Mourners honour French resistance heroine

Hundreds paid their last respects yesterday at the funeral of Andree Peel, inset, known as Agent Rose, who helped at least 100 British and American pilots flee occupied Europe and was about to be shot dead in a Nazi concentration camp when allied troops intervened.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Mar 2010, 08:24 BST
Updated 24th Mar 2010, 08:24 BST

Yesterday, family and friends from Britain and France gathered to say farewell at All Saints' Church in Long Ashton, near Bristol.

Mrs Peel's coffin, draped with both British and French flags, was led into the 14th century church by two Royal British Legion standard-bearers.

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A plaque adorned with medal honours awarded by French, American and British leaders was placed on top of her coffin.

Rev Ann Sargent led the ceremony, opening with a passage of scripture read in English and French. Her friend John Lowe read the first personal tribute to the heroine, from her great-nephew Francois.

He said: "You have survived the 20th century, maybe just to show how love and kindness will always win, despite the cruelty of mankind."

Born Andree Virot, she moved to this country after meeting future husband, psychologist John Peel.

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Liam Fox, Conservative MP for Woodspring, which said: "Mrs Andree Peel was an inspiration and an iconic figure whose personal courage showed what the human spirit is capable of in times of great adversity."

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