The depths of winter, 1940: an agent from a humanitarian organisation smuggles herself into Gurs concentration camp near the French Pyrenees. In the women’s barrack, she explains, ‘I am able to take ten children out of here. Tell me if you want me to take yours.’
Bettine Le Beau was then eight years old, shivering in the separate children’s barrack close by, along with her elder brother. More than 70 years later, her voice shakes with emotion at the memory. ‘A lot of the women said, “No. Where I go, my children go.” But my mum said, “Take them. Please take them to safety. But keep a record. If God helps me and I make it out of here, I will need to know where they are....”’
