Francis Cammaerts (1916 - 2006) is, during the Second world war, an agent of the French section F of SOE, organizing in the south-east of France of the resistance networks in charge of actions of sabotage against the German army.

Genealogy

His/her father: Professor Emile Cammaerts (1878-1953), Belgian poet.

His/her mother: Helen (Tita) Brand, actress shakespearienne, girl of Marie Brema, singer of opera.

4 sisters (2 young people and 2 older) and 1 younger brother, Peter.

Biography

Before the war

1916 . - the June 16th, birth in London of Francis Charles Albert Cammaerts .

Schooling at the school of Mill Hill.

Years 1930 . - It becomes pacifist at the University of Cambridge, where it is registered in English and history with St Catharine' S College. After the university, it begins a career of teacher, initially in Belfast, then at the school of boys of Penge to London, where it teaches with his very close friend, Harry Rée, which will join SOE like him.

1940 . - Conscientious objector, he becomes agricultural worker, alternative solution with the military service.

1942 . - Of died of his brother in service in the RAF, he thinks that he cannot remain without anything to make longer. As he usually speaks French, he is noticed by SOE.

With the service of the SOE

1942 . - In October, Cammaerts joined the SOE. It receives an intensive drive.

1943 .

* In March, with for name of war “ Roger ”, it is sent in France, northern zone. More than one dozen of networks are active at this time. One entrusts to Cammaerts the network DONKEYMAN, which operates then in the high valley of the Rhone. But its committee of reception initially leads it to Paris, by neglecting safety seriously, which warns it against the risks of such behaviors. High of more than six feet, one notices it easily. It leaves Paris by a night train to join DONKEYMAN with Annecy. In Cannes, it establishes a cover a teacher in convalescence after a jaundice. It is the only period when it passes more than four nights to the same place, because safety was the principal criterion, before the speed, at this moment of the war. Having discovered that DONKEYMAN had been penetrated by Hugo Bleicher of the Abwehr, it moves with Saint-Jorioz in the mountains of Savoy and establishes there its own network JOCKEY, consistent into seven or eight individuals of confidence, of which one is Cecily Lefort. After informbeing completely informed of the importance of safety, these agents SOE start to recruit potential saboteurs for when time would have come. For Cammaerts, the key question as regards individual safety was to insist that the agents have always a credible reason to be where they were, if they would be stopped by a German patrol.

*Fin of the year. - It sets up several groups, small and semi-autonomous, attached of its network JOCKEY. They develop on left bank of the Rhone, between Vienna and Arles and towards the east in the back-country in the valley of Isere. It moves in the neighborhoods on a motor bike and returns visit thus to each group. Nobody naturally knows his true name, neither his nationality, nor his residence. Cammaerts was ensured that the network JOCKEY is ready to play his part in sabotages which would be necessary.

*Novembre. Recalled to London, he discovers the problem who exists between the various agents working in France, those who are placed under the authority of the general headquarter of the Général de Gaulle and the others, of which much is French citizens and works under the command of the section F of the SOE. The gaullists estimate unconstitutional that of the French are recruited by a foreign power. As the British and free France fight for the same cause, that appears a minor baffle. It never was entirely solved, and de Gaulle insisted that all the operations of the SOE in France cease very quickly after the release of Paris in August 1944.

1944 .

*Février. - On its return in France, the plane of Cammaerts is crushed with the landing, but it is left there fortunately without being wounded. It continues the checking which the network JOCKEY functions correctly. It returns visit to the group of 3000 men of the maquis (young French who fled on the plate of Vercors to avoid being sent in Germany under the STO).

*Avril. - It informs the general headquarter in London which Vercors lays out of a well organized army, but which has need for heavy weapons and anti-tank device.

*Après the unloading, the network JOCKEY of Cammaerts plays his part: cut of railway lines, severe prevention of the progression of German. Cammaerts is named chief of the missions allied in south-east; at this time the organization which it built includes/understands more than 10000 members. The plate of Vercors does not succeed so well, because he saw himself refusing the heavy weapons by London, which thinks, while basing himself on the Yugoslav experiment, which they should not fight. Vercors is finally attacked by two complete German divisions with their air support. It is then naturally the rout, and the men of the maquis flee everywhere where they can hide.

*Août. - The allies unload in Provence (Opération Anvil Dragoon). The network JOCKEY, with other teams, takes part, by maintaining open the road from Cannes to Grenoble, and thus making it possible the allied armies to advance towards north. It is at this time that, in spite of its vigilant attention towards the questions of security, Cammaerts, Xan Fielding and a colleague are stopped by the Gestapo with Digne. This one probably does not realize the importance of Cammaerts. Krystyna Sharbek, young Polonaise agent of the SOE, which avoided the arrest, manages to make release Cammaerts and the others. She confronts two collaborators, Albert Schenck an officer the French connection with Gestapo and a Belgian interpreter, announcing to them that the American troops arriving, was needed that they cooperates, or else they would be hung by crowd. The terrified collaborators slacken Cammaerts, Fielding and the colleague. That concludes the 15 month from activity of Cammaerts in occupied France.

After the war

*Après to be demobilized, it works for the International agency for Repairs in Brussels.

1952 . - It turns over to teaching and becomes later principal in Stevenage during nine years.

1961-1966 . - It directs City Leicester College off.

1966-1972 . - Professor with Nairobi.

It turns over to England to become director of the Rolle College , which trains the teachers, with Exeter. It will become later part of the university of Exeter University.

1981 . - Old 65 years, it leaves its retirement to launch a university of training of the teachers to the Botswana.

1987 . - It takes its retirement.

2006 . - He dies on July 3rd.

Recognition

• DSO decreed for its activity as chief of network and for his courage in France. As in other cases of agents which operated in occupied territory by the enemy for long periods, it gave many marks of gratitude towards the ordinary French citizens who had provided him, with him and his/her colleagues, safety and comfort. In the series Secret Agent of the BBC, diffused in 2000, it says: “The most important element was the French housewife who nourished us, equipped us, and maintained our moral. ”

Sources

• Cammaerts obituary in The Guardian

• article of Wikipedia of English language. Access while clicking on English in the left-hand column, zone Other languages .