Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Awarded on:

July 30th, 1947

Recommendation:
"In December 1940, Sergeant Mattens was repatriated by the Germans as a 'grand blessé'. Immediately he rejoined his old Regiment which was being reformed as a Resistance unit. While still suffering from the effects of his wounds Sgt. Mattens in the Summer of 1941 made his first attempt to rejoin the Belgian Amy in England. He was arrested by the French Police and imprisoned until March 1942. The following month he made his second attempt, this time to be arrested by the Germans at Bordeaux until March 1943.

He returned to Belgium and four months later was working for an important Evasion Linc. This periode, the middle of 1943, will be very well remembered as the height of the Gestapo activity against Evasion lines and Sgt. Mattens was given the task of reforming the very important Brussels-Paris link in the line.

By December he had perfected and was controlling seven different routes from Brussels to Paris and was himself convoying an average of sixteen evaders per week between the two capitals. Many times during these convoys his refusal to desert an evader in difficulties led him to the brink of arrest, but his superb knowledge of the Germans, the speed of his re-actions and his personal determination resulted in the loss of not one of his evaders.

Until the time of his arrest, In January 1944, Sgt. Mattens had convoyed one hundred and sixty Allied evaders from Brussels to Paris, but of equal significance is the fact that the seven routes organised by him were so wel organised that they continued to function smoothly even immediately after his arrest.

Sgt. Mattens'record of ardour and endurance in the Allied Cause is worthy of the highest praise. He made a substantial contribution to the Allied victory in the number of lives he saved, always remembering that the whole of his Evasion activities were carried out in a highly dangerous zone and that the penalty, if captured, would be, inevitably, death. His personal example of dauntless service is outstanding."

Medal presented 11 January, 1949.