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Andrée de Jongh, founded and organised the Comet Escape Line, the route from Belgium through France to Spain used by hundreds of allied airmen to escape from Nazi-occupied Europe.-
Andrée “Dédée” de Jongh was born on November 30, 1916 in occupied Belgium during World War I to a headmaster father. She became a nurse, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her hero, Edith Cavell. When Belgium was again occupied by the Germans in World War II she became a volunteer for the Red Cross.-
After befriending many members of the safe house network, Andrée started working with her father on ways to help the hiding servicemen. She masterminded an escape route to northern Spain for Allied soldiers to escape to Britain. After initially leading two men to safety on the first trip, the “Comet Line” saved over 300 men by helping them escape occupied Europe. Andrée personally led around 30 trips of 118 servicemen.
Many soldiers were shocked that the young-looking 24 year old would be in charge of their escape.-
The Gestapo, using a traitor, captured her father, Frédéric de Jongh, in Paris in June 1943 and later executed him. De Jongh herself was betrayed and captured at a farmhouse in Urrugne, in the French Basque country, in January 1943 - the last stop on the escape line before the passage over the Pyrenees - during her 33rd journey to Spain. She was interrogated by the Gestapo and tortured, and admitted that she was the organiser of the escape network. Unwilling to believe her, the Gestapo let her live. She was sent first to Fresnes prison in Paris and eventually to Ravensbrück concentration camp and Mauthausen. She was released by the advancing Allied troops in April 1945. Many other members of the Comet Line were also captured. 23 were executed and hundreds of helpers were sent to concentration camps, where an unknown number died. Meanwhile, the line continued in their absence: in all, it returned around 800 Allied soldiers and airmen, continuing until Belgium was liberated in 1944.-
For her wartime efforts, she was awarded the United States Medal of Freedom, the British George Medal, and became a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur. She also became a Chevalier of the Order of Leopold, received the Belgian Croix de Guerre/Oorlogskruis with palm, and was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Belgian Army. In 1985, she was made a countess in the Belgian nobility.-
Andrée worked in leper camps after the war in Africa before retiring back to Belgium. She died at age 90 in 2007.-
Andrée “Dédée” de Jongh was born on November 30, 1916 in occupied Belgium during World War I to a headmaster father. She became a nurse, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her hero, Edith Cavell. When Belgium was again occupied by the Germans in World War II she became a volunteer for the Red Cross.-
After befriending many members of the safe house network, Andrée started working with her father on ways to help the hiding servicemen. She masterminded an escape route to northern Spain for Allied soldiers to escape to Britain. After initially leading two men to safety on the first trip, the “Comet Line” saved over 300 men by helping them escape occupied Europe. Andrée personally led around 30 trips of 118 servicemen.
Many soldiers were shocked that the young-looking 24 year old would be in charge of their escape.-
The Gestapo, using a traitor, captured her father, Frédéric de Jongh, in Paris in June 1943 and later executed him. De Jongh herself was betrayed and captured at a farmhouse in Urrugne, in the French Basque country, in January 1943 - the last stop on the escape line before the passage over the Pyrenees - during her 33rd journey to Spain. She was interrogated by the Gestapo and tortured, and admitted that she was the organiser of the escape network. Unwilling to believe her, the Gestapo let her live. She was sent first to Fresnes prison in Paris and eventually to Ravensbrück concentration camp and Mauthausen. She was released by the advancing Allied troops in April 1945. Many other members of the Comet Line were also captured. 23 were executed and hundreds of helpers were sent to concentration camps, where an unknown number died. Meanwhile, the line continued in their absence: in all, it returned around 800 Allied soldiers and airmen, continuing until Belgium was liberated in 1944.-
For her wartime efforts, she was awarded the United States Medal of Freedom, the British George Medal, and became a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur. She also became a Chevalier of the Order of Leopold, received the Belgian Croix de Guerre/Oorlogskruis with palm, and was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Belgian Army. In 1985, she was made a countess in the Belgian nobility.-
Andrée worked in leper camps after the war in Africa before retiring back to Belgium. She died at age 90 in 2007.-