de Ridder, J

Rank:

Regiment:

Belgian agent?

Regimental No. & Battalion

Status:

Research Notes

On the Medal Roll Index there is Jules Charles de Ridder, Belgian Agent.

Belgian Agents were Belgian civilians in British service, but not with a regiment. They were working for the War Office or the British GHQ. Actually they were spies: Belgian Intelligence agents. Together with the French and the Belgian GHQ there were about 7 000 of them. One agent on four was arrested by the Germans (about 27%). This is about 1 900 agents of who 280 were shot by the Germans. This is 15% which is fairly high.

These agents worked together in networks. 60% of the spies who were shot were in British service. Ref: Belgian Agents

Over 100,000 Belgian refugees arrived in the UK between August and October 1914. A report by Derbyshire County Council in January 1915 stated that there were 750 Belgian refugees situated in 61 parishes across the county. Some councellors thought this an underestimate as there were 150 alone in Chesterfield. The Derbyshire Belgium Refugee Committee disbanded on 23rd May 1919. The total numbr of refugees that had been provided with hospitality in the county was 2,229 and involved 84 local village and town committees.