24th August 1890
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Leia Haia Helfman is born
Possibly in Tecuci, Romania though some sources say she is Hungarian. Some sources give an alternative birthdate of 27/08/1890
Birth of Meier (Marcel) Ancel
In Tecuci, Romania. The older brother of Simon Rene - changed his name to Marcel as the threat to Jews increased
Marcel, René and Leia arrive in Belgium
Leia moved from Paris to Antwerp for work
René is called up for National Service
René is called up to join the 91st Infantry Regiment at LAON
18th -23rd September 1942
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Arrest, deportation to Auschwitz and death of Leia
Leia was arrested and held at Drancy, Paris (date unknown but possibly 16th July 1942 [le grande rafle]). On the 18th September 1942 she was put on a train to Auschwitz. It is believed she was murdered on arrival on 20th September (some sources give the date as 23rd September 1942)
René (Simon) Escapes from France for Spain
Following a warning from an acquaintance in the Marseilles police that the Nazis had discovered he was Jewish, René decides to attempt to cross the Pyrenees on foot with a companion.
16th January 1943
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René is arrested in Spain
Held in Pampelune prison until 31/01/43 then under house arrest in Burguet and then Lecumberri until 16/04/1943. Then transferred to Miranda prison camp where he was kept until 09/06/1943 when he was taken to Madrid and then on to Gibraltar
René Ancel reaches the UK
Having boarded a ship in Gibraltar (HMS Highland Princess) he disembarks at Greenock, Scotland
21st - 29th July 1943
until 29th July 1943
René attends Patriotic School, Camberley
Foreign civilians arriving in the UK were interrogated at the Royal Patriotic School in Wandsworth. René's story was accepted and he was sent for SOE Training.
7/8/9th July 1944
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René is parachuted into France on an SOE flight
Using the alias René Durville (codename Moisseneuse) René is dropped from an RAF Hudson out of RAF Tempsford at Region 1 Gigny sur Saone (Saone et Loire) on Mission Cannelle/John60 to train and organise the Maquis and arrange parachute drops of arms.
There are five men dropped all either SOE or BCRA
4th September 1944
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Liberation of Sennecey-le-Grand
René takes part in the battle to liberate Sennecey-le-Grand and the following day helps to liberate Chalon-sur-Saone. He is mentioned several times in the contemporary accounts in the book the Maquis de Corlay
prior to june 1946 (exact date unknown)
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René visits Buenos Aires on a business trip
According to the BCRA files René approached the Embassy in Buenos Aires in June 1946 offering to courier any documents they wished to the Paris HQ as he was visiting France on business
16/17th April 1948
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The incident at L'aerium de Chabannes
The director of L'aerium de Chabannes, a santorium for poor and malnourished children, is found dead. His mistress who works at the institute is arrested on suspicion of murder. On the night of the death Rene is having dinner nearby with the wife of the deceased
René takes part in the battle to liberate Sennecey-le-Grand and the following day helps to liberate Chalon-sur-Saone. He is mentioned several times in the contemporary accounts in the book the Maquis de Corlay