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Contributing Member
How we owe so much to so few.
RAF Tempsford is a base near me and was the Lysander airfield to take SOE agents into France during WW2. The buildings including Gibraltar Barn are still there today, where they were briefed.
One such agent was Viollette Szarbo who at the latter stages of the war was caught and executed with other SOE agents in France.
The film CARVE HER NAME WITH PRIDE is a remarkable view of how it was. Her five year old daughter went to Buckingham Palace to recieve her George Cross from the King.
Highly recommended viewing, watch out for the smokey room!!
LEST WE FORGET
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Last edited by Gil Boyd; 12-01-2022 at 08:43 AM.
'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA
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12-01-2022 07:39 AM
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My family use to know an old lady, sadly no longer with us, who said that she had been trained by the Commandos in unarmed combat, during WW2, and had also flown in a Lysander. She never admitted to being an SOE agent but we thought that she probably was. The excuse that she gave for receiving training by the Commandos was that she "liked the look of one the instructors".
I don't think that people were given "joy rides" in Lysanders, during WW2, or received Commando training if they didn't need it.
Like so many she probably took her secrets to the grave.
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Advisory Panel
It would have been a good thing if some heads had rolled at SOE for their security failures that caused so many agents to be caught, tortured and killed. "Pour encourager les autres", but of course all was swept under the rug of victory, so that the same mistakes might be repeated the next time!
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
Edward Bernays, 1928
Much changes, much remains the same.
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Sadly so many were betrayed, as some of their fellow countrymen thought the Germans would win...........others were just unlucky to drop into the spiders web.
470 SOE agents were trained individually for the role behine lines with sadly 100 being killed.
They caused some serious damage between them, and how brave they all were!!
'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA
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Advisory Panel
Remember also that noted would-be "spy-catcher" who retired to your parts and whose memoirs reveal a curious fixation with consulting a certain Victor R. at every opportunity, who I read was in turn suspected of having a strong taste for borscht.
A tangled web indeed.
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
Edward Bernays, 1928
Much changes, much remains the same.
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Contributing Member
A very interesting book on the lost SOE agents, and the story of Vera Atkins. "A Life in secrets" by Sarah Helm.
Well worth the read.
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