After the arrests of General Delestraint and Jean Moulin it was decided to send Brossolette, who had also been brought back to England, on another visit to France. Once again he was accompanied by Yeo-Thomas. This time their tasks were even more demanding, for they discovered that copies of incoming and outgoing radio messages which, contrary to instructions, had not been destroyed had been captured by the Germans together with a list of the names of prominent resistance figures.

During an eight-week stay Brossolette and Yeo-Thomas did much to achieve the decentralization of command within the resistance forces which was so clearly necessary. They also learnt how disastrously

ill-armed most of the maquis groups were and how difficult it was to convince French resistance leaders that their efforts were given serious attention in London when so few supply drops were made.

When he heard that Brossolette had been arrested Yeo-Thomas, who had formed a close friendship with him, decided he must return and rescue him. Yeo-Thomas's plan was to rescue Brossolette with the help of some perfect German-speakers who would wear German uniform. The plan never materialized and Brossolette was never rescued. Instead he committed suicide by jumping through a window. The reason for the failure was that Yeo-Thomas was betrayed and arrested at a prearranged rendezvous.

On four occasions I was trailed but threw off my followers. The first time was on the occasion of an appointment with Oyster (code name for fellow agent Georges Pichard) in front of the Madeleine. Neither of us was followed prior to meeting and as we walked off together we noticed a man who had been standing nearby, seemingly with nothing to do, fall in about twenty yards behind us. We ascertained that he was really following us by making a few detours, and having made sure that he was definitely interested, we made tracks back to the Madeleine Metro station arranging to part very suddenly; Oyster was to dive into the Metro and I was to cross rapidly over to the rue Royale, thus forcing our follower to choose between us. Our manoeuvre was carried out and the follower tacked on to me.

As I had an hour to kill, I took him for a fast, long walk - he was wearing a heavy grey overcoat and I am sure he must have lost some weight. Having given him a good run for his money, I dashed in the Printemps and I went down to the basement while he was being slightly held up by a group of shoppers, and having gained a lead, took one of the service passages reserved for employees, thus getting rid of my persistent follower.

On two other occasions I was picked up after contacts, but both times threw off my men very quickly, one by using the old trick of taking the Underground, getting out at a station, walking along the platform and suddenly jumping back into the train at the last minute.

On another occasion Brossolette (fellow agent Pierre Brossolette) and I had an appointment on the Boulevard Haussman with Necker (code name for agent Jacques Bingen). We met him and noticed that he was being tailed by no less than three men. He had not realised it and would not believe us so we proved it by walking fast, turning down the rue d'Argenson and again into the rue de la Boetie and waiting just round the corner in a big arched doorway; one by one our three followers came tearing round the corner and left us in no doubt as to their intentions. We then doubled on our tracks and made rapid plans to dodge our unwelcome friends.

We sent Necker off on his own into the rue Laborde before the three sleuths could come back on us. Brossolette and I then walked briskly towards Place St Augustin and agreed to separate and meet an hour later at the corner of Avenue de Villiers and Boulevard de Courcelles. As we arrived at Place St Augustin, we saw two velo-taxis and each jumped into one, thus leaving our followers with no means of catching us up.

Edward Yeo-Thomas was one of the most magnificent heroes of the war, a valued comrade, a dear friend, with intelligence and quiet and determined courage.