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Comet Line

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situation, and did not understand the spirit that drove the team, nor the...situation under which the work was being done". Langley of MI9 commented that the Comet Line's "intransigence and failure to make use of some of the help we offered them...nearly drove me frantic". Until 1943, the Comet Line denied the offer of the British to supply it with radios and radio operators to facilitate vetting of shot-down Allied airmen and communication. The rationale was that resistance groups were often broken up by the Germans because a radio had been captured. De Jongh declined to communicate via radio, but rather used couriers to deliver and receive messages to and from British diplomats in Spain. It was not until June 1943, after numerous arrests and a growing backlog of airmen to be removed, that the Comet Line gave its reluctant permission for an MI9 agent, Jacques Legrelle ("Jerome"), to work in Paris with them. Legrelle proved to be compatible with the overworked leadership of the Comet Line.
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Jean-François Northomb ("Franco") replacing Andrée de Jongh as the principal escort to Spain of airmen. In June 1943, the Comet Line was blown again. An infiltrator led the Germans to arrest major leaders of the Line in Paris and Brussels. Among those arrested were Dédèe's father, Frederic ("Paul"), who was arrested in Paris on June 7, 1943, and executed on March 28, 1944. From the ashes of Comet emerged three new leaders. A British agent, Jacques Legrell ("Jerome"), took charge in Paris and Antoine d'Ursel ("Jacques Cartier") reconstituted the Brussels center.
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functioning Comet Line to rescue increasing numbers of fugitive airmen was crucial. In March 1944, the British diplomat Creswell met with Elvire de Greef (Tante Go), Michelle Dumon, and Marcel Roger ("Max") in Madrid to plan for the role of a new Comet Line. Roger took on the job of escorting airmen from Paris to southwestern France. Dumon worked with him and in Paris. The de Greef family continued to facilitate border crossings. MI9 sent in an operative named Jean de Blommaert ("Thomas Rutland") to run the center in Paris. An American woman,
488:, including 18-year old Elsie, and many other helpers of the Comet Line. The information gained by the Germans enabled them to blow the Comet Line in Belgium. A hundred people in Brussels were arrested, among them, on 1 December 1942; the treasurer Baron Jacques Donny, having been betrayed, was arrested at his home at night and later sentenced to death on 10 October 1943 and executed by shooting in Stuttgart on 24 February 1944. He was known by the early evaders as Father Christmas as he brought them parcels of new clothes to wear. 309:("Nemo"), 36 years old, the director of a charity called the "Swedish Canteen". Nemo organized a system for collecting the ever-increasing number of airmen throughout Belgium and preparing them for escape. Escorts under Nemo's direction accompanied airmen from Brussels to Paris. Nemo's principal escort to Paris for airmen until her arrest in the summer of 1942 was Andrée Dumon ("Nadine"), 19 years old. "Nadine" survived the war in German concentration camps and described her experiences in her book 499: 287:
was to rescue shot-down airmen, install them in safe houses, provide them with false identity documents, European clothing, training in European mannerisms and an escort who would accompany them to Paris or all the way to Spain. Andrée de Jongh was the most frequent escort; she escorted one group of three airmen in October 1941, another group of three in November, and two groups totaling 11 men in December 1941. That level of activity continued in 1942. MI9 officer
107: 495:, the closest French town to the Spanish border. She was probably betrayed by a farm worker. Although she was interrogated many times by the Gestapo and German military intelligence, the Nazis didn't believe that this young, slight woman was anything more than a minor helper of airmen. Dédée, as she was universally called, spent the rest of the war in German prisons and concentration camps but survived. 179:(code named "Dédée"), a 24-year-old Belgian woman, was the first leader of the Comet Line. She was imprisoned by the Germans in 1943, but survived the war. Subsequent leaders were also imprisoned, executed, or killed in the course of their work getting airmen to Spain. Young women, including teenagers, played important roles in the Comet Line. Sixty-five to 70 percent of Comet Line helpers were women. 938: 188: 530:, working for the Germans, infiltrated the Comet Line and was responsible for many of the arrests of its members. Michelle Dumon exposed him as a German agent in May 1944. Given the number of people involved in the Comet Line and its inability to vet effectively their volunteers and airmen to determine their bona fides, the line was vulnerable to infiltration by German agents. 952: 417:, France. He evaded capture and a farmer, Emile Cochin, gave him a place to stay for the night and contacted an English-speaking woman, Madeleine de Brunel de Serbonnes. She took Smith to her home where he stayed until December 14. A dentist named Mr. Bolusset provided civilian clothing that fit Smith. Smith was transported to Paris by train by 230:
to Belgium. The Belgians were arrested by Spanish police and three Belgian soldiers among them were turned over to the Germans in France. The others were jailed briefly and fined. From this experience, de Jongh and Deppé realized that they must accompany their charges secretly all the way to the British Consulate in
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which was the border of France and Spain. Legrelle was arrested by the Gestapo in an apartment in Paris on January 17, 1944, and Northomb was arrested in the same apartment on January 18. Both were tortured but survived the war. With the invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, approaching, the need for a
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In August, Deppé and de Jongh escorted another group of people, de Jongh taking a longer, more rural, and safer route with three men, including Private James Cromar of the Gordon Highlanders, 51st (Highland) Division and Deppé taking a shorter, more dangerous route with six men. An informer betrayed
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The arrest of Arnold Deppé in August 1941 introduced a note of caution into the Comet Line. Andrée de Jongh decided that Belgium was unsafe for her and moved to Paris. Initially, her father, Frederic (code name "Paul"), the headmaster of a primary school, took over the operation in Belgium. His job
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In July 1941, De Jongh and Deppé, assisted by the de Greefs, attempted their first crossing of the Spanish border with 10 Belgian men and a Belgian female secret agent named Frederique Dupuich. After they crossed the border, de Jongh and Deppé left their charges to fend for themselves and returned
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The helpers gambled their homes—even the lives of their families—to help the airmen escape, and many of them lost ... it is not difficult to understand that over 50 years later tributes are still paid to the World War II helpers, and enormous gratitude still remains with each of the airmen saved by
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priest named Michel Riquet. Riquet told Janot that she would be visited by people who would help Smith escape to Spain. That evening Comet Line members Robert Ayle and Andrée de Jongh came by the de Serbonnes apartment to meet Smith and verify his bona fides as an Allied airman. On December 16, de
