The Jail Busters: The Secret Story of MI6, the French Resistance and Operation Jericho

by Major Robert Lyman

In the new year of 1944 the French Resistance in northern France was on its knees. Relentless attacks on its diverse and disorganised networks by the Gestapo and the Abwehr had put many of its best operatives in prison, or worse. But in the lead up to Operation Overlord, 'D Day', the Resistance had never been more important to the Allied war effort, and many groups were in the pay of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. One such was organised by a patriot called Dominic Ponchardier. For months he had watched helplessly as his friends and colleagues had been swept up by the Nazi drag net, and cast into the old prison on the eastern outskirts of Amiens. In desperation he asked his MI6 handlers for help, and once London agreed it led to one of the most daring missions of the war. On the morning of 18 February 1944, nineteen Mosquito bombers flew at low level across the channel, skimming just above the ground to drop their bombs on sections of the walls of Amiens Prison. Hundreds escaped, scores of whom evaded recapture to continue the fight against Nazi repression. It was an epic of precision bombing, in which one of the most notable RAF heroes of the war, Group Captain Charles Pickard, lost his life. Robert Lyman's book reveals, from previously unseen sources, the full truth of MI6's involvement in the French Resistance, and narrates in vivid detail a stirring tale of courage and skill.

Genres: World War II

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2014

Reviews

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well researched book, but all this research almost detracts from the main focus of this book which is the attack on Amiens prison in February 1944 to free French Resistance members. Though the background information is very good, there is too much filler about the histories of everyone and everything involved that does not have direct bearing on the events of that day.

But the mission itself and the escape and evasion of the prisoners who got away is awesome. There is still a lot of controversy surrounding this raid, and the true purpose of the mission is still secret which leads to a lot of conjecture. The raid is still seen as a big success, even though there was a lot of collateral damage and only a handful of Resistance members got away clean. Yet the impact it had on moral and the break up of the German counter-espionage network in its aftermath just a few months before the D-Day landings were valuable. Good read and recommended if you are into World War 2

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the whole I enjoyed the subject of the book, I just didn’t like the style it was written in.
It had plenty of information about the “wooden wonder” and loads of background about the squadrons before they got the mosquito.
Perhaps the title was a little misleading, I expected the boom to just be about the raid raid on the prison, instead it covers everything up to and after the jail break.
Full of information, just slow getting to the main subject matter.

[Julie Grove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading thiis

A good wartime story.I enjoyed reading it, and am sure other readers would find it satisfying. Hope to read others like it, when I get the time.