Lucie Jeanne Vanosmael was born January tenth 1925 to a Roman Catholic family. Her grandfather was a soldier of the Vatican and she went to a convent school where her strict upbringing was continued with an even stricter education. The war broke out when she was 14 and in 1940 she joined the Belgian resistance movement aged just 15.
Her father (Guillaume) gained Lucie a position in a department store called the 'Bon Marché'. There the young Lucie was overheard one lunchtime in the canteen talking with a girlfriend. Lucie's friend shared news that Germany was invading Belgium and Lucie, incensed by the possibility boldly declared, if they did invade she would personally fight them with anything that came to hand. Already she was determined to repay the angony her father suffered as a consequence of the first war. The incident was reported to the store owner by another employee seated nearby. Lucie was quietly summoned to his office later and the conversation rehearsed again with the result Lucie was recruited to the resistance. The store owner was already forming a movement called the Front De L’Independence to defend Belgium, he was a friend of Guillaume and served with him in the First War. Perhaps knowing Guillaume's spirit convinced him of Lucie's worth though so young. Lucie played her part in his decision by forging her papers so she could be considered old enough to join.
She was code named ‘Lulu’ and put to use in reconnaisance operations spying on troops, stores and ammunitions dumps and reporting back to her superiors. Later she became an armed resistance fighter destroying bridges, ambushing troops and repatriating downed airmen. By the time she was seventeen she knew what it was to kill in anger. She also helped blow up Schaerbeek Railway Station, packed with German troop trains at Christmas.
Lucie often spoke vividly of the different groups involved in repatriating fliers and how men were clothed and transported and equipped with false documents. She spoke of her recollections working with the famous Comet Line and the Jean Pierre Line whose founders were both friends of hers.
But towards the end of the war she was arrested whilst working as a courier and turned over to the Gestapo. She underwent intense questioning and torture, left in a cold cell up to her waist in water for three to four days at a time with no food or water. She never betrayed those whose lives depended upon her, even when they tied her to a stake to be shot. Eventually Lulu was transported to Germany to a labour camp near the Dutch border. She was put to work in a factory making munitions and shot whilst trying to escape. Starving and malnourished she was treated by German doctors and recovered sufficiently to successfully escape jumping from a lorry whilst being transported back for work.
Lulu evaded capture for nearly six weeks making her way on foot to nearby Holland travelling mostly at night and sleeping in any bolt hole she could find during the day. She stole anything she could to eat, mostly raw eggs and vegetables. In Holland she made contact with the Dutch resistance who aided her repatriation to Belgium where she was hidden by her commander while she recovered. She lost so much weight her father decided to wait for considerable improvement in Lulu's condition before telling her mother Lulu was in fact, alive.
By now the war was drawing to a close and Lucie petitioned her commander to be active in 'the last push'. The 2nd battalion of the British army neared Belgium and the armoured division of the Welsh Guards led the way heading for Brussels. Lulu met with those first four tanks which were led by the now deceased Major General Sir Phillip Ward, she rode on the lead vehicle against opposing fire. She led them into the city to the acclaim of joyful and now liberated Belgian citizens. Many years later Lulu met up with Sir Philip quite by chance and to their mutual amazement when they discovered who they were. The reunion was a warm and remarkable event.
After the war Lucie was re-recruited by her former commander to serve again, this time locating collaborators, compiling dossiers and forming charges against them. She arrested suspects and testified against them in the Palais de Justice.
On the 23rd of June 1946 she married her first husband in Brussels and shortly after left for England. But one repatriated flier later returned to Brussels with his wife and children looking for Lucie to thank her. He met with a former comrade of Lucie’s called Alida who explained Lulu had married and moved to England. Too late the grateful flier left Alida with a silver RAF fliers ring to pass on if ever she saw her again. In 1977 Lucie returned to Belgium with her young son Peter and was reunited with Alida who produced the ring and gave it to Peter which he has always kept.
Lulu received fourteen honours for her part in the struggle of her people. She continued her work voluntarily in the UK for her organisation the Front de L’Independence and the Belgian Embassy. She also gave talks to ex-servicemen organisations and other interested groups sometimes speaking to several hundred people. She often met with ex SAS and naval intelligence officers who confirmed many of her experiences and deep knowledge. In considerable demand for talks she faced the struggle of constantly remembering what she'd tried so hard to forget but payments were often forwarded which allowed her to support favourite charities and so she continued for many years.
In later life she was victim to many unfortunate ailments but remained colourful to the last. She was compassionate, always ready to aid family and friends, hard working and a much-loved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She is sorely missed.
