This part of the website concerns the ordinary (and often extraordinary) citizens of the countries occupied by the Nazis who came to the aid of Allied airmen shot down and on the run. The links below will take you to list of the respective country.
Search This Site
Pages
- Home
- Evasion of Tom Applewhite
- Air Force Service
- Illustrated Description of Tom’s Evasion of Capture
- Publications By and About Tom Applewhite
- Fellow Evaders, Helpers, and Norwegian Sailors
- Postwar Reunions with Helpers
- Applewhite Remembered in Literature
- Maps of the Initial Part of Tom’s Escape Route
- Concert in Memory of Tom Applewhite and Peek de Noo
- Links
- Aerial Battles
- Aerial Reconnaissance
- Allied Aircraft Crashes in The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France, Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, and Germany
- B-17, B-24, B-25, and P-51 Tours
- Battle Casualties
- Belgium – General
- Book Publishers – World War II Subjects
- Books Digitized
- Books Used – WWII
- Calculator for Dates, Seasons, Moon Phases, and Sunrise/Sunset
- Coastal Defenses
- Dutch Nicknames, First Names, and Surnames
- Engelandvaarders (Dutch Patriots to England)
- Escape and Evasion Website Links
- Forced Labor Camps
- History
- Holocaust
- International Mail Addressing
- Libraries and Library Databases
- Luftwaffe
- Merchant Marine
- Ministries of Defence
- Museums/National Monuments and Aerospace Museums
- Newspaper Archives, Obituaries, City Directories
- People Searches, Social Security Death Index
- Personal Narratives and Videos
- Prisoners of War
- Resistance (Verzet)
- Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, etc.
- Soldiers and Civilians Killed
- Telephone Databases
- U-boats
- United States Army
- War Graves, War Graves Adoption
- World War II
- World War II Airborne Forces
- World War II Airmen in Concentration Camps
- World War II Archives
- World War II Awards, Medals, Decorations, Insignia
- World War II Battles
- World War II BBC Secret Messages to Resistance
- World War II Belgium
- World War II Bombing Strategy
- World War II Canada
- World War II Channel Islands
- World War II Collaborators & Foreign Volunteers
- World War II Combined Operations
- World War II Conferences
- World War II Contrails
- World War II – Denmark
- World War II – Displaced Persons, Evacuated Children
- World War II Documentaries
- World War II Dog Tags
- World War II Everyday Life
- World War II Executions and Deportations
- World War II False ID
- World War II France
- World War II Generals
- World War II – German Military
- World War II German Victims of the Nazis
- World War II Intelligence, SOE
- World War II Irish in Resistance
- World War II Italy
- World War II Lend Lease
- World War II Letters, Correspondence, and Handwritten Reflections
- World War II Looted Art
- World War II Magazines
- World War II Hidden Escape Rooms
- World War II Memorials and Overseas Cemeteries
- World War II Message Boards and Forums
- World War II Military Maps
- World War II Missing in Action
- World War II Movies
- World War II Netherlands
- World War II New Zealand
- World War II Nurses
- World War II Orphans of WWII U.S. Military
- World War II Parachutes
- World War II Photographs
- World War II Prisons
- World War II Propaganda
- World War II Radio Broadcasts
- World War II Railways, Railway Stations, Historical Associations
- World War II Research Institutes
- World War II Reunions of Military Units
- World War II Secret Agents & Resistance Leaders
- Word War II Timeline
- World War II Traitors, Collaborators
- World War II Underground Newspapers (Clandestine Press)
- World War II Uniforms
- World War II United States Army Air Forces (USAAF)
- World War II Veterans – Netherlands, Belgium, France
- World War II Veterans – U.S.
- World War II War Brides
- World War II War Criminals
- World War II – Women in the Resistance
- World War II – Women of Bletchley Park
- World War II – Women in World War II
- WWII Escape and Evasion Research
- Aircraft Crash Records and Crash Sites
- Luftwaffe Fighter Claims of Downed Aircraft
- National Archives Research (U.S.)
