Inspiration for WWII 'Jane' cartoon dies

LONDON, England -- The woman immortalised in Britain's famous World War Two cartoon 'Jane' -- hailed by Winston Churchill as the nation's secret weapon -- has died aged 87.

Christabel Leighton-Porter's blonde good looks and curvaceous figure captured the imagination of 'Jane' creator Norman Pett after he spotted her in a life-drawing class.

Jane was a typical English girl-next-door who got herself into various hilarious scrapes which usually ended up with her in a state of undress.

The strip cartoon became a favourite with Britain's troops fighting in Europe and her image graced numerous tanks and aircraft during World War Two.

Christabel's husband Arthur, 88, told The Mirror on Friday: "She was a genuine phenomenon and I'm extremely proud of her.

"She was a charismatic, caring woman who helped our boys cope with the war."

The Mirror said on Friday that the day after Jane first appeared completely nude in September 1944, the British 36th Division gained six miles (10 km) of enemy territory.

"She was worth two armoured divisions to us -- three if she lost her bra or pants," one ex-serviceman said.

Jane initially appeared in the Daily Mirror newspaper from 1932 until the end of the war when it was axed.

But there was such an outcry that the paper reinstated the cartoon and it ran until 1959. It was relaunched in April 1985 and the final Jane strip appeared on September 1 1990.

Pett gave her a cartoon boy-friend called Georgie Porgie and a dachshund named Fritz.

As the strip became popular, Leighton-Porter, whose death comes at the end of a battle with cancer, starred in a touring stage show and a film, The Adventures of Jane, in 1950.

In 1982, the BBC made another live version of Jane, starring Glynis Barber.

Leighton-Porter said she loved her cartoon alter-ego and one of her treasured possessions was a pair of Jane's trademark frilly underwear.

"Now the war is over, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," she once said. "I am sure I would have enjoyed it much more if I'd known I was going to survive."

Her son Simon, 43, said: "I found it all rather embarrassing when I was growing up, but now I think what she achieved was fantastic."

Reuters contributed to this report.

The Mirror

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