Organisations and sites with links to Escape & Evasion
There are many organisations dealing with subjects linked to escape and evasion in WW2.
The following sites may be good places to begin research, and we would be interested to receive further recommendations
Eden Camp WW2 Museum
Hosts the ELMS Annual Reunion and is the location of the ELMS Helper Memorial. There is an Escape Line display that has been contributed to by members of ELMS. The museum holds a large archive of Escape Line material.
Chemin de la Liberte
http://www.chemindelaliberte.com/
The Chemin de la Liberte Association host a Freedom Trail over the Pyrenees which is symbolic of the many routes that crossed the High Pyrenees during WW2. They have a museum and archives dedicated to the history of the routes, the helpers and the evaders.
Ligne Comete
Comete Kinship is an organisation for members of Comete and their families. There are also associate members. Comete Kinship hold archive information on The Comete Line.
Comete Line
Research Group Philippe Connart
Michel Dricot
Edouard Reniere
Victor Schutters
Authoritative and extensively researched site – tracing all aspects of the Comete Line history
Les Amis de Comete
www.cometepaysbasque.blogspot.com
Les Amis de Comete host the annual Comete Freedom Trail, in SW France, as a commemoration of the work of the Comete Line. The walk is attended by both veterans and walkers.
RAFES [Frank Haslam]
http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/rafescape/
The site records the history and key events of the Royal Air Forces Escaping Society up until its closure.
Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society
http://www.airforceescape.org/
Membership consists of the veteran escapers and evaders of the USAAF of WW2, their families and supporters. They hold archive information on the escapes and evasions of members and on various escape lines and helpers.
Belgium Information[John Clinch]
http://home.clara.net/clinchy/neeball.htm
A personal site specialising in information and research about escape, evasion and helpers in Belgium.
Possum Escape Line [Fred Greyer]
A personal site specialising in information and research about The Possum Escape Line.
National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
http://www.prisonerofwar.org.uk/
The John Weidner Foundation
http://weidnerfoundation.org/en/index.php/home/
This organisation specialises in information about the Dutch-Paris escape line.
WW2 Netherlands Escape Lines [Bruce Bolinger]
http://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/
A specialist, personal site recording history and information about the Dutch escape lines.
Monte San Martino Trust
The MSMT hold information about Italian escapers, evaders and helpers.
Allied Special Forces
https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/265134
The Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum (Staffordshire) commemorates those who gave their lives serving with Allied Special Forces.
Frankton Souvenir
http://musee.delaresistance.free.fr/en%20ligne/dossiers/frankton/assoce.html
Information about Operation Frankton and the annual trail commemorating the operation.
Carpetbaggers Museum
http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/CarpetbaggerMuseumHomePage.htm
Special Operations Museum
Il Sentiero della Liberta
http://www.ilsentierodellaliberta.it
Information about the Italian Freedom Trail, and archive information of POWs in Italy.
Coastal Forces Veterans Association [15th Flotilla pages]
http://www.coastal-forces.org.uk
Sea-based operations linked with actions of special forces and escape line networks.
Christopher Long’s Site[WW2 Pages]
http://www.christopherlong.co.uk/
This site is vast – there is a section on WW2 that includes information about the Pat O’Leary Line and other escape lines.
Yorkshire Air Museum
http://www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk/
RAF Elvington – WW2 Bomber Station – Archive – Museum
SOE – French Section – Research [1940-1945]
International Tracing Service
http://www.its-arolsen.org/en/homepage/index.html
Documentary evidence and records of the fates of victims of the concentration camp system and of Nazi persecution . Based in Bad Arolsen. Tracing service for families. Archives are available for research purposes.
Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove
http://www.memorialgrove.org.uk/
The site of the ‘Memorial Grove’ to the Special Forces at the National Memorial Arboretum – Alrewas – also covers Resistance groups and Partisan forces.
100th BGMichael Moores LeBlanc
100th Bomber Group research. Includes pages on escape and evasion.
The Great Escape [392 Bomber Group in POW research pgs]
http://www.b24.net/pow/stalag3.htm
Interesting site – has comprehensive coverage of the Great Escape in the POW Research / Sagan / Great Escape pages
Coastal Forces
http://secondworldwar.org.uk/mgb.html
Details of coastal operations linked to escape & evasion
Brian Lett – Italian ResearchRossano
http://www.brianlettauthor.com
WW2 history – especially Rossano region of Tuscany. Italian escape trails – Rossano Trail.
First Aid Nursing Yeomanry FANY
Women’s auxiliary service – support to the armed services – codists, signallers, administrative staff, agents – worked with SOE. Have archive material and research.
The Second World War Experience Centre
A UK registered Charity which exists to collect and encourage access to the personal testimony of men and women who lived through the years of the Second World War and the promote the use of this material for education.
How to Flee the Gestapo
Searching for the Dutch-Paris Escape Line
Historian & researcher Megan Koreman provides updates on her extensive research on the Dutch-Paris Line for the Weidner Foundation
Basque Pyrenees freedom Trails Association
www.bpftaww2.com/en/home/#about
Commemorates the work of the WW2 escape lines in the Basque Pyrenees