Madeleine Damerment
Encyclopedia
Madeleine Zoe Damerment (November 11, 1917, Lille
, France
– September 13, 1944, Dachau concentration camp) was a World War II
spy.
, the daughter of the Headpostmaster of Lille; following the occupation of France by the German
s in World War II
, her family became actively involved with the French Resistance
. The unassuming twenty-two-year-old Madeleine worked as an assistant to Michael Trotobas on the escape line set up by Albert Guérisse
. She helped downed British
airmen and others to escape France until 1942, when it is believed that one of her fellow resistance workers, Harold Cole
, betrayed the group and she had to flee to England
.
Once in England, Damerment volunteered to work with the Special Operations Executive
(SOE). Trained to be a courier for the "Bricklayer" network, on the night of February 28, 1944, she and agents France Antelme
and Lionel Lee were parachuted into a field near the city of Chartres
in France
. However, they had been betrayed and the waiting Gestapo
arrested them on landing. Shipped to Gestapo headquarters on the Avenue Foch
in Paris
, Damerment was subjected to examination and torture. On May 12, 1944 she was sent with several other captured SOE agents to the civilian prison for women at Karlsruhe
in Germany
. She was held there under horrific conditions until September 11 when she was abruptly transferred to Dachau concentration camp with fellow agents Eliane Plewman
, Yolande Beekman
and Noor Inayat Khan
.
At dawn on September 13, 1944, the day after their arrival in Dachau, the four young women were taken to a small courtyard next to the crematorium and forced to kneel on the ground. They were then executed by a shot through the back of the head and their bodies cremated
Following the end of the War, Madeleine Damerment's valiant contribution to freedom was recognized by her government with the posthumous awarding of the Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre
, and the Médaille de la Résistance
and by the British King's Commendation for Brave Conduct. She is recorded on the Brookwood Memorial in Surrey
, England
and as one of the SOE agents who died for the liberation of France, she is listed on the "Roll of Honor" on the Valençay SOE Memorial
in the town of Valençay, in the Indre
département of France
.
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
– September 13, 1944, Dachau concentration camp) was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
spy.
Biography
Madeleine Damerment was born in LilleLille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, the daughter of the Headpostmaster of Lille; following the occupation of France by the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
s in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, her family became actively involved with the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. The unassuming twenty-two-year-old Madeleine worked as an assistant to Michael Trotobas on the escape line set up by Albert Guérisse
Albert Guérisse
Major-General Comte Albert-Marie Edmond Guérisse, GC, KBE, DSO was a Belgian Resistance member who organized escape routes for downed Allied pilots during World War II under the alias of Patrick Albert "Pat" O'Leary, the name of a Canadian friend...
. She helped downed British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
airmen and others to escape France until 1942, when it is believed that one of her fellow resistance workers, Harold Cole
Harold Cole
Harold 'Paul' Cole , was a British soldier in World War II who became infamous as a traitor. He caused more damage and human suffering than any other British Traitor of World War II. He had been killed before he was ever able to face trial for Treason.Harold Cole enlisted in the British Army on 4...
, betrayed the group and she had to flee to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Once in England, Damerment volunteered to work with the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
(SOE). Trained to be a courier for the "Bricklayer" network, on the night of February 28, 1944, she and agents France Antelme
France Antelme
Major Joseph Antoine France Antelme OBE was one of 14 Franco-Mauritians who served in the Special Operations Executive , a World War II British secret service that sent spies, saboteurs and guerrilla fighters into enemy-occupied territory.After spying in Vichy-held Madagascar ahead of the allied...
and Lionel Lee were parachuted into a field near the city of Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. However, they had been betrayed and the waiting Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
arrested them on landing. Shipped to Gestapo headquarters on the Avenue Foch
84 Avenue Foch
Number 84 Avenue Foch was a building in Paris used by the Gestapo during the German occupation of Paris in World War II.The location is found on Avenue Foch, a wide residential boulevard in the XVIe arrondissement which connects the Arc de Triomphe and the Porte Dauphine.During the German...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Damerment was subjected to examination and torture. On May 12, 1944 she was sent with several other captured SOE agents to the civilian prison for women at Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She was held there under horrific conditions until September 11 when she was abruptly transferred to Dachau concentration camp with fellow agents Eliane Plewman
Eliane Plewman
Eliane Plewman was a French SOE agent and member of French resistance.Plewman was born Eliane Browne-Bartroli in Marseille. The daughter of an English father and Spanish mother, she was educated in England and in Spain...
, Yolande Beekman
Yolande Beekman
Yolande Beekman was a World War II spy.-Early life:...
and Noor Inayat Khan
Noor Inayat Khan
Assistant Section Officer Noor Inayat Khan / Nora Baker, GC, MBE , usually known as Noor Inayat Khan was of Indian Muslim origin...
.
At dawn on September 13, 1944, the day after their arrival in Dachau, the four young women were taken to a small courtyard next to the crematorium and forced to kneel on the ground. They were then executed by a shot through the back of the head and their bodies cremated
Following the end of the War, Madeleine Damerment's valiant contribution to freedom was recognized by her government with the posthumous awarding of the Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, and the Médaille de la Résistance
Médaille de la Résistance
The French Médaille de la Résistance was awarded by General Charles de Gaulle "to recognise the remarkable acts of faith and of courage that, in France, in the empire and abroad, have contributed to the resistance of the French people against the enemy and against its accomplices since June 18,...
and by the British King's Commendation for Brave Conduct. She is recorded on the Brookwood Memorial in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and as one of the SOE agents who died for the liberation of France, she is listed on the "Roll of Honor" on the Valençay SOE Memorial
Valençay SOE Memorial
The Valençay SOE Memorial is a monument to the members of the Special Operations Executive F Section who lost their lives for the liberation of France. The memorial was unveiled in the town of Valençay in the Indre département of France on May 6, 1991, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the...
in the town of Valençay, in the Indre
Indre
Indre is a department in the center of France named after the river Indre. The inhabitants of the department are called Indriens.-History:Indre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
département of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.