A Newbridge woman and la résistance
A recently published book The Irish in the Resistance. The untold stories of the ordinary heroes who resisted Hitler, by Clodagh Finn and John Moran mentions Mary Giorgi, a native of Newbridge, Co. Kildare, who was active in the French Resistance. Research conducted at by Karel Kiely and James Durney at Kildare County Archives & Local Studies, Naas, has unearthed more information on this local hero. Bridget Mary (May) Dwan was born on 8 November 1898 in Newbridge, the daughter of James Edward Dwan (1866-1937), an R.I.C. constable, and Margaret Redmond (1864-1956). Her father was from Co. Laois and her mother from Co. Wexford. In 1901 the family was living in Kildare Barracks, Kildare, and in 1911 they were at Main Street, Monasterevin. According to the 1911 Census May’s six siblings were all born in Co. Kildare: Katie (Dewan) Charman, Patrick Michael Dewan, Garrett John Dewan, Margaret Anne (Dewan) McGrillen, Emily (Eveline) Margaret Susan Dewan and William Vincent Dewan
In 1926 May married Joseph Louis Giorgi in Edmonton, Middlesex, England. He was born on 6 October 1898, at Ghisoni, on the island of Corsica, into a family of officers who served in the French Army before 1789. He enlisted in the French Army in 1916, fought in the Parroy Forest, Lorraine, in 1917, and ended the war in 1918, in Belgium, with the rank of second lieutenant. Continuing his military career, Giorgi reassigned to the air force in 1935. May and Joseph Giorgi and their children were living in Oran, a coastal city in Algeria, when the Second World War broke out.
Following the surrender of France in the summer of 1940, French-controlled Algeria passed under the authority of Vichy France, the new government which collaborated with the Nazis. Both May and Joseph Giorgi were involved in resistance activity in Algeria in PSW-AFR, a group set up by the Free Polish Forces. The network Polska Slużba Wywiadowcza Africa (Polish Intelligence Service Africa) had members from a range of countries: Poland, France, Italy, Algeria and Ireland. As the Allies prepared to invade French North Africa May carried intelligence about Vichy French troops, which was copied, photographed, miniaturised and sent to London. The PSW-AFR group was particularly active in the run-up to the invasion, code-named Operation Torch. May gave birth to her fourth child, Charles Giorgi, on 20 March 1942.
American troops landed near Oran on 8 November 1942 and secured the area within two days with the help of the local resistance. May did some further courier work after the landings, while Joseph continued with inter-Allied resistance. He was decorated by London for his services in February 1943 and was holder of Officer of the Legion of Honor, Commander of the National Order of Merit, holder of the Croix de Guerre 1914-18 and 1939-1945; he was awarded medals of the French and Polish Resistance, the Yugoslav Croix de Guerre, and was awarded the Gold Medal of the American Legion and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of La Fayette. May’s service was hardly recognised.
Colonel (retired) Joseph Giorgi died on 17 September 1974 while on holiday in his native Ghisoni. May Giorgi died in 1982 aged 84 years. Unfortunately, we could not find a photograph of May Dwan Giorgi; the photo above is of her husband Joseph.
