Letter from Daniel Costigan to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(69/10304)

I have received your letter of the 21st instant relating to Léon Degrelle.¹

As far as we know Degrelle is not in this country, and if we had any reason to think that he was here, we would of course have let you know.

I did not see or hear of the Belgian newspaper report, but some time ago an enquiry was received by the Information Bureau from a British newspaper as to whether it was true that Degrelle was in this country under a false name and was employed as a teacher. This enquiry was referred to us by the Bureau and we checked up on the only Belgian who has come here in recent years and taken up teaching. The man's name is Dergent and the enclosed copy of a statement contains the only information we have in relation to him. Since that statement was made Dergent secured employment as a teacher of French at Glenstal Priory. I enclose the French passport on which Dergent arrived in this country - the photograph is of Dergent² - and an Identity Certificate which was issued to Dergent in Antwerp in May 1945.³ I also enclose a photograph of Degrelle. You will observe that there is some slight resemblance between the photographs, but I think nevertheless that it is clear from the photographs that Dergent and Degrelle are not identical.

Please return the enclosed documents in due course.