Initially, it was an invitation from the Euskal mendizale federazioa, which brings together hiking and climbing enthusiasts from Biscay and wanted the presence of the Friends of the Comète network, during its congress on October 21 and 22, to greet the memory of the smugglers, who during the Second World War, managed to cross…
Initially, it was an invitation from the Euskal mendizale federazioa, which brings together hiking and climbing enthusiasts from Biscay and wanted the presence of the Friends of the Comète network, during its congress on October 21 and 22, to greet the memory of the smugglers, who during the Second World War, managed to get dozens of Allied aviators across the Pyrenees, whose aircraft were shot down by German anti-aircraft defense.
On this occasion, Benat Olaizola, Frantxoa Aguerre and Dominique Aguerre, president of the Friends of the Comète network, were received by the mayor of Bilbao, Juan Maria Aburto. “He was very moved and touched by our initiative, because as a child, with his parents, he spent his vacations in Anglet,” says Dominique Aguerre. We were able to talk with him, because he knew the history of the Comète network very well and knew the leading role of the town of Anglet which hosted Comète’s headquarters in the Basque Country. »
A close link
The link was all the stronger because in 1941, a British consulate was established in Bilbao. “It was led by Michaël Creswell, the local representative of MI-9, a service responsible for assisting allied soldiers on their return to England. From the capital of Biscay, he was responsible for organizing the recovery operations of all the aviators of the Comète network. »
The three representatives of Comète were invited to sign the Bilbao guestbook and gave Juan Maria Aburto a letter from his Anglophone counterpart, Claude Olive, as well as the book “Anglet” and a copy of the comic strip “ The Comète network, the escape line for allied pilots” (Éditions Grand Angle), by Jean-Yves Le Naour (screenplay), Marko (storyboard) and Iñaki Holgado. (drawings).
Mountain solidarity
The three representatives of Comète also have strong memories of their meeting with the members of Euskal mendizale federazioa, which brings together 242 climbing and hiking clubs and has 42,000 members. “The president, Zigor Eguia, praised the work of our association for the work of memory and research carried out to find the paths by which the smugglers led the aviators, departing from Anglet, passing through Ustaritz, Larressore, Espelette and Maya del Baztan. This allowed 126 airmen to reach London. »
“We are very moved and even quite overwhelmed by the immense concern we received during this weekend,” confides Dominique Aguerre. The members of Euskal mendizale federazioa are great mountain dwellers. Their members are regulars at the highest peaks in the world. But for them, the notion of the risk of life and death between the 8,000 meters of altitude as on the Himalayas which they frequently encounter and the risk taken by the smugglers of the Comète network in the much lower peaks, is equal. »
The only regret for the trio of representatives of the Friends of the Comète network was that Geoff Cooper, one of the pillars of the association, was unable to make this trip to Bilbao. It’s probably just a postponement.
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