Below are the files from the Allied National Archives providing valuable information to piece together Pierre Schon’s eventful journey. If you plan to use or publish any of the documents, please get in touch with the relevant archives to request any necessary authorisations. The file references and email contact addresses are provided below.
National Archives of Luxembourg
File numbers CDRR-01-3054 and EPU-01-18194. Email: service.reproduction@an.etat.lu
References and document description:
Ref. L-M-69/84
Conseil national de la résistance. Award of Medaille de l’ordre de la résistance 3 January 1970
Conseil national de la résistance. Form patriotic activities. 7 October 1969
Union resistance questionnaire about patriotic activities, Not dated
Daily Gestapo wanted list. (Fahndungsliste)
Newspaper article Resistenz im hohen Norden
Newspaper article in La Meuse Belge August 1945. L’amitié Belgo-Luxembourgeoise
Avis Conseil National de la Résistance. Award of the medal Croix de l’ordre de la résistance
Photo 12 June 1944 LPL members with allied airmen at Limerlé station in Belgium
Documents Ministère de l`épuration 1947
Letter from 6th Commission of administrative enquiry 13 August 1947 proposing Pierre Schon be honoured
Newspaper article 5 August 1945. L`asile de Marloie
Certificate of recognition (GB) from the Allied Expeditionary Force. 15 July 1946
Certificate from Sebastian Schmitz about the activities of Pierre Schon in the resistance. 5 Febrary 1946
Confirmation from Arille Thys about the resistance activities of Pierre Schon. 31 January 1947
Letter from the French government awarding the Recognition medal to Pierre Schon. 10 December 1947
Four page handwritten letter from Pierre Schon from 2 March 1947 to the Epuration Commission about his activities in the resistance
State Archives of Belgium
File nos. Police des Etrangers No. A39221 and Résistant armé F1944 No. 2720 Pierre Schon. Email: repro@arch.be
Police des Etrangers:
Request for a Belgian ID card, Verviers 16 January 1937
Copy of Belgian ID card issued on 8 August 1936
Report and feedback from the local authority Verviers 16 January 1937
Letter confirming work permit for Pierre Schon, valid until 28 February 1939
Confirmation of change of address to Brussels 2 December 1938
Résistant armé (armed member of the resistance) Pierre Schon:
Confirmation from the Ministery of Defence dated 24 February 1950, that the commission granted Pierre Schon the status of armed resistant from 15/05/1943 to 15/10/1944
Confirmation from the head of group Jules Dominique dated 27 December 1947 about Pierre Schon`s affiliation in the Belgian resistance
Confirmation from the Ministry of Defence dated 19 June 1970 about Pierre Schon being an armed member of the resistance in Les Insoumis section
Confirmation from the Office of the Resistance dated 10/02/1950 about the period of active service in the Resistance
Confirmation from Jules Dominique order no. XI/1278 about Pierre Schon`s activities in the Belgian resistance
Letter from the Ministry of Defence dated 20 January 1970 confirming the award of the medal for being a volontary fighter in the war – Médaille Commémorative de la Guerre 1940 – 1945 with two crossed swords
File no. Résistant armé Jules Dominique SRA BE-A0547_2674_AA1333. Email: repro@arch.be
Résistant armé (armed member of the resistance) Jules Dominique
Confirmation from the head of group Camille Buysse about Jules Dominique
Confirmation from the Ministry of Defence dated 20/06/1950 about the period of active service in the resistance
Confirmation of recruitment from Camille Buysse dated 11/12/1947
Confirmation from the MNB about cooperation between MNB and Luxembourg resistance movements dated 30/10/1947
Confirmation from Les Insoumis that only Jules Dominique`s group of Luxembourg resistant fighters belonged to the group dated 20/09/1950
Confirmation from Charles Janne about Jules Dominique dated 15/12/1947
Confirmation from priest Vincent, resistance member, about Jules Dominique dated 08/10/1947
Confirmation from Augustin Roblain, Service Zero member, about Jules Dominique dated 30/11/1947
Confirmation from Ferdinand Fischbach about Jules Dominique
Confirmation from Nic Welter from OF Antwerp about Jules Dominique dated 18/11/1947
Confirmation from Charles Diederich about Jules Dominique
Confirmation that Jules Dominique is awarded the Croix de Guerre medal from Belgium dated 20/06/1948
French archives. Archives diplomatiques du Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères – La Courneuve
File no. 124 SUP/373. Email: lecture.archives@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Letter from the French ministry in Luxembourg dated 21 March 1947 proposing Pierre Schon receive the French Medal of Recognition
Letter dated 10 April 1947 from the Ministry Plenipotentiare proposing Pierre Schon receive the French Medal of Recognition
Digital Public Library of America. Records of Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, United States Army (World War II)
https://dp.la/item/1ce079d27187c13c3f9d811cbcc0ac3b
Certificate of commendation from General Eisenhower for assisting the escape of allied soldiers from the enemy
Detailed documents
Certificate from Sebastian Schmitz, head of section Luxembourg resistance, about Pierre Schon’s activities in the resistance. 22 August 1945
Letter from the American Red Cross 14 January 1946
Handwritten letter from Pierre Schon requesting he be provided with some clothes to replace the ones he gave to allied airmen dated 15 December 1946
Questionnaire for helpers from HQ European Theatre of Operations Military Intelligence service detailing how Pierre Schon helped allied airmen
Polish Archives – Archiwum Akt Nowych w Warszawie
UK National Archives (TNA)
Below is an overview of several British SOE missions conducted in 1944 in close coordination with the Belgian resistance. Research made by Dr. Hywel Maslen, experienced archival researcher specialised in history.