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The Comet Line had three nerve centers: Brussels, Paris and southwestern France. With the Germans closing in on the Comet Line in Belgium, De Jongh's father, Frederick ("Paul"), fled to Paris on April 30, 1942, to join his daughter. He took over management of the Paris center. Three leaders of the
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On February 6, 1943, the Comet Line leader in Belgium, Jean Greindl ("Nemo"), was arrested in Brussels. While in a German military prison he was killed in an Allied air raid. With these losses, the Comet Line did not move anyone during February 1943 but in March normal operations began again with
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Deppé and he and his group were arrested by the Germans. Deppé was imprisoned for the remainder of the war. De Jongh arrived safely at the de Greef's house and crossed into Spain with a Basque smuggler as a guide. De Jongh and her three charges, including a British airman, arrived at the British
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The Comet Line was the largest of several escape networks in occupied Europe. In three years, the Comet Line helped 776 people, mostly British and American airmen, escape to Spain or evade capture in Belgium and France. An estimated 3,000 civilians, mostly Belgians and French, assisted the Comet
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Rosine Thérier Witton (also known as Rolande), operated a safe house in Arras and served as a guide on the Arras–Paris section of the line (March–July 1943) and the Paris–Bordeaux section of the line (July 1943 – January 1944). Arrested January 1944 and sent to Ravensbrück and then Flossenburg;
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where on January 21 they boarded a ship, arriving in Scotland on January 26. The rescue of Smith went smoothly without complications; many of those mentioned above who helped him would later be punished. Robert Ayle was executed by the Germans; Usandizanga died in a German concentration camp;
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Young people, especially young women, working for the Comet Line often dressed, behaved, and carried false identity cards that described them as students and stated their age as several years younger than they actually were. The theory was that young women were less likely to be regarded with
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Other than financial assistance, De Jongh was adamant in retaining the independence of the Comet Line from the British and the Belgian government in exile in Great Britain. She said that the Belgian and British attempts to control the Comet Line "were given by people who were not aware of the
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Participation in the escape networks was arguably the most dangerous form of resistance work in occupied Europe...The most perilous job of all was handled mostly by young women, many of them still in their teens, who escorted the servicemen hundreds of miles across enemy territory to Spain.
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For the Allies, the rescue of downed airmen by the Comet and other escape lines had a practical as well as a humanitarian objective. Training new and replacement air crews was expensive and time-consuming. Rescuing airmen downed in occupied Europe and returning them to duty was a priority.
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described Andrée de Jongh as "one of our greatest agents". De Jongh made 24 round trips across the Pyrenees, escorting 118 airmen. Other persons who frequently escorted shot-down airmen across the border included Alfred Edward Johnson ("B"), an English handyman living with the de Greefs.
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The story of the escape of one Canadian airman illustrates the complexity and the large number of people involved in the operation of the Comet Line. The Comet Line carried out 101 escapes during the war, most of them similar to the following, each of them using many helpers and guides.
212:(SOFINA). In June 1941, Deppé travelled from Belgium to southwestern France, where he had once lived, to look for the means to smuggle Allied soldiers, shot-down airmen, and other people vulnerable to capture by the Germans out of Belgium. Deppé made contact with the de Greef family in 195:
In 1941, an increasing number of British and allied aircraft were being shot down in Nazi-occupied Europe. Most downed airmen were killed or taken prisoner but some evaded capture and were sheltered by allied sympathizers and an emerging resistance movement to German rule. In Belgium,
440:, near the Spanish border and the country home of Francia Usandizanga, a Basque helper of the Comet Line. Usandizanga sent 17-year-old Janine de Greef away because of the danger from Germans. The next day, December 23, Smith, two other airmen, de Jongh, and a Basque guide, 344:("Sunday") met and interrogated the escapees when they arrived in Gibraltar and arranged for their transport to Britain, usually by airplane. While the airmen proceeded onward, de Jongh (or after her arrest, another escort) met in San Sebastián with British diplomat 364:. The final escapees were mostly Comet Line members running from last-minute German purges. Elvire De Greef and her two children crossed the border into Spain on June 6, 1944. The final operation of the Comet Line was on September 28, 1944, when De Greef, back in 394:
My name is Andrée...but I would like you to call me by my code name, which is Dédée, which means little mother. From here on I will be your little mother, and you will be my little children. It will be my job to get my children to Spain and freedom.
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Line. They are usually called "helpers". Seven hundred helpers were arrested by the Germans and 290 were executed or died in prison or concentration camps. The Comet Line maintained its operational independence, but received financial assistance from
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The Comet line used Basques, often smugglers accustomed to crossing the French–Spanish border surreptitiously, to guide airmen across the dangerous border which was guarded by French and Spanish police and German soldiers. The favorite guide was
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where the airmen were fed, clothed, given false identity papers, and hidden in attics, cellars, and people's homes. A network of volunteers then escorted them south through occupied France into neutral Spain and home via British-controlled
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In spring 1944, with the Allied invasion of France looming, the Comet Line, in consultation with MI9, decided to stop removals and instead gather airmen into forest camps where they could await the arrival of the Allied armies. American
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is a stage drama by Mark Violi. The play focuses on a rural French family helping two American GIs return safely to London shortly after the D-Day invasion. This play premiered at Actors' NET of Bucks County, Pennsylvania in September
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hid airmen in their home in Brussels and the house became a meeting place for members of the line. Two men persuaded a Comet Line helper that they were American airmen and were taken to the Maréchal home. The men were Germans and the
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who was a wanted man by the French and the Spanish police. The German police, both military and security, intensified efforts to shut down the escape organizations moving airmen as Allied bombing of Europe and Germany increased.
