I was lucky enough to meet Jacques de la Bardonnie at his Château Laroque, overlooking the picturesque village of Saint-Antoine-de-Breuilh. It was here that his father, Louis de la Bardonnie listened to De Gaulle’s 18 June 1940 ‘appel’ and founded a group that would become known as the Confrerie Notre-Dame. 

With the help of a group of friends, the group grew to become not only one of the earliest Resistance groups, but also one of the first to engage with London. From this small house the first radio contact with London was made. De Gaulle and his wife stayed in the house for several days in 1947. De la Bardonnie was celebrated by De Gaulle, as was his wife, with the award of honours.

I asked Jacques if his father was proud of his Resistance achievements. Jacques replied that while his father was proud of what he had done, he had always felt a deep guilt at the danger under which he had placed his family.