- Escape and Evasion Reports Available On Line
- Index of E and E Reports, #249-319
- Index of E and E Reports, #320-385
- Index of E and E Reports, #386-445
- Index of E and E Reports, #446-499
- Index of E and E Reports, #500-559
- Index of E and E Reports, #560-624
- Index of E and E Reports, #625-689
- Index of E and E Reports, #690-750
- Index of E and E Reports, #751-815
- Index of E and E Reports, #816-880
- Index of E and E Reports, #881-944
- Index of E and E Reports, #945-1000
- Appendix C – Part of Escape and Evasion Reports
- Notes on Using the Textual Research Room
- Two Steps Every Researcher Should Take
- Belgian Helper Files by Box Number
- Dutch Helper Files by Box Number
- French Helper Files by Box Number
- Airmen Helper Questionnaires
- Prisoner of War (POW) Records
- Enlistment Records
- Veterans Service Records
- Hiring a Professional Researcher
- Escape and Evasion Reports Available On Line
- Dutch National Archives List of American Airmen Shot Down Over The Netherlands Who Evaded Capture
- Sources Consulted
- U.S. Census Records
- Smit-van der Heijden Line
- Connections to Other Escape/Intelligence Lines
- Aid Given to People in Need
- Chronology of the Smit-van der Heijden Line
- Members of the Smit-van der Heijden Line
- Cafés, Hotels – Centers of Resistance Activity
- Karst Smit – Reports by and about him
- Articles About the Line
- Arrest, Prison, Concentration Camps
- Interview with Karst Smit, July 6-7, 2002
- Recognition for Their Achievements
- Memorials to Victims of the Nazis
- Research Help Requests
- Eugene van der Heijden – Writings by and About Him Plus Interviews
- Hilvarenbeek and the Pilot Route
- Tilburg Police Report
- Schrynemakers Family in WWII
- WWII Escape and Evasion Topics
- Crash Sites in Belgium
- Dangerous Mistakes of Evading Airmen
- Engelandvaarders
- Escape Aids
- Escape and Evasion Books
- Escape and Evasion Instructions
- Escape and Evasion Websites
- Evasion Statistics – Airmen
- False ID Used by Airmen and Helpers
- False Soir, The (Le faux Soir)
- German Agents Among Airmen
- Traitors, Betrayers, Collaborators
- Interviews
- Govt. Reports
- Personal Narratives
- Phantom Train
- Allied Airmen on the Phantom Train
- Minute-by-Minute Account of the Phantom Train
- Report Concerning the Convoy of Sep. 3, 1944 at the Petite-Ile Station
- Phantom Train Reports by C. Lokker & Anne Brusselmans
- List of Prisoners of Le Train Fantôme (Phantom Train)
- Photographs of the Train
- Photographs of the Antagonists
- Belgian National Anthem as Sung by the Prisoners
- Helpers of Allied Airmen
- BELGIAN
- Index to Belgian and Luxemburger Helpers of Allied Personnel
- A-Names
- B-Names
- C-Names
- D-Names
- Belgian Helper Names, DABE-BERIDEUX to DE BORGHRAEVE d’ALTENA
- Belgian Helper Names, DEBORNONVILLE DEBOSKRE to DEFRATEUR
- Belgian Helper Names, DEFRANCE to DELEU
- Belgian Helper Names, DELEU to DEMEYRE
- Belgian Helper Names, DE MILDER to DE ROUBAIX
- Belgian Helper Names, DE ROUBAIX to DEVIGNE
- Belgian Helper Names, DEVIJN to DOCHAU
- Belgian Helper Names, DOCK to DUMON
- Belgian Helper Names, DUMONT to DYKERS
- E-Names
- F-Names
- G-Names
- H-Names
- I & J-Names
- K-Names
- L-Names
- M-Names
- N-Names
- O-Names
- P-Names
- Q-Names
- R-Names
- S-Names
- T-Names
- U-Names
- V-Names
- Belgian Helper Names, VAEREWYCK to VANDENBOSCH
- Belgian Helper Names, VANDENBOSCH to VANDERPLAETSEN
- Belgian Helper Names, VANDERPOEL to VAN GOBELSCHROY
- Belgian Helper Names, VAN GOETHEM to VAN MALDEREN
- Belgian Helper Names, VAN MALDEREN to VAUCHOT
- Belgian Helper Names, VAUTRIN to VERSCHUERE
