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Secret Agent: The True Story of the Covert War Against Hitler
Compiled through interviews with ex-operatives breaking long silence on the subject, Secret Agent is the in-depth account of how the British, facing World War II, created the Special Operations Executive to coordinate subversion and sabotage tactics agai
254 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
15 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
David Stafford
21 books14 followersDavid Alexander Tetlow Stafford is projects director at Edinburgh University's Centre for the Study of the Two World Wars and Leverhulme Emeritus Professor in the University's School of History, Classics and Archaeology.
Stafford took his B.A. at Downing College, Cambridge in 1963. He then undertook postgraduate study at the University of London, taking an M.A. and finally his Ph.D. in history in 1968.
Beginning his career with government service, Stafford served in the British Diplomatic Service as a third secretary at the Foreign Office from 1967 to 1968, and then as second secretary in 1968. He then took up an appointment as research associate (1968–70) at the Centre of International Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
He then became assistant professor of history (1970–76) at Canada's University of Victoria in British Columbia. He was promoted to associate professor of history (1976–82) and finally professor of history (1982–84). He then became director of studies (1985–86) and executive director (1986–92) at the Canadian Institute of International Affairs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From 1992 to 2000 Stafford became a visiting professor at Edinburgh University's Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, and then, from 2000, he became projects director at the Centre for the Study of the Two World Wars.
Stafford is particularly noted for his scholarly works concerning Winston Churchill and British intelligence, various aspects of the Second World War, and Twentieth Century intelligence and espionage with a focus on Britain. He now resides in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
He is a regular book reviewer, appearing in The Times (London), BBC History Magazine, The Spectator, The Times Literary Supplement, The New York Times, the Times Herald Tribune (Paris), and Saturday Night and the Globe and Mail (Toronto).
Stafford took his B.A. at Downing College, Cambridge in 1963. He then undertook postgraduate study at the University of London, taking an M.A. and finally his Ph.D. in history in 1968.
Beginning his career with government service, Stafford served in the British Diplomatic Service as a third secretary at the Foreign Office from 1967 to 1968, and then as second secretary in 1968. He then took up an appointment as research associate (1968–70) at the Centre of International Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
He then became assistant professor of history (1970–76) at Canada's University of Victoria in British Columbia. He was promoted to associate professor of history (1976–82) and finally professor of history (1982–84). He then became director of studies (1985–86) and executive director (1986–92) at the Canadian Institute of International Affairs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From 1992 to 2000 Stafford became a visiting professor at Edinburgh University's Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, and then, from 2000, he became projects director at the Centre for the Study of the Two World Wars.
Stafford is particularly noted for his scholarly works concerning Winston Churchill and British intelligence, various aspects of the Second World War, and Twentieth Century intelligence and espionage with a focus on Britain. He now resides in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
He is a regular book reviewer, appearing in The Times (London), BBC History Magazine, The Spectator, The Times Literary Supplement, The New York Times, the Times Herald Tribune (Paris), and Saturday Night and the Globe and Mail (Toronto).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 27, 2015
A very readable overview of the breadth of SOE’s wartime activities; mirroring as it does the BBC series of the same name (broadcast in 2000). No sooner that the why and how for which SOE was set up is described, by chapter 3 the author is diving into the detail of Britain's wartime Secret Service: from plasterers employed to make lumps of ‘coal’ which could be packed with plastic explosive; to the manufacture (forgery) of German ration cards, birth certificates and foreign workers passes.
Memories recounted first-hand include the delivery of both agents and supplies such as exploding crustaceans (of the wrong colour!), luminous balls for signalling to ships.
Within these pages are described SOE’S warfare activities in the Balkans, Italy, Norway, the near Continent, and preparations for D-Day (Jedburgh teamss and all) Chapter 10 is devoted to the radio war – this I found particularly useful to re-read after Leo Marks’ “Between Silk & Cyanide,” giving life as it does to SOE’s two principle wireless stations at Poundon and Grendon. Underwood.
Overall, as quoted on the back cover. “an excellent starting point” (Sunday Telegraph). I now really rather regret unknowingly missing the broadcast of the original BBC series.
Memories recounted first-hand include the delivery of both agents and supplies such as exploding crustaceans (of the wrong colour!), luminous balls for signalling to ships.
Within these pages are described SOE’S warfare activities in the Balkans, Italy, Norway, the near Continent, and preparations for D-Day (Jedburgh teamss and all) Chapter 10 is devoted to the radio war – this I found particularly useful to re-read after Leo Marks’ “Between Silk & Cyanide,” giving life as it does to SOE’s two principle wireless stations at Poundon and Grendon. Underwood.
Overall, as quoted on the back cover. “an excellent starting point” (Sunday Telegraph). I now really rather regret unknowingly missing the broadcast of the original BBC series.
