formed in 1942: le
Comité Clandestin de Coordination de la Resistance d'Anvers(
Illegal commitee for the coordination of the Antwerp resistance)
commander for the civilian forces:
Kolonel Norbert Laude (arrested 25/08, liberated 04/09 by the resistance)
commander of the armed forces:
luitenant Reniers, codename Réamur (later became General after the war)
assisting luitenant Reniers for Partizan and militia affairs:
Edouard Pilaet, codename Francois
in charge of Antwerpen harbour:
Eugène Colson, codename Harry
25/08/44: Gestapo arrests Reniers and Pilaet, a couple of days later they were rescued by Canadian forces
as in every resistance group they recieved their messages listening to the BBC:
messages concerning the allied attack on Antwerpen:
1st message recieved on September 1st 1944: Le fermier a mis ses gros sabots (general alert)
2nd message recieved on September 2nd 1944: Les narcisses jaunes sont en fleur (distribute arms and take your positions)
3rd message recieved on September 3rd 1944: Pour Francois la lune est claire (action!)
statue for Urbain Reniers
Preparations concerning the port were communicated with the British forces in London.
Mostly the preparations consisted of de-arming dynamite, cutting wires etc
To help coordinating and communicating with London, London sent 2 secret agents: the Waddington brothers
At the end, the resistance achieved it's primary goal: delivering Antwerp(en) Port to the Allies fully functional.
to be continued
