Groupe G

General Sabotage Group of Belgium
Groupe G
Groupe Général de Sabotage de Belgique
Participant in the Belgian Resistance (World War II)
Active 1942-September 1944
Leaders Andre Wendelen (founder), Jean Burgers (founder) [1]
Area of operations Across Belgium
Size 4,046 (total)

The General Sabotage Group of Belgium (French: Groupe Général de Sabotage de Belgique), more commonly known as Groupe G, was a Belgian resistance group during the Second World War, founded in 1942. Groupe G's activities concentrated particularly on sabotage of German rail lines and it is widely considered to have been the most effective resistance group in Belgium during the period.[2]

History

Groupe G was founded in 1942, by a group of former students of the Free University of Brussels and its ranks were mainly filled by students.[2] Unusually for a resistance cell of the period, the unit's activities were not restricted to a single area as it operated across the country.

Actions

In 1944, Groupe G was responsible for a co-ordinated action on all high tension electric lines in Belgium.[2] This action alone is estimated to have cost German forces around 10 million man-hours of reparations before the communications were restored.

References

  1. ↑ O'Connor, Bernard (2013). *Sabotage in Belgium in World War Two*. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "A Brief - History of Belgian Resistance". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  • "Groupe G - Living History". Retrieved 26 December 2012.
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