URCHIN network and Edward Zeff «Matthieu» for the SPRUCE network, where they were joined by Marcel Clech «Bastien», radio operator for the AUTOGIRO network, and Victor Gerson «René», an SOE agent on a special mission to organise the VIC Escape Line. They travelled in HM Submarine P 42 “Unbroken” to Antibes where on the night of 21 April 1942 Churchill took Newman and Zeff and their radios to the shore by canoe, and led them to their contact Dr Élie Lévy. Churchill then returned to the submarine and dropped off Clech and Gerson by canoe at Pointe d’Agay near Fréjus Gerson and Clech went to Lyon where they met with SOE agent and American Virginia Hall. Gerson gradually built up an escape network to Spain with Lazare Rachline (Lucien Rachet) and Georges Levin, with Thérèse Mitrani in Lyon, René Feraggi in Marseille, and Jacques Mitterrand in Paris. He also installed groups in Perpignan and Montpellier. Gerson entrusted Rachline to exfiltrate the eleven SOE agents after they escaped from Mauzac prison on 16 July 1942 and made their way through Spain to England. The escaping agents included Michael Trotobas and Georges Bégué. On 19/20 August 1943 Gerson returned by plane to England, and on 14 September returned to France in a Hudson bomber which landed in France and was met by Henri Déricourt. Operating rules Gerson imposed strict rules on his members within the VIC escape line: Despite the circuit being penetrated three times by the Gestapo in June and October 1943 and January 1944, in which some members were arrested, the group was able to continue its activities. Gerson was arrested once while travelling on a train between Paris and Lyons, however his cover story was so convincing he was soon released. During the war he was infiltrated into France six times. Post war After the war he returned to Paris and resumed his activity in fine rugs and carpets. Recognition Distinctions United Kingdom: Distinguished Service Order (DSO), Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) France: Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur Monument A stone monument at Le Cerisier, Tendu (Indre) commemorates the clandestine parachute landing on 6 September 1941. Road name An avenue in Issy-les-Moulineaux (Hauts-de-Seine) is named after him. References External sources MRD Foot, English in the Resistance. British Secret Service of Action (SOE) in France 1940-1944, MRD Foot, Six Faces of Courage, Eyre Methuen, 1978 Sir