Constant Martiny

Constant Louis Martiny CdeG(B) (1888–1942) is regarded as one of the first Belgian Intelligence agents. An early member of the Belgian Resistance, posthumously, he was made a Chevalier of the Order of Leopold.

Early life and career Constant Martiny was born in 1888 in Houffalize, Belgium. He was the son of a tailor, Jules Alexis Martiny. Having completed his primary education, he secured employment as a postal clerk. Later, Martiny was employed as a civil servant within the Belgian Civil Aeronautic Administration that was headed by Colonel Joseph Daumerie. Subsequent contact with members of the British Special Operations Executive saw him, after brief training, parachute back into Belgium with Edmond Desnerck on 12 October 1940 to initiate a Belgian-British intelligence network in the service of the Belgian government in exile. Martiny co-founded with Colonel Joseph Daumerie, the Martiny-Daumerie intelligence network (later the Martiny-Daumerie-Cleempoel network) The network included Martiny's wife Irene, daughter, Marie Louise Elias-Martiny and son-in-law, Rene Elias. Vervalcke's death sentence was commuted by Hitler to imprisonment. 10 members were incarcerated in the Saint-Gilles prison and later imprisoned in Moabit Prison, Lehrter Strasse, Berlin. After trial, the following network operatives were executed in 1942: Rene Elias For her services to Belgium during the war, Irene Tinant-Martiny was posthumously made Adjutant of the Renseignement et d'Action (A.R.A.) and awarded: Croix de chevalier of the Order of Leopold II with Palm and Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm with the following citation: "Dedicated herself, without reservation, within an intelligence and action department, to the unyielding struggle against the enemy. Achieved in full satisfaction of its leaders the dangerous missions with which she was charged. Arrested and deported to Germany, died there in Bergen-Belsen, April 23, 1945" Commemorative Medal of the 1940–45 War Medal of the Armed Resistance.

Posthumous military honours Captain of the Renseignement et d'Action (A.R.A.)

" When he arrived in Great Britain, he spontaneously offered to accomplish a special mission in the occupied territory where he was returned in 1941. He has shown great qualities of courage and a sovereign contempt for danger. Arrested by the enemy, was shot on August 26, 1942, a victim of his ardent patriotism"