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So Close to Freedom : A World War II Story of Peril and Betrayal in the Pyrenees

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Title: So Close to Freedom : A World War II Story of Peril and Betrayal in the Pyrenees
Description: During World War II many escape-line organizations contributed to the Allied cause by funneling hundreds of servicemen trapped behind enemy lines out of occupied Europe. As the Germans tightened their noose around the escape lines and infiltrated them, the risk of discovery only grew for the servicemen who, in ever-increasing numbers, needed safe passage across the Pyrenees. In early 1944 two important escape-line organizations operated in Toulouse in southwestern France, handing over many fugitives to French passeur Jean-Louis Bazerque (“Charbonnier”). Along with several of his successful missions, Charbonnier's only failure as a passeur is recounted in gripping detail in So Close to Freedom. This riveting story recounts how Charbonnier tried to guide a large group of fugitives—most of them downed Allied airmen, along with a French priest, two doctors, a Belgian Olympic skater, and others—to freedom across the Pyrenees. Tragically, they were discovered by German mountain troopers just shy of the Spanish border. Jean-Luc E. Cartron offers the first detailed account of what happened, showing how Charbonnier operated, his ties with “the Françoise” (previously “Pat O'Leary”) escape-line organization, and how the group was betrayed and by whom. So Close to Freedom sheds light not only on the complex and precarious work of escape lines but also on the concrete, nerve-racking experiences of the airmen and those helping them. It shows the desperation of all those seeking passage to Spain, the myriad dangers they faced, and the lengths they would go to in order to survive.
Authors: Jean-Luc E. Cartron
Resource Type: eBook.
Subjects: World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, German, Escapes--Pyrenees
Categories: HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / World War II / General, HISTORY / Europe / France, HISTORY / Europe / Germany
Database: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
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  – Type: ebook-epub
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Header DbId: nlebk
DbLabel: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
An: 2015040
RelevancyScore: 1090
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: eBook
PubTypeId: ebook
PreciseRelevancyScore: 1090.09973144531
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  Data: So Close to Freedom : A World War II Story of Peril and Betrayal in the Pyrenees
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  Data: During World War II many escape-line organizations contributed to the Allied cause by funneling hundreds of servicemen trapped behind enemy lines out of occupied Europe. As the Germans tightened their noose around the escape lines and infiltrated them, the risk of discovery only grew for the servicemen who, in ever-increasing numbers, needed safe passage across the Pyrenees. In early 1944 two important escape-line organizations operated in Toulouse in southwestern France, handing over many fugitives to French passeur Jean-Louis Bazerque (“Charbonnier”). Along with several of his successful missions, Charbonnier's only failure as a passeur is recounted in gripping detail in So Close to Freedom. This riveting story recounts how Charbonnier tried to guide a large group of fugitives—most of them downed Allied airmen, along with a French priest, two doctors, a Belgian Olympic skater, and others—to freedom across the Pyrenees. Tragically, they were discovered by German mountain troopers just shy of the Spanish border. Jean-Luc E. Cartron offers the first detailed account of what happened, showing how Charbonnier operated, his ties with “the Françoise” (previously “Pat O'Leary”) escape-line organization, and how the group was betrayed and by whom. So Close to Freedom sheds light not only on the complex and precarious work of escape lines but also on the concrete, nerve-racking experiences of the airmen and those helping them. It shows the desperation of all those seeking passage to Spain, the myriad dangers they faced, and the lengths they would go to in order to survive.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Code: 940.5472430922
        Scheme: ddc
        Type: prePub
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, German
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Escapes--Pyrenees
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: So Close to Freedom : A World War II Story of Peril and Betrayal in the Pyrenees
        Type: main
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          Name:
            NameFull: Jean-Luc E. Cartron
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            NameFull: Jean-Luc E. Cartron
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2019
            – D: 05
              M: 02
              Type: profile
              Y: 2019
          Identifiers:
            – Type: isbn-print
              Value: 9781640121027
            – Type: isbn-electronic
              Value: 9781640121775
            – Type: isbn-electronic
              Value: 9781640121751
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: So Close to Freedom : A World War II Story of Peril and Betrayal in the Pyrenees
              Type: main
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