- Belgian Helper Names, VERSCHUREN to VYVERMANS
- W-Names
- X,Y,Z – Names
- Belgian Helpers by Selected Cities and Towns
- Index to Belgian and Luxemburger Helpers of Allied Personnel
- CZECH and SLOVAK
- DANISH
- DUTCH
- British Index to Dutch Helpers of Allied Personnel
- Dutch Helper Names, AA to AVEZAATH
- Dutch Helper Names, BAAK to BIERHOF
- Dutch Helper Names, BIERHOF to BOUMA
- Dutch Helper Names, BOUMA to BIJZITTER (BYZITTER)
- Dutch Helper Names, CALS to CURFS
- Dutch Helper Names, DAALE to DIJKSTRA
- Dutch Helper Names, EBBINK to EYSINGA
- Dutch Helper Names, FASSEN to FUST
- Dutch Helper Names, GAAJETAAN to GIJZEN (GYJZEN)
- Dutch Helper Names, HAAFTER to HEY
- Dutch Helper Names, HEYBOER to HIJMANS (HYMANS)
- Dutch Helper Names, IBELINGS to IMBOS
- Dutch Helper Names, JAARSMA to JUTGENS
- Dutch Helper Names, KAA to KWINT
- Dutch Helper Names, LAAR to LEGGER
- Dutch Helper Names, LEISINK to LIJSER (LYSER)
- Dutch Helper Names, MAAL to MIJNHEER (MYNHEER)
- Dutch Helper Names, NAAKTGEBOREN to NIJZINK (NYZINK)
- Dutch Helper Names, OBBINK to OIJEN (OYEN)
- Dutch Helper Names, PAAPST to PIJPERS (PYPERS)
- Dutch Helper Names, QUANT to QUINT
- Dutch Helper Names, RAA to RIJSWIJK (RYSWYK)
- Dutch Helper Names, SAALMINK to SLEEUWENHOEK
- Dutch Helper Names, SLEUTJENS to SZERKOWSKI
- Dutch Helper Names, TACONIS to TIJTHOF (TYTHOF)
- Dutch Helper Names, UBACHS to UIJTHOVEN (UYTHOVEN)
- Dutch Helper Names, VAANDERING to VUYST
- Dutch Helper Names, WAAL to WYTEMA
- Dutch Helper Names, YPMA to YZERMANS
- Dutch Helpers, ZAALBER to ZYTHOFF
- Dutch Resistance Memorial
- Other Sources of Information on Members of the Resistance
- U.S. National Archives List of Dutch Helpers
- Digitized Dutch Helper List
- Dutch Helpers by Selected Cities and Towns
- Dutch Pastors who Aided Airmen
- North Brabant Helpers of Allied Airmen
- British Index to Dutch Helpers of Allied Personnel
- FRENCH
- French Helper Database
- French Helpers by Geographical Location
- A-Names
- B-Names
- French Helper Names: Babault – Baron
- French Helper Names: Baron to Beaurain
- French Helper Names: Beaurain to Berrier
- French Helper Names: Berringer to Bisiau
- French Helper Names: Bissay to Bollaert
- French Helper Names: Bollart to Bouillon
- French Helper Names: Bouillon to Braem
- French Helper Names: Bragard to Buzza
- C-Names
- D-Names
- French Helpers: Dabansens to Debeauvais
- French Helpers: Debeer to Deguine
- French Helpers: Deguisne to Deleplanque
- French Helpers: Delaporte to Denis
- French Helpers: Denis to Desjardins
- French Helpers: Desjardin to Dinahet
- French Helpers: Dincuff to Dubois
- French Helpers: Dubois to Dumont
- French Helpers: Dumont to Dziura
- E-Names
- F-Names
- G-Names
- H-Names
- I-Names
- J-Names
- K-Names
- L-Names
- French Helpers: Laatsman to Lambert
- French Helpers: Lambert to Latarget
- French Helpers: Lateur to Le Breton
- French Helpers: Lebreton to LeDuigou
- French Helpers: LeDuigou to Lejal
- French Helpers: LeJanne to Lepreux
- French Helpers: Leprince to Level
- French Helper Names: Level to Louchart
- French Helpers: Louche to Lyssandre
- M-Names
- N-Names
- O-Names
- P-Names
- Q-Names
- R-Names
- S-Names
- T-Names
- U-Names
- V-Names
- W-Names
- X, Y-Names
- Z-Names
- GERMAN
- HUNGARIAN
- LUXEMBURGER
- NORWEGIAN
- YUGOSLAVIAN
- BELGIAN
- Resistance Memorial Cross
- WWII Maps of Belgium, France, Netherlands
- Other Escape Lines
- Luctor et Emergo/Fiat Libertas
- Maps of Major Escape Routes Through France
- List of French Escape Lines
- Burgundy (Bourgogne) Line
- Comet Line (Le Réseau Comète)
