sentenced to death for being a spy. But because she had received the Iron Cross, her sentence was changed to life in prison. She spent two years in a prison in Ghent. She was released in 1918 when the war ended.

Life After the War

Awards and Marriage

After the war, Marthe received awards for her brave spy work from Britain, France, and Belgium.

• She was mentioned for her intelligence work by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig in November 1918.
• She received a British certificate for bravery from Winston Churchill.
• She was made a member of the French and Belgian Legions of Honour.

She later married John "Jock" McKenna, who was a British army officer.

Becoming an Author

Marthe's memoir, I Was a Spy!, was published in 1932. Her husband helped write the book, and it was published under her married name, Marthe McKenna. Winston Churchill wrote the introduction for her book. An English author had encouraged Marthe to write about her wartime experiences.

Her memoir and other spy stories were very popular. Marthe and her husband then published more than a dozen spy novels. Even though the books were published under Marthe's name, many people believe her husband did most of the writing.

Later Life

During World War II, the couple moved to Manchester, England. Even though Marthe had retired from spying, her name was on 'The Black Book'. This was a list of people the Nazis wanted to arrest if they successfully invaded Britain.

The McKennas later returned to Marthe's family home in Westrozebeke. They stopped writing books after their marriage ended around 1951. Marthe McKenna stayed in Westrozebeke and passed away in 1966.

Portrayal in Media

Marthe Cnockaert's story was made into a film in 1933. The movie was called I Was a Spy, and it was based on her memoirs. Madeleine Carroll played Marthe in the film.

Works

• 1932: I Was a Spy! ISBN: 978-1910860038
• 1934: Spies I Knew ISBN: 978-1910860151
• 1935: A Spy Was Born ISBN: 978-1494060619
• 1936: My Master Spy: a narrative of secret service
• 1936: Drums Never Beat
• 1937: Lancer Spy: a story of war-time secret service and espionage
• 1937: Set a Spy
• 1938: Double Spy: a story of modern secret service
• 1939: Hunt a Spy
• 1939: Spying Blind
• 1941: Spy in Khaki
• 1942: Arms and Spy
• 1943: Nightfighter Spy
• 1944: Watch Across the Channel
• 1946: Write Your Own Best-Seller
• 1950: Three Spies for Glory
• 1951: What's Past is Prologue