Denise Madeleine Bloch, a French citizen, courageously served as an agent for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II.

Born into a Jewish family in Paris in 1916, Bloch's life took a perilous turn with the Nazi occupation of France in 1940. Evading persecution as Jews, Bloch and her family navigated a clandestine existence using false identities until seeking refuge in Lyon.

In Lyon, Bloch worked with French Resistance and SOE agents as a courier. Despite being hunted by the Germans, Bloch crossed the treacherous Pyrenees into Spain. She made her way to London and made direct contact with SOE headquarters. she returned to France in 1944 to conduct sabotage missions against the Germans.

However, her daring efforts led to her capture in June 1944. Interrogated and imprisoned by the Germans, Bloch endured transfer to various prison camps before meeting her fate in Ravensbrück concentration camp. Alongside fellow SOE agents Violette Szabo and Lilian Rolfe, Bloch faced execution in early 1945.

Bloch is commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial to the Missing. Her story stands as a poignant reminder of the courage displayed by those who served with the SOE.