A CONCERT is being held next month to commemorate the life of Violette Szabó, a British-French spy who was captured by the Nazis and ultimately executed.

Violette was a Special Operations Executive agent during the Second World War. On her second mission into occupied France, she was captured by the Nazis, interrogated, tortured, and later executed, at the age of 23 at the Ravensbrück concentration camp in February 1945.

Violette was raised in England from the age of 12, spending many happy childhood days at Cartref in Wormelow which has now become the Violette Szabó GC Museum, run by her aunt Rosemary Rigby.

Last week the museum held an event to remember Violette with invited dignitaries to join in with a special picnic.

And now a concert to commemorate Violette’s life, and to remember D-Day, will be held on Friday, August 2 at St Martin’s Church, Ross Road, Hereford (HR2 7RJ) between 2pm and 4pm.

Proceeds from the concert will go to the local branch of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, the Soldiers', Sailors', and Airmen's Families Association.

Tickets are £10 on the door and among those taking part will be the Surrey Police Band, soprano Lauren Elizabeth Williams, Steve and Sue Mace, and the Vintage Class Singers.

Madame Szabo has no known grave, but she has a number of memorials in her honour including a mural in Stockwell, South London, a bronze bust in front of Lambeth Palace, a memorial in Le Clos where she and her team landed on 8 June 1944, and at the entrance to the rugby field in the village of Salon-la-Tour where she was captured.