Beschreibung:

Gallantry. A family group to fellow resistants: The King’s Medal for Courage group of five awarded to 2nd Lieutenant Thorkild Hansen, a Danish national who served in Special Operations Executive’s ‘DF’ escape section and in inter-related M.I. 9 operations Danish Medal for Participation in the War 1940-45, in its red A. Michelsen, Copenhagen card box of issue; Great Britain, King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom, unnamed as issued, in its Royal Mint case of issue; French Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gilt and enamel, in its case of issue; French Croix de Guerre 1939, with gilt star, in red leather presentation case; French Resistance Medal 1939-45, in a Diets, Paris case of issue, extremely fine The O.B.E. pair awarded to Mrs. Marguerite Holst, afterwards Mrs. Hansen, who was decorated for her services in Special Operations Executive’s ‘DF’ escape section and inter-related M.I. 9 operations, but more particularly for her role in the famous “Garrow-Pat O’Leary” escape line The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, on Lady’s riband bow; French Croix de Guerre 1939-1940, with bronze oakleaf, extremely fine NB Thorkild Hansen was born in Copenhagen in January 1900 and was working in France at the time of the outbreak of hostilities. Accompanying research and comparison of the below listed recommendations would seem to suggest that he first came into contact with his future wife - then Mrs. Marguerite Holst - in Marseilles as early as 1940, and that his subsequent wartime career followed a very similar course, namely employment by S.O.E. and M.I. 9 for the smooth-running of escape lines from France to Spain. The recommendations for his awards best summarise these activities: King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom: the original recommendation states: ‘This Danish civilian volunteered for the French Army at the outbreak of war. Taken prisoner, he escaped from a German prison camp in September 1940 and made his way to unoccupied France. He took part from the start in the work of a small resistance group in Marseilles but, considering this work to be insufficiently effective, Hansen went in September 1942 to Lisbon and made contact with a secret organisation. Here he was entrusted with the foundation of an organisation in France to arrange message lines from Belgium to Portugal, escape routes, dissemination of propaganda and other material, and the financing of circuits. This organisation subsequently developed into one of the biggest circuits in France. It was linked with a Spanish escape route responsible for the successful exfiltration from France of many Allied personnel. This work involved great difficulties and dangerous travelling with compromising material such as W./T. sets, forged papers for agents, and subversive propaganda. It was particularly hazardous for Hansen personally when his co-organiser disappeared in Paris. Although in poor health, he crossed the Pyrenees in July 1944 to report to his chief in Madrid. He then went back to France to continue his work behind enemy lines and was finally overrun by the advance of the liberating Allies.’ French Legion of Honour: an official decree of 6 May 1952 states: ‘A Danish citizen, Mr. Hansen, who is very francophile, has throughout the occupation given the strongest proof of his devotion to France. It is with desperate energy that he has, in such circumstances, fought the occupant, as much through his personal action than by the important organisation that he has set up on territory which was linked with the English Special Forces. Because of his bravery and his coolness, he has prevented the arrest of several French agents.’ French Croix de Guerre: an official decree of 10 November 1945 states: ‘The organiser of a network he established as early as April 1941, Hansen was in charge of the distribution of material and of the safe entry and evacuation of the personnel. The regional chie