421:, a law student and daughter of de Serbonnes. A medical doctor, Jean de Larebeyrette, preceded them on an earlier train to Paris to ensure no German checkpoints were along the route as Smith had no French identification papers. 1751: 861:
Jacques Legrelle (also known as Jerome), organised and operated line in the Paris area, linked the Belgium part of line to south of France. Was captured, tortured, sent to concentration camps and survived. Awarded the
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Elisabeth Barbier, worked as a member of the Comet Line in Paris in 1942 before working with Val Williams (Oaktree line) and then starting the Reseau Vaneau. Arrested in 1943 and sent to RavensbrĂĽck until liberated in
246:. She persuaded the British government to pay the Comet Line's expenses for transporting Allied soldiers and airmen from Belgium to Spain but declined all other assistance and guidance offered by the British. 376:
suspicion by the Germans. For example, one of Andrée de Jongh's false identity cards gave her the name "Denise Lacroix" and listed her birthdate as 7 July 1924, almost eight years younger than she was.
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When airmen arrived in Paris, the de Jonghs took over, providing them with safe houses and false documents and with an escort, usually Andrée de Jongh, who took them to southwestern France by train. In
448:, Spain. In San Sebastián, Smith and the other airmen stayed at the house of Federico Armendariz. The airmen were picked up by a British diplomatic car and driven to Madrid, then continued on to 424:
In Paris, Smith was housed in the de Serbonnes family apartment. On December 15, Catherine Janot asked a Canadian medical student named Bernard Courtenay-Mayers for help and he referred her to a
163:. The motto of the Comet Line was "Pugna Quin Percutias", which means "fight without arms", as the organization did not undertake armed or violent resistance to the German occupation. 991: 436:
and two Belgians fleeing the Germans. Arriving in Bayonne, they ate at a restaurant known to the Comet Line. From there they continued (probably by bicycle) to the village of
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Jean-François Nothomb (also known as Franco), succeeded Andrée de Jongh as leader in France. Arrested 18 January 1944. Survived several Nazi concentration camps. Awarded the
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Baron Jacques Donny (also known as Father Christmas), Line Treasurer. Arrested 1 December 1942 at night in his home. Sentenced 10 October 1943. Executed 29 February 1944.
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and her French husband, Philippe, worked with the Comet Line until she was arrested by Germans in June 1944. She was sent to a concentration camp but survived the war.
270: 80: 834:'s farm. He would meet allies at the nearby train station and walk them 5 miles to the farm's safehouse. He was 12 years old when his employer joined the Comet Line. 911:
by Major A. S. B. Arkwright includes a first-hand account of three British officers who were escorted to freedom by the line after escaping from a POW camp.
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Antoine d'Ursel (also known as Jacques Cartier), succeeded Greindl as leader in Brussels. Died of drowning crossing Franco-Spanish border 24 December 1943.
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cite 2,373 British and Commonwealth servicemen and 2,700 Americans reaching Britain by escape lines, including Comet, during the Second World War. The
872:, British-born, she and her family were captured by the Germans in November 1942. Survived the war, as did her daughter Elsie, in concentration camps. 461:
In November 1942 the escape lines became more dangerous when southern France was occupied by the Germans and the whole of France came under direct
986: 814:(also known as Micheline, Michou, and Lily), sister of Andrée Dumon. Versatile, "odd job" helper; evaded arrest despite long service; awarded the 96:
Evacuation of hundreds of downed Allied airman from Belgium through France to neutral Spain from where they could be repatriated to Great Britain.
776:(also known as Dédée and Postman), Line co-creator and leader. Arrested 15 January 1943. Survived several Nazi concentration camps. Awarded the 514:
The new leaders of the Comet Line in mid-1943 did not survive for long. On December 24, 1943, d'Ursel ("Jacques Cartier") drowned in the river
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estimated that 14,000 helpers worked with the many escape and evasion lines by 1945. The Comet Line inspired the 1970s BBC television series,
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Goikoetxea was shot and wounded by German soldiers; de Jongh and Riquet were imprisoned in German concentration camps; and Janot fled France.
328:. From there, the airmen, a Basque guide and their escort would journey over the Pyrenees to Spain, initially by bicycle and then on foot. In 2010: 1936: 1909: 1890: 1871: 1852: 1830: 278: 258:, who had been repatriated after losing his left arm in the rearguard at Dunkirk in 1940, approved financial assistance for the Comet Line. 1482: 731:, a French Basque widow who, along with her teenage daughter Josephine, assisted flyers in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, near the border with Spain. 566: 47: 1970: 751:, American citizen who lived in Paris and sheltered airmen in her home. Arrested in June 1944 and survived imprisonment in RavensbrĂĽck. 1529: 1169: 858:
Albert Edward Johnson (also known as "B"), British "gardener" of the De Greef family who led many airmen across the Pyrenees to Spain.
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Comet Line in Belgium were arrested six days after his flight. Picking up the pieces, the Comet Line leader in Belgium then became
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The Shelburne Escape Line: Secret Rescues of Allied Aviators by the French Underground, the British Royal Navy and London's MI-9.