- Dutch-Paris Line
- Groupe Hoornaert-Dirix
- Marie-Claire Line
- MNB (Belgian National Movement/Mouvement National Belge)
- PAT (Pat O’Leary) Line
- Possum Line
- Service EVA
- Shelburn (Shelbourne) Line
- WWII Films, Documentaries
- Sources Consulted
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- My Library
- Air War
- Belgium
- Blitzkrieg, Dunkirk, Fifth Column, Beginnings of WWII
- Britain
- Channel Islands, Atlantic Wall
- Collaboration
- Documents
- Domestic Conditions (US, UK, Germany)
- End of the War
- Escape and Evasion
- Forced Labor
- France
- German Navy
- Gibraltar
- Himmler, Gestapo, SD
- History of World War II
- Holocaust, Concentration Camps
- Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence, Espionage
- Nazi Leadership, Nazi Party
- Netherlands
- Norway, Norwegian Ships, Navigation
- Occupation of Europe
- Prisoners of War
- Prisons
- Propaganda, Psychological Warfare
- Pyrenees, Basques, St. Jean de Luz
- Radar and Radio
- Resistance
- Spain, Seville, Miranda de Ebro
- Special Operations – SOE, OSS
- Threats to Airmen: German Police
- U-Boats, Convoys, Raiders
- Escape & Evasion Books
- Sounds and Songs of WWII
- MISC. HELP REQUESTS
- RAFES Postal (Philatelic) Covers
- Personal Background
Hello. I am seeking information about Monsieur JH Maeger, Police Commissioner at Beyne-Heusay Belgium in 1943. I believe that my father (RAF Sgt John DH Carleton) stayed with Meager for 1 month in August 1943. Due to the bravery of Belgian & French Resistance helpers, Dad successfully evaded capture for 6 months, safely returning to the UK in January 1944. Is there any information available about what became of this man and his role in Belgian Resistance? Thank you.
John Carleton
Dear Mr. Carleton,
If you look at https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/helpers-of-allied-airmen/belgian-helper-list/index-to-belgian-helpers-of-allied-personnel/m-nanes/belgian-helper-names-maas-to-marnette/ on the website, you will see Mr. Meager listed as a helper of Allied airmen. His address is listed as 75 Grand’Route, Beyne-Heusay, Liege. After the war, the Allies used a system of rating the contribution of helpers, with Grade 5, that of Mr. Meager, as the most common (a Grade 1 would have been assigned to the head of a major escape line). It is very likely that National Archives II, in College Park, Maryland, has a file on him among the Belgian helper files. See https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/research/national-archives-research/ on the website for further information on the National Archives. You can order a copy of his file from them or use a professional researcher (see https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/research/national-archives-research/hiring-a-professional-researcher/). The Belgian WWII archive, CEGES-SOMA, may also have information on him (see http://www.cegesoma.be/cms/index_en.php) among other Belgian sources (see https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/links-to-other-escape-and-evasion-websites/world-war-ii-belgian-army/). I also suggest you contact Beyne-Heusay (http://www.beyne-heusay.be/fr) to see they can provide you with information on him, e.g., who the other members of his family were, and whether there is any local historical society that might have information on members of the Resistance in WWII. Once you have explored these sources and if you have any further questions, I can post them to to an Internet email group I belong to which specializes in WWII escape and evasion research.
Bruce Bolinger