Sunday 24 June 2012

Day 109 - Belgian Friends Reunited!

"I went back to ordinary living and fighting and competing for my everyday existence. I didn't accept any charity, I only accepted my lawful rights and earnings.  My status was recognized by Counter Intelligence and government departments.  

I passed the Commission, with flying colors and received, from the Prince Regent Albert, "The Distinguished Cross for Political Prisoners, with four stars.  Madame DeNile and Mister Van Alderwerelt eventually received recognition as well.  I saw both of them quite often as well as Antonio, who's family were well established in Brussels.

Daniel returned six months later, liberated at Gross-Strelitz by the Russians.  Daniel never received recognition as a political prisoner but that is entirely his own fault!  I tried my best to help him but when he had to face, "The Commission of Inquiry", he ran away!   Of course, there is a lot about this I do not understand but let bygones be bygones! 

George was, "another cup of tea", after many cumbersome adventures, he managed to get to England via Germany, Finland and Sweden.  Unlike us, his voyage by transport, was quite different.  He was bombed out of a wagon somewhere in Northern Germany but than made it to Hamburg by hitching lifts.

His papers had been burnt so he made himself out to be a, "Free Worker", which was voluntary, so, in this way, he was able to keep going until he found a suitable cargo ship that needed a deckhand.  From there he made it to Finland and then up to Uppsala, Sweden to load magnetic  ore.

Whilst there, it was "short work", to make himself scarce until it was time to sail with the supply barges.  He hid in the hold until his ship was out of sight.  He sailed to Stockholm, where he worked for the embassies on their "listening in" service and so on to England in one of those light, mosquito planes.  George came back home with, "The Invasion", but just seemed to want to forget!!!!

As in Daniel's case, I did all the groundwork for George in relation to convincing him and others of his  genuine, legal status as far as receiving official recognition for his war effort.  However, neither George nor Daniel pursued it and consequently, did not receive  any official recognition!  It is beyond me to understand .............!

To be continued ...  

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