August 17, 2017
I express my gratitude to Net galley for providing me a copy for reading and review of this fantastic treasure trove of information on SOE (Special Operations Executive) brought into by the then England Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1940, the main aims of SOE is to intent on sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines, to spark revolt, and undermine Hitler's Europe from within, prevent enemy reinforcements reaching the beachhead by road, rail and air, the disruption of enemy signals communications in and behind the battle area, attacks on enemy air personnel and aircraft, the disorganisation of enemy rear services by the spreading of rumours and counter-sabotage.
After explaining in detail about the initiation of SOE from the scratch, the author David Stafford narration of events one by one is super fast and it was like watching a war documentary. The book is full of stories which concentrates mostly on the agents of SOE's activities in occupied Europe.
The agents of SOE were trained in shooting, unarmed combat, handling explosives, wireless-transmission, camouflage and more, they been taught how to face interrogation if get caught.
Not only sending agents for sabotaging they took much care in the dress also, one of person worked in the dress department tells about the seams, and an enormous difference between the side seams, the shape of the cuffs, the difference in position of the button hole on the under collar. They also forged documents and money.
At the beginning sending of agents into German occupied country was not easy as they were not airdropped, they have to been transported in small boats and ships. As the success rate of SOE increased the expected importance was given.
SOE peaked in size at the time of the D-Day landings when some 10,000 men and 3000 women worked for it around the globe. Of these half the men and perhaps a hundred of the women had also served as secret agents behind enemy lines or in neutral countries.
Some of the activities of SOE's are given much importance such as taking over of one Italian and one German ship in neutral territory, agents of SOE (Knut Haukelid, Fredrick Kayser, Kasper Idland, Hans Storhaug and Brig Stromsheim) coup at the heavy water plant in southern Norway there by delaying progress in German research on the atomic bomb, the operation in destroying the via duct in Gorgopotamos and adventures of the secret agent Pierre Lalande and worth mentioning.
The author has pointed out the mistakes done by SOE in sending messages which were intersected by the Germans and one full chapter is about the worst mistake of SOE, Englandspiel the name coined by the Germans.
The book is full of heroism, I recommend this to the world war II buffs and also the number of pages is under 300 and can be finished in one sitting.
After explaining in detail about the initiation of SOE from the scratch, the author David Stafford narration of events one by one is super fast and it was like watching a war documentary. The book is full of stories which concentrates mostly on the agents of SOE's activities in occupied Europe.
The agents of SOE were trained in shooting, unarmed combat, handling explosives, wireless-transmission, camouflage and more, they been taught how to face interrogation if get caught.
Not only sending agents for sabotaging they took much care in the dress also, one of person worked in the dress department tells about the seams, and an enormous difference between the side seams, the shape of the cuffs, the difference in position of the button hole on the under collar. They also forged documents and money.
At the beginning sending of agents into German occupied country was not easy as they were not airdropped, they have to been transported in small boats and ships. As the success rate of SOE increased the expected importance was given.
SOE peaked in size at the time of the D-Day landings when some 10,000 men and 3000 women worked for it around the globe. Of these half the men and perhaps a hundred of the women had also served as secret agents behind enemy lines or in neutral countries.
Some of the activities of SOE's are given much importance such as taking over of one Italian and one German ship in neutral territory, agents of SOE (Knut Haukelid, Fredrick Kayser, Kasper Idland, Hans Storhaug and Brig Stromsheim) coup at the heavy water plant in southern Norway there by delaying progress in German research on the atomic bomb, the operation in destroying the via duct in Gorgopotamos and adventures of the secret agent Pierre Lalande and worth mentioning.
The author has pointed out the mistakes done by SOE in sending messages which were intersected by the Germans and one full chapter is about the worst mistake of SOE, Englandspiel the name coined by the Germans.
The book is full of heroism, I recommend this to the world war II buffs and also the number of pages is under 300 and can be finished in one sitting.
February 16, 2019
A very interesting and compelling read. A survey history of the SOE, Britain's Special Operations Executive of WWII, the logistical and bureaucratic support for the European Underground war against Nazism. The subject was vast, so the author follows the efforts with France, Holland, Yugoslavia, and Greece,Norway, and Hungary particularly closely, with other efforts getting lesser mention. The result is a fast paced book that moves from London, to obscure bases in rural England and Scotland, to all sort of underground action on the continent held by the Germans. Stafford is largely successful in telling the story, but you are always aware he's just peeling back the curtain a tiny bit. Let's face it, I've read two entire book on just the communications codemaking and code-breaking for the SOE, so the chapter or so here was just a taste.
When Poland fell, the SOE was just romantic idea to "Set Europe Ablaze" without any abilities. Stafford traces the all important recruitment, training and early bureaucratic underpinnings of the effort- and thankfully he keeps coming back to the bureaucratic battles behind the scenes- so you can get a bird's eye view of the process/activity. We get insight into lots of stories from the actual work in Europe, from the debacle of the "EnglandSpiel" (England Game) where the Germans killed or turned dozens of agents in Holland due to code sloppiness- to the dazzling successes in Greece and Norway, blowing up Rail bridges and "Heavy water" production respectively. The frank discussion of the Yugoslav political/military conundrum, to support the Chetniks who were waiting for the end of the war or the Communist of Tito- who killed Germans regularly makes this a really compelling read.