1661: 171:, a British intelligence agency dedicated to the rescue of Allied prisoners of war and service members from behind enemy lines. 827:, Basque smuggler and a guide for many airmen across the Pyrenees from occupied France to neutral Spain. Awarded George Medal. 1701: 966: 39: 561:(Night and Fog or NN) prisoners. NN prisoners were deported to German prisons and many later to concentration camps such as 841:(also known as Nemo), head of line in Brussels. Arrested 6 February 1943. Killed in an Allied air raid on 7 September 1943. 1981:(in French, Dutch and English) The Comet evasion network - Pages for each of the many hundreds of evaders helped by Comète 894:(also known as Michele). South-African born. Guide and assistant to Jean Greindl (Nemo) in Brussels. Fled Belgium in 1942. 570: 1153: 2000: 1181: 876: 852: 200:
age 24, Arnold Deppé age 32, and Baron Jacques Donny age 47 (Treasurer), created what became known as the Comet Line (
741:(also known as "Monday"), British diplomat in Spain who met airmen when they arrived in Spain and conducted them to 1995: 2005: 748: 520: 353: 1789:
RAF Evaders: The Comprehensive Story of Thousands of Escapers and Their Escape Lines, Western Europe, 1940–1945
1691: 789:(also known as Tante Go, Auntie Go), leader in southwestern France. Avoided arrest and survived. Awarded the 1729: 1039: 997: 599: 1975: 1305: 651:
and Gibraltar. There were three other main routes, used by other lines. The Pat Line route (after founder
147: 757:, (also known as "Sunday") MI9 officer in Portugal and later Gibraltar who repatriated airmen to Britain. 1111: 831: 824: 783:
Frédéric de Jongh (also known as Paul), Dédée's father. Arrested 7 June 1943 and executed 28 March 1944.
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The Freedom Line: The Brave Men and Women who Rescued Allied airmen from the Nazis during World War II
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Francia Usandizanga, Basque, operated a safe house near Spanish border. Captured and killed in prison.
348:, ("Monday"), who gave her money for the Comet Line's expenses and messages to take back to France. 251: 808:
Andrée Dumon (also known as Nadine), sister of Michelle Dumon. Arrested 1942, survived imprisonment.
536: 498: 206:) to help Allied airmen escape and return to the United Kingdom. All three founders worked for the 1624: 578: 410: 139: 773: 652: 197: 176: 52: 429:
Jongh took Smith to a photographer to get photos to have identification papers forged for him.
1942: 1932: 1905: 1886: 1867: 1848: 1826: 1697: 1360: 975: 869: 844: 527: 511:("Michou" or "Lily"), 22 years old and a sister of Nadine, was a bold and experienced helper. 485: 474: 321: 978:
fighter named Isabelle Rossignol uses a passage through the Pyrenees much like the Comet Line
918:, Donald L. Miller describes the zealously maintained Comet Line line by young men and women. 1515:"Liste des personnes ayant aidé des aviateurs passés par Comète", accessed 3rd December 2020 981: 760: 738: 728: 708: 691:
and Barcelona, from where they were transported to Gibraltar. A third route from Paris (the
640: 445: 365: 345: 329: 216:, near the Spanish border and arranged for their help in getting people across the border. 143: 1428:"Martin, Douglas (18 Oct 2007), "Andrée de Jongh, 90, Legend of Belgian Resistance, Dies", 1005:
television series about a fictional resistance organization based heavily on the Comet Line
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Arnold Deppé, cofounder of the Comet Line. Arrested August 1941, survived imprisonment.
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The routes used by the Comet and other lines to smuggle airmen out of occupied Europe.
250:(British Military Intelligence Section 9), under the control of the ex-infantry Major 1989: 1965: 1665: 957: 916:
Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
418: 255: 863: 815: 790: 777: 151: 56: 1440: 1292: 581:); Andrée Dumon, sister of Michelle Dumon; and Virginia d'Albert-Lake (American). 332:, Spain, a car from the British consulate would meet the airmen and drive them to 838: 306: 1840: 357: 288: 187: 933: 1150: 1206: 1100: 1062: 742: 700: 688: 680: 664: 449: 337: 239: 160: 1960: 1752:"Monique Hanotte: The teenage Belgian spy who walked 140 airmen to freedom" 226:(Auntie Go), and members of her family became stalwarts of the Comet Line. 1193: 577:. Prisoners sent to these camps included Andrée de Jongh; Elsie Maréchal ( 110:
Commemorative plaque on the site of Villa Voisin, the de Greef's house in
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Schaerbeek – Avenue Émile Verhaeren n°73 – The de Jongh house in Brussels
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The next blow was when Andrée de Jongh was arrested January 15, 1943, in
473:(German military intelligence) dealt a heavy blow to the Comet Line. The 414: 369: 324:
the airmen were met, usually by Elvire de Greef or her teenage daughter,
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Hundreds of members of the Comet Line were betrayed and arrested by the
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celebrates the Comet Line and the Allied airmen shot-down in Belgium.
1931:(paperback ed.). North Charleston, South Carolina: CreateSpace. 696: 648: 644: 544: 468: 425: 333: 243: 231: 213: 150:
soldiers and airmen shot down over occupied Belgium evade capture by
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and her French husband Philippe assisted in gathering airmen in the
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Macleod/Donny Family historical records accessed 3rd December 2020
1205:"Liste des personnes ayant aidé des aviateurs passés par Comète", 1139:
The Hidden Army – MI9's Secret Force and the Untold Story of D-Day
1099:"Liste des personnes ayant aidé des aviateurs passés par Comète", 718: 668: 624: 620: 497: 409:
On December 9, 1942, Sergeant Sydney Smith was a crew member of a
277: 269: 186: 105: 672: 462: 1980: 1002: 885:(also known as Diane). Captured in 1944 and liberated in 1945. 590: 247: 209:
Société Financière de Transport et d'Entreprises Industrielles
168: 549:; after weeks of interrogation and torture at places such as 1662:"Night-and-Fog Decree (Nacht-und-Nebel Erlass) Translation" 1483:"Michel Riquet, French Jesuit Priest Active in Resistance" 1088:
Hitler's British Slaves: Allied POWs in Germany 1939–1945
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On December 20, Smith left Paris by train with de Jongh,
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Silent Heroes: Downed Airmen and the French Underground
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List of networks and movements of the French Resistance
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The Comet Line's route crossing the Pyrenees to Spain.
