New Zealand's greatest war heroine is likely to be honored

Veteran 'disgusted' war heroine never recognised
By Ian Stuart of NZPA

Naby wake - the woman considered to be New Zealand's greatest war heroine - is likely to be honoured by a permanent memorial. Photo / supplied

The woman considered to be New Zealand's greatest war heroine is likely to be honoured by a permanent memorial but a World War 2 veteran says he is disgusted she was never formally recognised by the country she refused to forget.

Nancy Wake, a British agent in France during the war, died in England yesterday, three weeks short of her 99th birthday.

The New Zealand-born resistance fighter saved hundreds of Allied lives during World War 2 by getting them back to England from Europe. She was one of the most decorated women of the war.

She left New Zealand when she was very young and lived most of her life until the war in Australia but until she died she refused to renounce her New Zealand roots, saying she was born in New Zealand and would always be a New Zealander.

She had been honoured by several countries but not formally by New Zealand.

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Veteran disgusted war heroine never recognised