Hideout Address Bidegain Berry

Andrée de Jongh (° 30/11/1916, Brussels - † 13/10/2007, Brussels - Belgium), the founder of the escape line Comète became on January 15, 1943 after a delay of 24 hours because of the bad weather that made crossing the border impossible , at night at the hiding place Bidegain Berry (since July 1942) arrested by the Gestapo.

She became together with her "colis" as well as with Frantxa Usandizaga (° 1908 - † 1944) (born Françoise Halzuet, widow of Philippe Usandizaga and mother of three children) and her servant Juan M. Larburu at the Bidegain Berry (farm) in Urrugne . The "colis" who made the 34 ° crossing consisted of Sgt Percy GE Ross, RAF, (° 1910 - † 1987) shot in the night of 21 to 22 Dec 42 at Seraincourt, Rethel (Fr), Fl / Sgt Stanley "Paddy" F Hope, RAF, (° 1916) crashed on Dec 8 at Silly, Halle (Be) and Sgt RAF William GJ Greaves, (° 1917 - † 2003) shot in the area from Dec 20 to 21 from Paris (Fr).

Andrée de Jongh, aka Dédée, was taken to Ravensbrück and Mauthausen concentration camps after interrogation and torture. The three soldiers were transferred to Stalag Luft 1 near Barth (D). Frantxa Usandizaga (° 29/08/1908) died in Neubrandenburk / Meckl on April 12, 1945 and Juan Larburu (° 1912) died in Dora (Buchenwald) in March 1944. The children (Mayi is the oldest) of Frantxa were taken care of by their aunt, Mrs. Pourtau. The line has repatriated more than 700 individuals, 288 of whom are pilots. Dédée himself guided 118 and made the crossing 32 times.

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Source

• Text: Luc Watelle
• Photos: Luc Watelle
• http://www.evasioncomete.org/aPrincipal.html
• http://www.cometeline.org/index.html
• http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9e_De_Jongh
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9e_de_Jongh
• http://home.clara.net/clinchy/cometeph.htm
• http://www.praats.be/gefusill1.htm
• http://www.bddm.org
• http://www.lejpb.com/idatzia/20051001/art132368.php
• http://www.comete-bidassoa.com/fr_1943.htm