Adam Hart, is a local historian and author of ‘Operation Pimento: My Great Grandfather’s Great Escape’

In 1943, Adam’s great grandfather, Frank Griffiths was shot down near Annecy, France. He was the only survivor of the crash and he spent 108 days on the run from the Nazis in occupied Europe, a journey through France, Switzerland and Spain. He never would have made it home were it not for the staggeringly brave French Resistance who hid, clothed and fed him and transported him under the noses of the Gestapo. Most of these ‘helpers’ were women. The role of women in the French Resistance is becoming more well known, but these characters who saved Frank have not had their stories told and they are the focus of Adam’s talk. Helene Gonin-Bastin, for example, was the proprietress of Ma Baraque, the restaurant/brothel Frank was hidden in for three days immediately after his crash. She entertained German and Italian soldiers in the bar downstairs while Frank lay in the loft listening!  Or Francoise Dissard, leader of an entire escape line who personally couriered 250 downed airmen south through France to the Pyrenees where she’d link them up with guides who’d walk them over the mountains to Spain. Francoise, who loved nothing but France and her cat, was a 62 year old, chain smoking asthmatic. She was considered ‘mentally unstable’ by the French police – such were her acting talents! When she couriered Frank, her bag was full of black market cheese stuffed with plastic explosive.  These are just two of the many courageous women who Adam will introduce us to during his talk.