On September 2,2024 Margaret Fricke attended a ceremony in Rumes, Belgium marking the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the village. Rumes was an important stop along the comete escape line. Her father, Charles Carlson and many other evaders passed through Rumes. The Comete guide, Henrietta Hanotte (Monique) and her family lived in Rumes. Because the border guards were active in the resistance it was possible for Monique and other Comete guides to move evaders across the border into France.On September 2,2024 Margaret Fricke attended a ceremony in Rumes, Belgium marking the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the village. Rumes was an important stop along the comete escape line. Her father, Charles Carlson and many other evaders passed through Rumes. The Comete guide, Henrietta Hanotte (Monique) and her family lived in Rumes. Because the border guards were active in the resistance it was possible for Monique and other Comete guides to move evaders across the border into France.From Belgium: On 20 October, Dirk Vijverman with the AFEES flag was in Brussels to attend the inauguration of a commemorative plaque, installed by Cométe Line Remembrance Association at the home of the escape line founder, Dedéé De Jongh.From Belgium: On 20 October, Dirk Vijverman with the AFEES flag was in Brussels to attend the inauguration of a commemorative plaque, installed by Cométe Line Remembrance Association at the home of the escape line founder, Dedéé De Jongh.From Belgium: On 20 October, Dirk Vijverman with the AFEES flag was in Brussels to attend the inauguration of a commemorative plaque, installed by Cométe Line Remembrance Association at the home of the escape line founder, Dedéé De Jongh.From Belgium: On 20 October, Dirk Vijverman with the AFEES flag was in Brussels to attend the inauguration of a commemorative plaque, installed by Cométe Line Remembrance Association at the home of the escape line founder, Dedéé De Jongh.From Belgium: Margaret Fricke reports that on October 20 the Cercle d”Histoirie Stambruges replaced the flags and held a ceremony at the monument honoring the crew of the B-17, the Shack Rabbit III, which crashed nearby on 20 October 1943, 81 years ago. A plaque installed in 2022 honors the crew and the citizens of the area who helped the crew members. Four crew members were killed and six evaded. One of the evaders, Ted Kellers after evading for months, was with a group of evaders who were betrayed and arrested crossing the Pyrenees; he was a POW until the war ended.On September 2,2024 Margaret Fricke attended a ceremony in Rumes, Belgium marking the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the village. Rumes was an important stop along the comete escape line. Her father, Charles Carlson and many other evaders passed through Rumes. The Comete guide, Henrietta Hanotte (Monique) and her family lived in Rumes. Because the border guards were active in the resistance it was possible for Monique and other Comete guides to move evaders across the border into France.On September 2,2024 Margaret Fricke attended a ceremony in Rumes, Belgium marking the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the village. Rumes was an important stop along the comete escape line. Her father, Charles Carlson and many other evaders passed through Rumes. The Comete guide, Henrietta Hanotte (Monique) and her family lived in Rumes. Because the border guards were active in the resistance it was possible for Monique and other Comete guides to move evaders across the border into France.On September 2,2024 Margaret Fricke attended a ceremony in Rumes, Belgium marking the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the village. Rumes was an important stop along the comete escape line. Her father, Charles Carlson and many other evaders passed through Rumes. The Comete guide, Henrietta Hanotte (Monique) and her family lived in Rumes. Because the border guards were active in the resistance it was possible for Monique and other Comete guides to move evaders across the border into France.Jonathan Pearson IV and wife Joan, son of 2nd Lt Jonathan Pearson III , E&E #1063, and Kelsey Bourdois and family, grand-daughter of Fred Gleason E&E #1065 joined French descendants of Jacqueline Cabre-Leroy and Paulette Thomas-Declercq on unveiling the plaque put on the house at 39 rue du Chatel.Colonel Brittingham, Military Attaché, delivered a speech as well , in French which I haven’t had time to translate yet Brigitte d’Oultremont, President of Comete, the escape line, came from Belgium and so did Dirk Vijverman with the AFEES Standard to attend the ceremony.Dominique Lecomte was there as well and was able to offer Jon Pearson a small book about René Charpentier a French Resistant who happened to help his father in 1944.: Robin Libert, President of RUSRA wrote that on 5 September, Andree Dumont “Nadine” celebrated her 102nd birthday. Nadine, a member of the Comete Line Escape Network was betrayed and arrested in August, 1942. She was imprisoned at Ravensbruck and later at Mauthsusen until her release in May, 1945 in poor health. Her autiobiography, “ I Have Not Forgotten You, Freedom 1945” was translated into English in 2022.
