Albert Bedane was born in France in 1893 and his family moved to Jersey in 1894. He served in India and Siberia during the Great War.
He served in the Hampshire Regiment between 1917 and 1920 and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Jersey Militia. He became a naturalised British Subject in 1921.
By 1925 he was married with a daughter and running a physiotherapy clinic from his home in Roseville Street, St. Helier.
After Jersey was Occupied by Nazi troops in July 1940, some of them came to his clinic for treatment. As the war progressed little did they realise that Bedane was also using his home to shelter an escaped French POW, three escaped Russian slaves and a Dutch Jew - Mrs Mary Richardson who was married to a local man.
Beneath his clinic there was a three-roomed cellar, which he use to shelter those who had sought refuge with him. By asking for payment in food rather than money from his clients, Albert managed to feed everyone without arousing suspicion.
In 1940, the German authorities required all Jews in the Channel Islands to register. These people were later subjected to a series of antisemitic measures. In May 1942, all Islanders were required to have photographs taken for personal identity cards. Mary disobeyed both the orders but managed to evade punishment for almost three years. In June 1943, she was called for an interview at the German headquarters in Jersey and told she was to be deported to a camp overseas.
Mary was permitted to gather some personal things but made her way to Bedane's home, there she was given refuge in a small cellar. Later she moved to a room upstairs. The Germans searched for her and even inspected Bedane's house, but she remained concealed under his protection and lived to see the end of the war. Bedane provided food for her and the other people in his care.
For the next 2 1/2 years, Mary lived in the cellar and attic of Bedane's house, whilst her Husband, Captain Richardson feigned senility when the Germans came to question him.
Albert Bedane knew he stood to be shot, if caught but that did not deter him from protecting those that had found refuge under his roof.
Albert Bedane received little recognition of his bravery during his lifetime, although the Russian Government did present him with a gold watch for his services to those Soviet citizens to whom he had offered a place of safety. He died in Jersey in 1980.
In 2000 Israel posthumously conferred its highest honour on Bedane, by declaring him 'Righteous Among the Nations.' The Medal and Certificate are now on display at the Occupation Tapestry Gallery at the Maritime Museum on New North Quay.
He served in the Hampshire Regiment between 1917 and 1920 and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Jersey Militia. He became a naturalised British Subject in 1921.
By 1925 he was married with a daughter and running a physiotherapy clinic from his home in Roseville Street, St. Helier.
After Jersey was Occupied by Nazi troops in July 1940, some of them came to his clinic for treatment. As the war progressed little did they realise that Bedane was also using his home to shelter an escaped French POW, three escaped Russian slaves and a Dutch Jew - Mrs Mary Richardson who was married to a local man.
Beneath his clinic there was a three-roomed cellar, which he use to shelter those who had sought refuge with him. By asking for payment in food rather than money from his clients, Albert managed to feed everyone without arousing suspicion.
In 1940, the German authorities required all Jews in the Channel Islands to register. These people were later subjected to a series of antisemitic measures. In May 1942, all Islanders were required to have photographs taken for personal identity cards. Mary disobeyed both the orders but managed to evade punishment for almost three years. In June 1943, she was called for an interview at the German headquarters in Jersey and told she was to be deported to a camp overseas.
Mary was permitted to gather some personal things but made her way to Bedane's home, there she was given refuge in a small cellar. Later she moved to a room upstairs. The Germans searched for her and even inspected Bedane's house, but she remained concealed under his protection and lived to see the end of the war. Bedane provided food for her and the other people in his care.
For the next 2 1/2 years, Mary lived in the cellar and attic of Bedane's house, whilst her Husband, Captain Richardson feigned senility when the Germans came to question him.
Albert Bedane knew he stood to be shot, if caught but that did not deter him from protecting those that had found refuge under his roof.
Albert Bedane received little recognition of his bravery during his lifetime, although the Russian Government did present him with a gold watch for his services to those Soviet citizens to whom he had offered a place of safety. He died in Jersey in 1980.
In 2000 Israel posthumously conferred its highest honour on Bedane, by declaring him 'Righteous Among the Nations.' The Medal and Certificate are now on display at the Occupation Tapestry Gallery at the Maritime Museum on New North Quay.