1359:. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 136-142. 154:
and return to Great Britain. The Comet Line began in
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Video interview with Bob Frost, a Comet Line escapee
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How The Comet Line came about accessed December 2020
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Miguel Etulain, a French Basque child who worked on
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A plaque honoring Jean Greindl ("Nemo") in Brussels.
1040:"207 Squadron Royal Air Force" accessed 19 Oct 2019 707:, where airmen were clandestinely taken by boat to 142:organization in occupied Belgium and France in the 763:, arrested in March 1944, freed in September 1944. 368:, accompanied four Allied airmen on a flight from 663:and then over the Pyrenees via Esterri d'Aneu to 1693:Concentration Camps: Guide to World War II Sites 1288: 1286: 1284: 1966:BBC – October 2000 – Airmen remember Comet line 392: 384: 118: 32: 1716: 1627:, National Public Radio, accessed 30 Sep 2019 1625:"American Woman Helped Save Airmen in France" 8: 1961:Comete, the escape network (2015 Exhibition) 1137:Langthorne, Mark and Richards, Matt (2018), 554: 542: 534: 479: 466: 221: 207: 201: 27:World War II Belgian Resistance organization 1885:. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. 851:), "Walked 140 airmen to freedom", awarded 745:from where they were flown back to Britain. 667:. Another Pat Line route ran from Paris to 655:(code name: Pat O'Leary) ran from Paris to 643:in Spain. From there evaders travelled to 46: 29: 1229:Foot, M. R. D. and Langly, J. M. (1979), 553:in Paris, they were executed or labelled 1074: 1065:, San Telmo Museao, accessed 27 Sep 2019 1050: 55:, head of the Comet Line, receiving the 1020: 987:Escape and evasion lines (World War II) 589:The authors of the official history of 1636: 1612: 1330: 605:Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels 1775: 1648: 1600: 1588: 1576: 1564: 1552: 1540: 1452: 1391: 1379: 1342: 1275: 1254: 1242: 1217: 1125: 1027: 799:. Teen-age guide for escaping pilots. 7: 1862:Nichol, John; Rennell, Tony (2008). 1141:, London: King's Row Publishing, np. 615:A typical Comet Line route was from 567:Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp 25: 2016:World War II resistance movements 1864:Home Run: Escape from Nazi Europe 1419:, New York: Random House, p. 289. 1257:, pp. 125–130, 146, 174–174. 1231:MI9: Escape and Evasion 1939–1945 1090:, Gloucestershire: Arris, p. 361. 595:Royal Air Forces Escaping Society 400:AndrĂ©e de Jongh to downed airmen. 1728:"207 Squadron Royal Air Force", 1481:Saxon, Wolfgant (9 March 1993). 1233:, London: The Bodley Head, p. 44 950: 936: 444:, walked across the Pyrenees to 191:Nazi-occupied France and Belgium 1927:Smith, Michael Kenneth (2017). 1847:. London: Biteback Publishing. 234:and obtain British assistance. 1900:Rossiter, Margaret L. (1986). 575:FlossenbĂĽrg concentration camp 563:RavensbrĂĽck concentration camp 484:raided the home, arrested the 40:Resistance during World War II 1: 1441:"Chronology of the Passages" 603:(1977–1979). A window in the 571:Buchenwald concentration camp 2011:Special Operations Executive 1881:Ottis, Sherri Green (2001). 1750:Shute, Joe (8 August 2020). 1651:, pp. 125–130, 173–174. 1293:"Chronology of the Passages" 565:for women. Men were sent to 465:rule. Also in November, the 311:Je Ne Vous Ai Pas OubliĂ©s'.' 1825:. New York: HarperCollins. 877:Distinguished Service Order 715:Notable members of the Line 2032: 766:Jean de Blommaert, headed 1717:Nichol & Rennell 2008 1182:"WWII escape and evasion" 1151:"The Beginning of Comete" 71:June 1941 – December 1944 63: 45: 37: 1696:. Universal Publishers. 1102:accessed 3 December 2020 146:. The Comet Line helped 1902:Women in the Resistance 1787:Clutton-Brock, Oliver, 1172:, accessed 17 Sep 2019. 1866:. London: Penguin UK. 1821:Eisner, Peter (2005). 1731:, accessed 19 Oct 2019 1690:Marc Terrance (1999). 