The first of two ceremonies relating to Belgium saw Belgian Defence Attaché, Colonel Bruno Plaetsier, attend the SECRET WW2 annual remembrance ceremony at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey.

This year, the Network’s hosts were Colonel (ret’d) Nick Fox OBE (one of our Trustees) and volunteer Eddie Jones.

Nick addressed the gathering on the life and death of Belgian-born Lt Henri Gaillot, nicknamed “Grandpère” because of his age, who was caught while serving F (French) Section of SOE in occupied France. He was executed at Buchenwald concentration camp in 1944 and he is listed on Brookwood’s Memorial to the Missing 1939-45.

Wreaths were placed by Colonel Plaetsier on behalf of the Belgian Embassy in London; by Rudy Peleman on behalf of the Fraternelle des Parachutistes, abd Nick Fox on behalf of SECRET WW2.

Colonel Plaetsier continued on to the Belgian burial plot and then the monthly ceremony of the Brookwood Last Post Association.