A BELGIAN HEROINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

A BELGIAN HEROINE.

35FJ1A13T EVEN IN DEATH. The body of GabrieTle Petit, who was sentenced! to death for. espionage on March 3, 1916, and shot at the Tir National on March 21, a* the age of 22, lay in state together with those of two other patriots v Aim© Smekens and Mathieu Bodson, at Stdiaerbeek, in the presence of a great assembly, which included the British Minister -and military attache, writes a corresr I nocdent ixgxa Brussels, under date May ! 29. An enormous and impressive cortege then formed and, with the coffins on guncarriages, Gabrielie Petit's having a Union Jack mingled with the Belgian flag, proceeded to the church of S'te. Marie, where the funeral service was held. The procession then went to Bchaerbeek cemetery, where the interment took place. The ceremony was in many ways even more remarkable than the funeral of Nurse CavelL Just before the procession left the town hall the Queen drove up 'and laid- a wreath bearing the inscription "Albert and Eliza beth " at the foot of the catafalque. Then slit pinned to the flags coveripg each coffin ' the cross of the Order of Leopold. I Gabrielle Petit was born at Tournai and was an assistant in a fur shop near Sainte Gudule.j When her fiance was wounded ** el #' - Bhe I » urae<i him to health- and enabled him to rejoin the Belgian army through Holland. Afterwards she "worked'* on the front between Tprea and Maubeuge, supplying valuable information to tne Allies. .. hen she was arrested and tried she displayed the utmost fortitude and indifference both to German threats and offers of safety made her if she would icveal her accomplices. j At the execution she said, "You are going to see how a young Belgian girl can | die,' and absolutely declined to allow her 1 eyes to be baadagad- She fell, crying ,' Vive la Belgique 1 Vive le . . .J"