1531:, accessed 26 Sep 2019 1471:, accessed 19 Nov 2019 1443:, accessed 18 Nov 2019 1295:, accessed 25 Sep 2019 1208:. accessed 17 Sep 2019 1196:, accessed 16 Aug 2019 1184:, accessed 16 Aug 2019 1160:, accessed 16 Sep 2019 1086:Longden, Sean (2005), 749:Virginia d'Albert-Lake 724: 623:to Paris and then via 555: 543: 535: 521:Virginia d'Albert-Lake 503: 480: 467: 413:bomber shot down near 397: 389: 380:A typical exfiltration 354:Virginia d'Albert-Lake 283: 275: 222: 208: 202: 192: 135: 123: 115: 1904:. New York: Praeger. 1406:, accessed 5 Oct 2019 903:In popular literature 832:Florentino Goikoetxea 825:Florentino Goikoetxea 722: 526:A young Belgian man, 501: 457:Arrests and betrayals 442:Florentino Goikoetxea 298:Florentino Goikoetxea 281: 273: 190: 121:these heroic people. 109: 1455:, pp. 185, 190. 1415:Olson, Lynn (2017), 1778:, pp. 119–129. 1668:on 19 February 2016 1639:, pp. 265–273. 1615:, pp. 258–259. 1603:, pp. 142–143. 1567:, pp. 137–140. 1555:, pp. 137–139. 1543:, pp. 147–153. 1430:The New York Times. 1382:, pp. 134–138. 1355:Fry, Helen (2017). 1345:, pp. 132–135. 1220:, pp. 121–122. 898:liberated May 1945. 537:Geheime Feldpolizei 138:; 1941–1944) was a 2001:Belgian Resistance 1803:"Riding the Comet" 1791:(2011), Page xxiv. 1524:"Andre de Jongh", 1156:2019-09-25 at the 768:Operation Marathon 725: 579:Belgian Resistance 504: 411:Vickers Wellington 362:Operation Marathon 284: 276: 193: 116: 33:Belgian Resistance 1996:French Resistance 1938:978-1-979092-03-6 1911:978-0-03-005338-2 1892:978-0-8131-2186-4 1873:978-0-14-102419-6 1854:978-1-84954-960-8 1832:978-0-06-009664-9 1465:"Catherine Janot" 1404:"AndrĂ©e de Jongh" 1312:. 18 October 2007 1306:"Andree de Jongh" 1278:, pp. 53–69. 1170:"Andree de Jongh" 976:French Resistance 845:Henriette Hanotte 528:Jacques Desoubrie 322:Saint-Jean-de-Luz 104: 103: 100: 99: 16:(Redirected from 2023: 2006:Dutch resistance 1950: 1915: 1896: 1877: 1858: 1836: 1807: 1806: 1798: 1792: 1785: 1779: 1773: 1767: 1766: 1764: 1762: 1747: 1741: 1738: 1732: 1726: 1720: 1714: 1708: 1707: 1688: 1684: 1678: 1677: 1675: 1673: 1664:. Archived from 1658: 1652: 1646: 1640: 1634: 1628: 1622: 1616: 1610: 1604: 1598: 1592: 1586: 1580: 1574: 1568: 1562: 1556: 1550: 1544: 1538: 1532: 1522: 1516: 1513: 1507: 1504: 1498: 1497: 1495: 1493: 1478: 1472: 1462: 1456: 1450: 1444: 1438: 1432: 1426: 1420: 1417:Last Hope Island 1413: 1407: 1401: 1395: 1389: 1383: 1377: 1371: 1370: 1352: 1346: 1340: 1334: 1328: 1322: 1321: 1319: 1317: 1302: 1296: 1290: 1279: 1273: 1267: 1264: 1258: 1252: 1246: 1240: 1234: 1227: 1221: 1215: 1209: 1203: 1197: 1191: 1185: 1179: 1173: 1167: 1161: 1148: 1142: 1135: 1129: 1123: 1114: 1109: 1103: 1097: 1091: 1084: 1078: 1072: 1066: 1060: 1054: 1048: 1042: 1037: 1031: 1025: 982:Dutch resistance 960: 955: 954: 953: 946: 941: 940: 939: 922:Riding the Comet 761:Monique de Bissy 739:Michael Creswell 729:Kattalin Aguirre 560: 548: 540: 483: 472: 401: 366:liberated France 346:Michael Creswell 225: 211: 205: 144:Second World War 81:Occupied Belgium 65: 64: 50: 30: 21: 2031: 2030: 2026: 2025: 2024: 2022: 2021: 2020: 1986: 1985: 1957: 1939: 1926: 1923: 1921:Further reading 1918: 1912: 1899: 1893: 1880: 1874: 1861: 1855: 1839: 1833: 1820: 1816: 1811: 1810: 1800: 1799: 1795: 1786: 1782: 1774: 1770: 1760: 1758: 1749: 1748: 1744: 1739: 1735: 1727: 1723: 1715: 1711: 1704: 1689: 1686: 1685: 1681: 1671: 1669: 1660: 1659: 1655: 1647: 1643: 1635: 1631: 1623: 1619: 1611: 1607: 1599: 1595: 1587: 1583: 1575: 1571: 1563: 1559: 1551: 1547: 1539: 1535: 1523: 1519: 1514: 1510: 1505: 1501: 1491: 1489: 1480: 1479: 1475: 1463: 1459: 1451: 1447: 1439: 1435: 1427: 1423: 1414: 1410: 1402: 1398: 1390: 1386: 1378: 1374: 1367: 1354: 1353: 1349: 1341: 1337: 1329: 1325: 1315: 1313: 1304: 1303: 1299: 1291: 1282: 1274: 1270: 1265: 1261: 1253: 1249: 1241: 1237: 1228: 1224: 1216: 1212: 1204: 1200: 1192: 1188: 1180: 1176: 1168: 1164: 1158:Wayback Machine 1149: 1145: 1136: 1132: 1124: 1117: 1110: 1106: 1098: 1094: 1085: 1081: 1073: 1069: 1061: 1057: 1049: 1045: 1038: 1034: 1026: 1022: 1017: 1012: 967:The Nightingale 956: 951: 949: 