Burglars raid home of dead war heroine

FRIENDS of a French Resistance heroine yesterday condemned "despicable" burglars who raided her home days after her death.

Andre Peel, below, survived a Nazi firing squad and helped a string of British and American pilots flee occupied Europe.

Known as Agent Rose, she saved more than 100 lives and died at the age of 105 at her care home on 5 March.

Police were yesterday unable to confirm the burglary at her house in Long Ashton, near Bristol, but her friend Martin Fisher said he reported the incident to the force on Thursday evening. Fisher said it happened some time between Wednesday midday and late afternoon on Thursday.

"The police said at the time they thought it was despicable that anybody could even consider such a thing," he added.

"Because it was reported locally and nationally, a lot of people realised the house was empty."

Gerald Gregory, 81, a neighbour and friend of Peel, said: "The thing is, despite the fact she was a war hero, stealing from the dead is low-life. It made me mad when I found out. The lock was shattered by the force. I had the police here the day after it happened trying to get details."

He said copies of her autobiography, Miracles do Happen, were among the stolen items. They were later offered for sale at nearby public houses, he added.

Winston Churchill wrote Agent Rose a personal letter of congratulation, which had to be destroyed once she had read it for security reasons. She was awarded a second Legion d'Honneur last year in recognition of her bravery.

Born Andre Virot, she moved to England after meeting future husband, John Peel, who predeceased her. She had been living at the Lampton House care home in Long Ashton, Bristol, in the run-up to her death.