1. Bassianus (May 1944) – Field Name: Violette
Deployed to Belgium in May 1944, the agent known as Violette joined the Nelly network with the goal of instructing resistance members in sabotage. The main focus was to disrupt German rail transport, particularly through train derailments. These actions were designed to slow troop movements and supply lines as part of the wider effort to prepare for the D-Day invasion. Bassianus was one of several missions intended to intensify pressure on the occupying forces, using technical expertise and local coordination to inflict maximum disruption.
Reference: HS 6/51
Description: BASSIANUS mission: Alphonse Mabille. Date: 1944
2. Mencrates (April/May 1944) – Field Name: Hortense
Hortense arrived in Belgium during spring 1944 to work within the Nelly circuit. Her objective was to facilitate acts of sabotage against German infrastructure. She helped to establish plans and coordinate efforts aimed at undermining the enemy’s ability to communicate and transport materials across the region. Working with resistance units, Hortense played a role in ensuring the networks remained active and destructive in the build-up to the Allied landings in Normandy.
Reference: HS 6/148
Description: MENCRATES mission: P Davreux, Date: 1944
3. Messala (June 1944) – Field Name: Huguette
To reinforce the sabotage structure in Belgium, the SOE launched the Messala mission in June 1944. Huguette, the operative in the field, was sent to rebuild and guide sabotage activity in the region. Her work involved restoring lines of command, rearming local groups, and ensuring that efforts to disrupt railway lines were sustained. By reestablishing the groundwork laid by the earlier Nelly mission, Messala strenghten the resistance’s capacity to delay and damage enemy movements during a pivotal point in the war.
Reference: HS 6/149
Description: MESSALA mission: dislocation of railways; J A Rolin, Date: 1944
4. Polonius (January 1944) – Field Name: Belt
In early 1944, the SOE introduced the Polonius mission to support efforts near Nivelles. Belt, the operative on the ground, was embedded with the Tybalt network to improve communications and tactical cohesion. This role focused on strengthening the organisational framework ahead of a larger push for coordinated sabotage. Belt’s presence ensured resistance cells remained interconnected, agile, and ready for action when the time came to strike vital enemy assets.
Reference: HS 6/170
Description: POLONIUS mission: R P E Hiersoux, Date: 1943
5. Priam (May/June 1944) – Field Name: Hubertine
Hubertine was sent to Belgium during the late spring of 1944 to provide specialist instruction in sabotage techniques. Her mission, codenamed Priam, involved passing on skills such as explosives handling, targeting supply routes, and evading German detection. The goal was to prepare local forces for coordinated strikes in the run-up to D-Day. Her training laid the foundation for successful acts of resistance which would go on to disrupt Axis logistics throughout the region.
Reference: HS 6/176
Description: PRIAM mission: L J Stroobants, Date: 1944
6. Vergillia (February 1944) – Field Name: Nelly
Nelly was the field name for the central figure in the Vergillia mission, which began in February 1944. Operating at the intersection of SOE command and Belgian intelligence, she was tasked with overseeing sabotage operations intended to cripple German transport infrastructure. Her network aimed to cause maximum disruption to rail and road systems in the lead-up to the Allied landings. Nelly’s leadership ensured that Belgian resistance played a decisive role in paralysing the enemy’s response capacity at a critical moment.
Reference: HS 6/207
Description: VERGILLIA mission: Jules Guillery Date: 1943-1945