942: 937: 935: 932: 905: 883:Amanda Stassart 849:Monique Hanotte 847:(also known as 797:Janine de Greef 787:Elvire De Greef 774:AndrĂ©e de Jongh 717: 653:Albert GuĂ©risse 613: 587: 557:Nacht und Nebel 475:MarĂ©chal family 459: 434:Janine De Greef 419:Catherine Janot 403: 399: 390: 382: 268: 254:and Lieutenant 252:Norman Crockatt 218:Elvire De Greef 198:AndrĂ©e de Jongh 185: 177:AndrĂ©e de Jongh 124: 88: 85:Occupied France 53:AndrĂ©e de Jongh 51: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 2029: 2027: 2019: 2018: 2013: 2008: 2003: 1998: 1988: 1987: 1984: 1983: 1978: 1973: 1971:Andre de Jongh 1968: 1963: 1956: 1955:External links 1953: 1952: 1951: 1937: 1922: 1919: 1917: 1916: 1910: 1897: 1891: 1878: 1872: 1859: 1853: 1845:Little Cyclone 1837: 1831: 1817: 1815: 1812: 1809: 1808: 1793: 1780: 1768: 1742: 1733: 1721: 1719:, p. 470. 1709: 1702: 1679: 1653: 1641: 1629: 1617: 1605: 1593: 1591:, p. 187. 1581: 1579:, p. 141. 1569: 1557: 1545: 1533: 1517: 1508: 1499: 1487:New York Times 1473: 1457: 1445: 1433: 1421: 1408: 1396: 1394:, p. 145. 1384: 1372: 1365: 1347: 1335: 1323: 1297: 1280: 1268: 1259: 1247: 1245:, p. 123. 1235: 1222: 1210: 1198: 1186: 1174: 1162: 1143: 1130: 1128:, p. 121. 1115: 1104: 1092: 1079: 1067: 1055: 1043: 1032: 1019: 1018: 1016: 1013: 1011: 1008: 1007: 1006: 994: 989: 984: 979: 974:, a fictional 972:Kristin Hannah 962: 961: 947: 944:Belgium portal 931: 928: 927: 926: 919: 912: 909:Return Journey 904: 901: 900: 899: 895: 892:Peggy van Lier 889: 886: 880: 873: 870:Elsie MarĂ©chal 867: 859: 856: 842: 835: 828: 822: 819: 812:Michelle Dumon 809: 806: 803: 800: 794: 784: 781: 771: 764: 758: 755:Donald Darling 752: 746: 736: 732: 716: 713: 693:Shelburne Line 612: 609: 586: 583: 551:Fresnes Prison 509:Michelle Dumon 458: 455: 391: 383: 381: 378: 342:Donald Darling 336:and onward to 267: 264: 184: 181: 117: 102: 101: 98: 97: 94: 90: 89: 79: 77: 73: 72: 69: 61: 60: 43: 42: 35: 34: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 2028: 2017: 2014: 2012: 2009: 2007: 2004: 2002: 1999: 1997: 1994: 1993: 1991: 1982: 1979: 1977: 1974: 1972: 1969: 1967: 1964: 1962: 1959: 1958: 1954: 1948: 1944: 1940: 1934: 1930: 1929:The Postwoman 1925: 1924: 1920: 1913: 1907: 1903: 1898: 1894: 1888: 1884: 1879: 1875: 1869: 1865: 1860: 1856: 1850: 1846: 1842: 1838: 1834: 1828: 1824: 1819: 1818: 1813: 1804: 1801:Violi, Mark. 1797: 1794: 1790: 1784: 1781: 1777: 1772: 1769: 1757: 1756:The Telegraph 1753: 1746: 1743: 1737: 1734: 1730: 1725: 1722: 1718: 1713: 1710: 1705: 1699: 1695: 1694: 1683: 1680: 1667: 1663: 1657: 1654: 1650: 1645: 1642: 1638: 1633: 1630: 1626: 1621: 1618: 1614: 1609: 1606: 1602: 1597: 1594: 1590: 1585: 1582: 1578: 1573: 1570: 1566: 1561: 1558: 1554: 1549: 1546: 1542: 1537: 1534: 1530: 1527: 1526:Free Belgians 1521: 1518: 1512: 1509: 1503: 1500: 1488: 1484: 1477: 1474: 1470: 1466: 1461: 1458: 1454: 1449: 1446: 1442: 1437: 1434: 1431: 1425: 1422: 1418: 1412: 1409: 1405: 1400: 1397: 1393: 1388: 1385: 1381: 1376: 1373: 1368: 1366:9780300233209 1362: 1358: 1351: 1348: 1344: 1339: 1336: 1333:, p. 13. 1332: 1327: 1324: 1311: 1310:The Telegraph 1307: 1301: 1298: 1294: 1289: 1287: 1285: 1281: 1277: 1272: 1269: 1263: 1260: 1256: 1251: 1248: 1244: 1239: 1236: 1232: 1226: 1223: 1219: 1214: 1211: 1207: 1202: 1199: 1195: 1190: 1187: 1183: 1178: 1175: 1171: 1166: 1163: 1159: 1155: 1152: 1147: 1144: 1140: 1134: 1131: 1127: 1122: 1120: 1116: 1113: 1108: 1105: 1101: 1096: 1093: 1089: 1083: 1080: 1077:, p. 24. 1076: 1075:Rossiter 1986 1071: 1068: 1064: 1059: 1056: 1053:, p. 31. 1052: 1051:Rossiter 1986 1047: 1044: 1041: 1036: 1033: 1030:, p. 43. 