A BELGIAN HEROINE.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 August 1919, Page 3

A BELGIAN H EROINE.

DEFIANT EVEN IN DEATH, ‘ The body of ‘Gabrielle Petit, WHO sentenced to death for espionage ofl March 3, 1916, a.nd shot at the Tir National on March 31, at the age of 22, lay in state together with those of’ two other patriotis ‘Aime Smekens and Mathleu Bodson, at ‘Sphaerbeek, in the presellcc of :1 great?’ assembly, which inehided the British Minister and lnilitary attache, writes :1 correspondent from Brussels, under flute May 29. An enormous and impressive

_, then formed and, with the Coffins )n gun cal'l'ia.ges, Gabrielle Pvtit.’s zuving a~Union Jack mingled with the Belgian flag, proceeded to the church of Ste. Marie, where the I‘l.-neral servfce was held. The procession then ‘went to Schaerbcek cemetery, where the interment took place. The ceremony was in many ways even more I'emark{—lble than the funer 11 of Nurse Gavel]. '

Just before the procession left the town hall the Queen drove up and laid a wreath bearing the inscription “Albert an:l Elizabeth” at the foot of the czlta‘f:llque_ Then she pinned to the flags covering each "coffin the 101035 of the Order of Leopold. ‘ Gabrielle Petit was born at Tournui and was an assistant in a fur shop near Sainte Gufiule. .When her finzmcee xnas wounded at Liege, she nursed him to health and enabled him to rejrml the Belgkm army’ through Holland‘. .-‘~fterwam;: she “worked ” on the front between {pres and Maubeuge, supplying valulhle information to the Allies. When she was arrested ana tried she Cisplayed the utmost fortit'l'de and "ndifference both to German threats and offers of safety made her: i=.' she would reveal her accolllplir=.eS.~-.

At the execution she said. “You are going to see how :1 y.ouhg Belgian girl can inc,” and aboslufely dcc‘:in»*d to allow her eyes to- bé -bandaged. She fell, crying “Vive la Be]giqu°! Vive 1e _ . .