Activities Secret Army (Belgium)

british parachute drops of weapons , supplies resistance in countryside near brussels

the group s leaders attempted forge contacts belgian government in london , british special operations executive (soe) , mi9. in 1942, claser travelled london in person bring organisation contact both belgian , british authorities. belgian government, however, distrusted intentions of belgian legion. although expanding rapidly, belgian legion beset internal political disputes. arrests of leading resistance members destabilised movement. liberation, claser, lentz , bastin had been arrested.

in 1943, belgian legion changed name army of belgium (armée de belgique or leger van belgië) , subsequently secret army (armée secrete or geheim leger) in june 1944. between 1943 , 1944, majority of aid sent resistance in occupied belgium delivered group. in exchange, however, group had subscribe government s strategic plans avoid confrontation germans until shortly before liberation of belgium when group tasked providing tactical allied forces. relations between belgian government , secret army remained tense throughout war, however, neither party trusting other. in february 1944, jules pire took on leader , began restructure group s leadership , make more cohesive. part of attempt resemble official army, group adopted own form of uniform in april 1944.

shortly after d-day in june 1944, secret army ordered begin sabotaging railway , communications networks. other groups including front de l indépendance , witte brigade, secret army personnel played important role in capture of port of antwerp in september 1944 before arrival of canadian troops, preventing germans destroying installation prepared retreat.

at height in 1944, secret army had many 54,000 members across belgium. around 4,000 members of secret army killed during occupation. after liberation, many members of secret army incorporated re-formed belgian army s new fusilier battalions. many 80 percent of 53,700 soldiers in battalions had been members of secret army or small national royalist movement.