1029: 1024: 1021: 1014: 1009: 1004: 1000: 999: 995: 993: 990: 988: 985: 983: 980: 977: 973: 969: 968: 964: 963: 959: 958:France portal 948: 945: 934: 929: 923: 920: 917: 913: 910: 907: 906: 902: 896: 893: 890: 887: 884: 881: 878: 874: 871: 868: 865: 860: 857: 854: 850: 846: 843: 840: 836: 833: 829: 826: 823: 820: 817: 813: 810: 807: 804: 801: 798: 795: 792: 788: 785: 782: 779: 775: 772: 769: 765: 762: 759: 756: 753: 750: 747: 744: 740: 737: 733: 730: 727: 726: 721: 714: 712: 710: 706: 702: 698: 694: 690: 686: 682: 678: 674: 670: 666: 662: 658: 654: 650: 646: 642: 641:San Sebastián 638: 634: 630: 626: 622: 618: 610: 608: 606: 602: 601: 596: 592: 584: 582: 580: 576: 572: 568: 564: 559: 558: 552: 547: 546: 539: 538: 531: 529: 524: 522: 517: 512: 510: 500: 496: 494: 489: 487: 482: 476: 471: 470: 464: 456: 454: 451: 447: 446:San Sebastián 443: 439: 435: 430: 427: 422: 420: 416: 412: 407: 402: 396: 388: 379: 377: 373: 371: 367: 363: 359: 355: 349: 347: 343: 339: 335: 331: 330:San Sebastián 327: 323: 319: 313: 312: 308: 302: 299: 293: 290: 280: 272: 265: 263: 259: 257: 256:James Langley 253: 249: 245: 241: 235: 233: 227: 224: 219: 215: 210: 204: 199: 189: 182: 180: 178: 172: 170: 164: 162: 157: 153: 149: 145: 141: 137: 136:RĂ©seau Comète 133: 129: 122: 113: 108: 95: 92: 91: 86: 82: 78: 75: 74: 70: 67: 66: 62: 58: 54: 49: 44: 41: 36: 31: 19: 1928: 1901: 1882: 1863: 1844: 1841:Neave, Airey 1822: 1796: 1788: 1783: 1771: 1759:. 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Retrieved 1309: 1300: 1271: 1266:Watt, p. 141 1262: 1250: 1238: 1230: 1225: 1213: 1201: 1189: 1177: 1165: 1146: 1138: 1133: 1107: 1095: 1087: 1082: 1070: 1058: 1046: 1035: 1023: 996: 965: 921: 915: 914:In the book 908: 864:George Medal 839:Jean Greindl 816:George Medal 791:George Medal 778:George Medal 614: 598: 588: 532: 525: 513: 505: 490: 460: 431: 423: 408: 404: 398: 393: 385: 374: 372:to England. 350: 314: 310: 307:Jean Greindl 303: 294: 285: 260: 236: 228: 203:Reseau Comet 194: 173: 165: 127: 125: 119: 57:George Medal 1814:Works cited 1637:Eisner 2005 1613:Eisner 2005 1331:Eisner 2005 998:Secret Army 970:(2015), by 635:, over the 600:Secret Army 289:Airey Neave 220:, known as 1990:Categories 1947:2017916643 1776:Neave 2016 1703:1581128398 1672:12 October 1649:Neave 2016 1601:Ottis 2001 1589:Neave 2016 1577:Ottis 2001 1565:Ottis 2001 1553:Ottis 2001 1541:Neave 2016 1453:Neave 2016 1392:Ottis 2001 1380:Neave 2016 1343:Neave 2016 1276:Ottis 2001 1255:Neave 2016 1243:Ottis 2001 1218:Ottis 2001 1126:Ottis 2001 1028:Ottis 2001 1010:References 585:Statistics 360:forest in 140:Resistance 128:Comet Line 18:Comet line 1761:13 August 1015:Citations 743:Gibraltar 709:Dartmouth 701:St Brieuc 699:and then 695:) ran to 689:Perpignan 681:Marseille 665:Barcelona 486:MarĂ©chals 450:Gibraltar 338:Gibraltar 240:Consulate 161:Gibraltar 1843:(2016). 1316:24 April 1194:"Comete" 1154:Archived 1063:"ComĂ©te" 930:See also 770:in 1944. 705:Brittany 657:Toulouse 637:Pyrenees 629:Bordeaux 617:Brussels 541:and the 415:Sergines 370:Biarritz 358:FrĂ©teval 266:Removals 223:Tante Go 183:Creation 156:Brussels 76:Location 38:Part of 683:, then 677:Avignon 661:Limoges 633:Bayonne 516:Bidasoa 493:Urrugne 438:Urrugne 318:Bayonne 152:Germans 87:, Spain 59:in 1946 1945:  1935:  1908:  1889:  1870:  1851:  1829:  1700:  1363:  837:Baron 697:Rennes 649:Madrid 645:Bilbao 611:Routes 545:Abwehr 481:Abwehr 469:Abwehr 426:Jesuit 334:Madrid 326:Janine 244:Bilbao 232:Bilbao 214:Anglet 148:Allied 132:French 112:Anglet 93:Result 1492:5 Dec 1469:ARORY 925:2011. 735:1945. 685:NĂ®mes 673:Lyons 669:Dijon 625:Tours 621:Lille 1943:LCCN 1933:ISBN 1906:ISBN 1887:ISBN 1868:ISBN 1849:ISBN 1827:ISBN 1763:2020 1698:ISBN 1674:2018 1494:2020 1361:ISBN 1318:2024 1001:, a 659:via 573:and 463:Nazi 126:The 68:Date 1357:MI9 1003:BBC 853:MBE 703:in 679:to 639:to 619:or 591:MI9 320:or 248:MI9 242:in 169:MI9 1992:: 1941:. 1754:. 1528:, 1485:. 1467:, 1308:. 1283:^ 1118:^ 711:. 687:, 675:, 671:, 647:, 631:, 627:, 569:, 340:. 134:: 83:, 1949:. 1914:. 1895:. 1876:. 1857:. 1835:. 1805:. 1765:. 1706:. 1676:. 1496:. 1369:. 1320:. 879:. 866:. 855:. 818:. 780:. 130:( 114:. 20:)

Index

Comet line
Resistance during World War II

Andrée de Jongh
George Medal
Occupied Belgium
Occupied France

Anglet
French
Resistance
Second World War
Allied
Germans
Brussels
Gibraltar
MI9
Andrée de Jongh

Andrée de Jongh
Anglet
Elvire De Greef
Bilbao
Consulate
Bilbao
MI9
Norman Crockatt
James Langley

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