The Comète Trail Reports

1992–2002: Tenth Anniversary of the Home-Run Challenges

By Elizabeth Harrison

In many histories of the Comète escape line you will find a faded photograph of Francia Usandizaga, a Basque widow with three young children, standing outside her isolated farmhouse near Urrugne on the French side of the Pyrenees. On 15 January 1943 the Gestapo arrested Dédée de Jongh, Francia, her Basque farmhand and three RAF evaders—Stan Hope, George Ross and Bill Greaves—at that house. The airmen finished the war in prisoner-of-war camps. The civilians were deported to concentration camps; only Dédée survived.

Exactly sixty years later, on 14 September 2002, sixty-seven walkers gathered in Francia’s courtyard for lunch at the start of the commemorative “Home-Run” weekend. Among them were Francia’s daughter Marie, grandchildren of Comète organiser Kattalin Aguirre, veteran passeur Paul Broué, teenagers tackling their first mountain crossing and non-walkers led by Andrée “Nadine” Dumon OBE. British participants included Gordon Mellor and Maurice Collins—former RAF evaders who had crossed these mountains during the war—and Dot Collins, Maurice’s wife. Emotions ran high as walkers and veterans honoured helpers at gravesides and memorials across the Basque countryside.

That afternoon the walkers left the cemetery at Ciboure, paused for a ceremony at the Urrugne town hall, then climbed to the Bidegainberri farmhouse where refreshments—and memories—flowed. Later everyone gathered at the River Bidassoa to cheer each walker across the fast-flowing border into Spain. The crossings were full of humour and relief, but memories of the wartime arrests on that very spot lent a solemn edge to the celebrations.

Over the following days the group visited family homes, wartime safe-houses and memorials across the region. They met Yvonne and Robert Lapeyre—key helpers in the Comète network—along with Florentino Goicoechea’s relatives and many other descendants who keep the story alive. Guy Barletta, a Frenchman who joined the RAF in 1940 and later escaped via Spain, guided the party with his local knowledge. The weekend closed with wreaths at Florentino’s grave and a final meal where gratitude, remembrance and international friendship blended effortlessly.

The 2002 walk demonstrated how the commemorative Comète Trail strengthens bonds between veterans, helpers’ families and new generations every year. It remains a moving tribute to the courage, endurance and solidarity shown by the people who kept the Comète escape line open throughout the war.

Further Accounts

The Comète Trail generates fresh reflections after each annual walk. Reports from 2002 onwards will be collated here as archives are digitised. If you would like to contribute your account or photographs, please contact the ELMS trail team.