Super Snobs Recognised

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30947, 31 December 1965, Page 2

Super Snobs Recognised

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) DURBAN,

One of South Africa’s most remarkable bands of women, the Super Snob Squad, also known as the Secret Pimpernels for their cloak-and-dag-ger work during the Second World War, will be publicly honoured. At the Bernard Price Institute of Witwatersrand University, a modest plaque will be unveiled to commemorate the work of hundreds of women in undercover radar teams of the Special Signals Services, and their late commander, Miss Nancy Blue.

The work of these women was the best-kept female secret of the war in South Africa.

In 1939, Professor (now Sir Basil) Schonland developed a successful radar machine, and when war started Mrs Schonland started scouting for intelligent women operators for the 50 secret radar stations built along the South African coast The women had to swear oaths not to divulge their highly secret work. So enigmatic, in fact did they become that the men of S.S.S. soon called them the “Super Snob Squad.”