French Wartime Resistance Heroine Solange Alexandre Dies Aged 104

French wartime resistance heroine Solange Alexandre has died at the age of 104, bringing to a close the life of a woman remembered for her courage, leadership and contribution to the liberation of France during World War II.

Alexandre, whose maiden name was Solange Dubuisson, died during the night of November 7–8, 2026, at a care home in Le Mans, western France. Her death was announced by the Sarthe Departmental Council on Monday, November 9.

Known by her resistance codename “Corlay”, Alexandre was among the relatively few women who led an armed resistance unit during the German occupation of France.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to her, describing her contribution as part of the struggle that secured the country's freedom.

“She said she only ever did her duty. But her duty was our freedom. France will never forget. Thank you,” Macron wrote in a message shared on social media.

She joined the Resistance before turning 18

Born on September 9, 1922, in Mamers, in the Sarthe department, Alexandre grew up in a family deeply affected by the First World War.

Her father had been wounded during the 1917 Battle of the Chemin des Dames, while her mother was a war widow from an earlier marriage.

Her involvement in the Resistance was inspired by General Charles de Gaulle's historic June 18, 1940 appeal, broadcast from London, urging the French people to continue fighting against Nazi Germany.

Although she did not initially know who De Gaulle was, the message influenced her decision to resist the German occupation.

In September 1941, before reaching the age of 19, she began carrying messages for resistance networks.

Using the codename Corlay, she worked as a liaison and intelligence agent, travelling by bicycle between towns including Laval, Alençon and Rennes to deliver information and support clandestine operations.

Her movements attracted little suspicion, allowing her to gather intelligence while maintaining her cover.

Commanded a resistance unit of 30 fighters

In April 1944, Alexandre and her future husband, Guy Déliot, helped establish the Pas-de-Bœuf resistance unit near Ruillé-sur-Loir in the Sarthe region.

The group consisted of approximately 30 fighters, including men who had escaped forced labour in Germany, survivors of other resistance groups and Allied airmen who had evaded German capture.

Alexandre took command of the unit, organising sabotage operations, providing shelter for Allied airmen and coordinating resistance activities against German occupying forces.

Her leadership was particularly remarkable at a time when women rarely occupied senior positions within armed resistance groups.

The unit later joined the wider resistance effort during the Allied advance following the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944.

Its members participated in the liberation of Tours and surrounding areas in September 1944.

Alexandre eventually finished the war with the rank of sub-lieutenant in the French Forces of the Interior (FFI).

Twice escaped the Gestapo

Alexandre's resistance activities exposed her to considerable danger.

She later recalled that the Gestapo came looking for her twice, but she managed to escape both attempts to capture her.

One of the most painful episodes of her wartime experience came in August 1944, when her resistance group encountered German forces during an operation.

Her fellow resistance fighter Michel Gadois was wounded and subsequently killed by German soldiers.

Alexandre continued to honour his memory throughout her life, regularly visiting a memorial erected in his honour.

Her experiences reflected the sacrifices made by members of the French Resistance, whose underground activities played an important role in undermining German occupation.

A lifetime of humility and recognition

Following the war, Alexandre continued her career as a teacher and raised a family.

Her first husband, Guy Déliot, later died while serving in Martinique in 1960. She eventually remarried in 1981.

Despite her wartime contribution, Alexandre remained modest about her achievements and repeatedly declined public recognition.

She turned down the prestigious Légion d'honneur twice, maintaining that she had simply fulfilled her duty and that many others had made greater sacrifices.

However, she eventually accepted the distinction in 2024.

In 2022, the municipality of Ruillé-sur-Loir also named its central square after her, recognising her contribution to the liberation of the region.

France remembers one of its wartime heroines

Alexandre's death has prompted tributes from French political leaders and communities that remember her role in the country's liberation.

Her story also highlights the important but sometimes overlooked contribution of women to the European resistance movements during World War II.

From carrying intelligence by bicycle as a teenager to commanding an armed unit of approximately 30 fighters, her wartime journey demonstrated extraordinary courage and determination.

Her legacy will remain part of France's historical memory, particularly in the Sarthe and Tours regions where she helped organise resistance against Nazi occupation.

For a woman who spent much of her life insisting that she had only done her duty, Solange Alexandre leaves behind a remarkable chapter in the history of France's fight for freedom.