Yvon Michiels

Yvon Michiels, alias Jean Serment, started already in September 1940 with activities for different clandestine organizations and the intelligence network ‘Zéro’. In August 1942, he made several contacts with Comète via Baron Donny and became a leading collaborator of the chiefs of the Belgian Sector; Baron Jean Greindl and Count d’Ursel. In June 1943 he succeeded Count Antoine d’Ursel (alias Jacques Cartier) as the head of the Comète-line in Belgium and continued to direct the line until his departure to the UK on the 15^th of May 1944.

As head of the line he was responsible for directing it in all its complicated aspects. That is to say liaison with the other clandestine organizations for collection of pilots, controlling the airmen, supervising the security of the line, obtaining false papers and ration cards, selecting the personnel to be employed, briefing the airmen and raising and controlling the funds. Under his able direction the line was responsible for the evacuation of a large number of allied airmen. In addition to the aspects of the work already mentioned he had to make arrangements for the difficult crossing of the French-frontier.