Cicely Paget-Bowman

Cicely Paget-Bowman's nascent acting career was temporarily suspended due to the outbreak of World War II, a global conflict that would go on to claim millions of lives and drastically alter the course of human history. Undeterred by the sudden interruption to her artistic pursuits, Cicely chose to dedicate her skills and energies to a more noble cause, ultimately serving as an Army Nurse for X Troop 11 SAS, a pioneering airborne commando regiment of the British Army. This elite unit, based at Ringway (now known as Manchester Airport) in Manchester, England, would become Cicely's home for the duration of the war, where she would work under the cloak of secrecy, her contributions to the war effort remaining shrouded in mystery until the conflict's eventual conclusion. Following the war, Cicely resumed her acting career, gradually building a reputation for her impressive range and versatility on stage and screen. Her most iconic roles would come in the years that followed, including a critically acclaimed performance in The Trials of Oscar Wilde, a 1960 film that would cement her status as a respected and accomplished actress.