Albert Bedane was born in France in 1893 and his family moved to Jersey in 1894. He served in India and Siberia during the Great War.
He served in the Hampshire Regiment between 1917 and 1920 and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Jersey Militia. He became a naturalised British Subject in 1921.
By 1925 he was married with a daughter and running a physiotherapy clinic from his home in Roseville Street, St. Helier.
After Jersey was Occupied by Nazi troops in July 1940, some of them came to his clinic for treatment. As the war progressed little did they realise that Bedane was also using his home to shelter an escaped French POW, three escaped Russian slaves and a Dutch Jew - Mrs Mary Richardson who was married to a local man.
Beneath his clinic there was a three-roomed cellar, which he use to shelter those who had sought refuge with him. By asking for payment in food rather than money from his clients, Albert managed to feed everyone without arousing suspicion.
In 1940, the German authorities required all Jews in the Channel Islands to register. These people were later subjected to a series of antisemitic measures. In May 1942, all Islanders were required to have photographs taken for personal identity cards. Mary disobeyed both the orders but managed to evade punishment for almost three years. In June 1943, she was called for an interview at the German headquarters in Jersey and told she was to be deported to a camp overseas.
Mary was permitted to gather some personal things but made her way to Bedane's home, there she was given refuge in a small cellar. Later she moved to a room upstairs. The Germans searched for her and even inspected Bedane's house, but she remained concealed under his protection and lived to see the end of the war. Bedane provided food for her and the other people in his care.
For the next 2 1/2 years, Mary lived in the cellar and attic of Bedane's house, whilst her Husband, Captain Richardson feigned senility when the Germans came to question him.
Albert Bedane knew he stood to be shot, if caught but that did not deter him from protecting those that had found refuge under his roof.
Albert Bedane received little recognition of his bravery during his lifetime, although the Russian Government did present him with a gold watch for his services to those Soviet citizens to whom he had offered a place of safety. He died in Jersey in 1980.
In 2000 Israel posthumously conferred its highest honour on Bedane, by declaring him 'Righteous Among the Nations.' The Medal and Certificate are now on display at the Occupation Tapestry Gallery at the Maritime Museum on New North Quay.
He served in the Hampshire Regiment between 1917 and 1920 and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Jersey Militia. He became a naturalised British Subject in 1921.
By 1925 he was married with a daughter and running a physiotherapy clinic from his home in Roseville Street, St. Helier.
After Jersey was Occupied by Nazi troops in July 1940, some of them came to his clinic for treatment. As the war progressed little did they realise that Bedane was also using his home to shelter an escaped French POW, three escaped Russian slaves and a Dutch Jew - Mrs Mary Richardson who was married to a local man.
Beneath his clinic there was a three-roomed cellar, which he use to shelter those who had sought refuge with him. By asking for payment in food rather than money from his clients, Albert managed to feed everyone without arousing suspicion.
In 1940, the German authorities required all Jews in the Channel Islands to register. These people were later subjected to a series of antisemitic measures. In May 1942, all Islanders were required to have photographs taken for personal identity cards. Mary disobeyed both the orders but managed to evade punishment for almost three years. In June 1943, she was called for an interview at the German headquarters in Jersey and told she was to be deported to a camp overseas.
Mary was permitted to gather some personal things but made her way to Bedane's home, there she was given refuge in a small cellar. Later she moved to a room upstairs. The Germans searched for her and even inspected Bedane's house, but she remained concealed under his protection and lived to see the end of the war. Bedane provided food for her and the other people in his care.
For the next 2 1/2 years, Mary lived in the cellar and attic of Bedane's house, whilst her Husband, Captain Richardson feigned senility when the Germans came to question him.
Albert Bedane knew he stood to be shot, if caught but that did not deter him from protecting those that had found refuge under his roof.
Albert Bedane received little recognition of his bravery during his lifetime, although the Russian Government did present him with a gold watch for his services to those Soviet citizens to whom he had offered a place of safety. He died in Jersey in 1980.
In 2000 Israel posthumously conferred its highest honour on Bedane, by declaring him 'Righteous Among the Nations.' The Medal and Certificate are now on display at the Occupation Tapestry Gallery at the Maritime Museum on New North Quay.
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