Thursday, April 11, 2024
The Special Operations Executive (SOE), also known as Churchill’s Secret Army or “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”, was a British organization that operated during World War II to support local resistance movements and fight against the Axis powers. The SOE was formed in 1940 by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to use “irregular warfare”, such as espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance, to change the course of the war. The SOE’s mission was to “set Europe ablaze” by helping resistance movements, conducting espionage, and sabotaging enemy-held territories.
I have been interested in the history of the SOE and the brave men and women who served. My upcoming book about agent Robert Benoist delves into the history of the SOE from the perspective of one who served. I have learned some interesting stories and had access to documents from that time. Here is a page from one of them.
#ministryofungentlemanlywarfare #BritishIntelligence #SOE