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This story appears courtesy of and with thanks to Marthe Janssen-Lyden and Tessa Steer.

In November 1946, Marthe came to England to visit her brother Marcel Leyder and his family. Her youngest sister, Jeanne, who lived in the United States of America, was also visiting. Marthe was particularly looking forward to a special reunion meeting with some of the men she had helped to save. This meeting was being organised by Major Biddlecombe, who had met my aunt while he was serving as Staff Officer of Passive Air Defence in Antwerp. Sadly, before this reunion could take place, Marthe was taken ill and collapsed whilst visiting his home in South Croydon on 10th November 1946 (Remembrance Sunday). She died on the way to hospital. The strain she had undergone during the war had taken its toll and was without doubt a contributing factor to her premature death at the age of forty-six.
Marthe's funeral was held on Saturday, 16th November 1946, at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Wellesley Road, Croydon. I was considered too young to go but it must have been an impressive affair as it was attended by representatives of the War Office, the Royal Air Force Association, the British Legion*, the Women's Voluntary Service*, the Belgian Air Force, the Belgian Army and the Belgian Embassy, as well as family and friends. The Mayor and Mayoress of Croydon were also present. On the coffin, draped with the Union Jack and the Belgian Flag, was a wreath of Flanders poppies from the Air Ministry together with a wreath of chrysanthemums from the War Office.
After the war ended, Marthe, (together with many other resistance workers who had helped bomber crews escape or evade throughout Western Europe), was presented with certificates signed by Lord Tedder and by General Eisenhower as an acknowledgement of her services. She also received letters of thanks from the Soviet Government and from the Russian underground movement.
At this time, I was nearly five years old. I knew this lady as "Tante Marthe". Because our families had been separated by the war, I met her only this once. I remember a very warm loving person, full of life and so happy to see us. I looked forward to seeing Tante Marthe again but she never came... and everyone was so sad.

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