 In January–February 1943, Girard put off his departure for London indefinitely, before finally being picked up by a Hudson on the night of 21/22 February.Frager and Churchill were picked up by Lysander on the night of 23/24 March (landing at Estrées-Saint-Denis near Compiègne, piloted by Hugh Verity, flying in Francis Cammaerts and Georges Duboudin) and joined Girard in London.However, Girard refused to meet them and SOE distanced itself from Girard, opposing his return to France and warning Frager that he would have to lead what remained of the CARTE network against Hugo Bleicher (known as "colonel Henri") .