Thomas Cadett

Thomas Cadett CBE[1] (7 June 1898 – 31 March 1982) was a British journalist for The Times and later a Paris-based BBC Radio correspondent[2] who worked for the Special Operations Executive.

Life and times

Thomas Tucker-Edwardes Cadett was born in London on 7 June 1898, the son of Herbert Cadett and educated at News College, Worthing and at Cranleigh.

He joined a Territorial Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment in 1914 and later attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He joined the staff of The Times in 1924 and worked in many different departments, at one stage being the assistant to the Foreign Editor. In 1931 he covered the Spanish Revolution. In July 1937 he was appointed chief correspondent in Paris. In 1940 he covered the German invasion of France. The same year he took up war service and worked for the SOE's F section until 1942. He recruited Georges Bégué[3] He flew into Berlin to cover the Nazi surrender in 1945, ending a radio dispatch minutes after the end of World War II in Europe with the following words: 'some of us admitted to a certain temptation to pity for the conquered, but each time memories from Warsaw and Buchenwald came crowding in - to bring the realisation that this was justice; that pity was a selfish and sentimental notion.'[4]

He watched the official signing of the surrender at a schoolhouse in Rheims, northeastern France, which served as the advance headquarters of the supreme commander in Europe, General Dwight D Eisenhower. Cadett said the signing, was carried out "on a cold and businesslike basis." After the signing, he said General Gustav Jodl, of Germany, spoke to say the Germans had given themselves up "for better or worse into the victors' hands".[5]

His pieces began 'Hello London' as was the style at the time.[6]

He also covered the trial of Marshal Philippe Pétain[7] He retired from the BBC in 1963. He lived in Alcester, Warwickshire with his Swedish wife Hellis until the time of his death. He was made OBE in 1956 and CBE in 1962.[8]

References

  1. ↑ The Times, Thomas Cadett Obituary 3 April 1982
  2. ↑ The Archives of Our Man in Paris, Monday 31 May 1999 Published at 15:31 GMT 16:31 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/347662.stm
  3. ↑ 5 May 2011 - 70th Anniversary of the first SOE Agent Parachuted into France Georges Bégué - Royal Signals. http://www.royalsignalsmuseum.co.uk/Website/index.php/latest-news
  4. ↑ The Archives of Our Man in Paris, Monday 31 May 1999 Published at 15:31 GMT 16:31 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/347662.stm
  5. ↑ 1945 On This Day Germany Signs Official Surrender http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/7/newsid_3578000/3578325.stm
  6. ↑ The Archives of Our Man in Paris, Monday 31 May 1999 Published at 15:31 GMT 16:31 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/347662.stm
  7. ↑ The Archives of Our Man in Paris Monday, by Hugh Schofield 31 May 1999 Published at 15:31 GMT 16:31 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/347662.stm
  8. ↑ The Times, Thomas Cadett Obituary 3 April 1982
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