There is some graphic torture discussion that makes this a read for a junior reader over 13. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast- a real boon- especially for those who do Spy or Skirmish/RPG games. The whole process is discussed, from mission design to anecdotes from behind enemy lines- all the way to the Special RAF squadrons that delivered people and supplies all over Europe- so this is great for Scenario/diorama development. I like this book as an introduction to the genre of Intelligence/Special Ops non-fiction.
When Poland fell, the SOE was just romantic idea to "Set Europe Ablaze" without any abilities. Stafford traces the all important recruitment, training and early bureaucratic underpinnings of the effort- and thankfully he keeps coming back to the bureaucratic battles behind the scenes- so you can get a bird's eye view of the process/activity. We get insight into lots of stories from the actual work in Europe, from the debacle of the "EnglandSpiel" (England Game) where the Germans killed or turned dozens of agents in Holland due to code sloppiness- to the dazzling successes in Greece and Norway, blowing up Rail bridges and "Heavy water" production respectively. The frank discussion of the Yugoslav political/military conundrum, to support the Chetniks who were waiting for the end of the war or the Communist of Tito- who killed Germans regularly makes this a really compelling read.
There is some graphic torture discussion that makes this a read for a junior reader over 13. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast- a real boon- especially for those who do Spy or Skirmish/RPG games. The whole process is discussed, from mission design to anecdotes from behind enemy lines- all the way to the Special RAF squadrons that delivered people and supplies all over Europe- so this is great for Scenario/diorama development. I like this book as an introduction to the genre of Intelligence/Special Ops non-fiction.
August 17, 2017
Military necessity is the mother of invention and the Special Operations Executive (SOE), dedicated to intelligence gathering, sabotage, subversion and the creation and support of armed resistance movements in German- (and later Japanese) occupied countries, was brought into being by Churchill in July 1940, when there seemed little way of carrying the war to Germany, after the Fall of France, other than by bombing, which was notoriously imprecise.
However, just as debate rages regarding the efficacy of the strategic bombing offensive, historians dispute whether the resources applied to SOE might have made a greater contribution to ultimate victory if applied to more conventional warfare. There is even a case for saying that by assisting communists, in places such as Malaya, SOE actually damaged British interests in the longer term. Either way, the role of SOE is a subject that merits attention from anyone interested in the Second World War and its aftermath, or simply interested in spying.
Since the death, in 2012, of M.R.D. Foot, himself an intelligence officer and SOE’s official historian, David Stafford has become the greatest expert on the organization. Foot’s ‘SOE. An Outline History of the Special Operations Executive 1940-1946’, with an introduction by Stafford, still represents the best introduction to the subject but ‘Secret Agent. The True Story of the Special Operations Executive’, a new edition of the book which Stafford originally published in 2000, to accompany the BBC2 series of the same title, offers a very readable overview, which not only shows a complete mastery of the literature but incorporates extensive quotations from many of those actively involved in SOE activities.
However, just as debate rages regarding the efficacy of the strategic bombing offensive, historians dispute whether the resources applied to SOE might have made a greater contribution to ultimate victory if applied to more conventional warfare. There is even a case for saying that by assisting communists, in places such as Malaya, SOE actually damaged British interests in the longer term. Either way, the role of SOE is a subject that merits attention from anyone interested in the Second World War and its aftermath, or simply interested in spying.
Since the death, in 2012, of M.R.D. Foot, himself an intelligence officer and SOE’s official historian, David Stafford has become the greatest expert on the organization. Foot’s ‘SOE. An Outline History of the Special Operations Executive 1940-1946’, with an introduction by Stafford, still represents the best introduction to the subject but ‘Secret Agent. The True Story of the Special Operations Executive’, a new edition of the book which Stafford originally published in 2000, to accompany the BBC2 series of the same title, offers a very readable overview, which not only shows a complete mastery of the literature but incorporates extensive quotations from many of those actively involved in SOE activities.
July 30, 2017
Britain was needing help in the early days of WWII. They put together the SOE and made do with what they could find to get the job done. Brave men and women worked not only as spies but to get the equipment needed together for the spies to be successful. This book tells the story of the individuals who worked to get things going. Hard for us in this day and age to realize what the beginning was like.
September 8, 2024
While much of this material was already known to me, I enjoyed the presentation as well as the commentary from specific people, agents or staff. It also allows me to cross reference which I find endlessly interesting.
I would be curious to view the BBC production although as with so many adaptations, the book is far superior to the simulated product.
I would be curious to view the BBC production although as with so many adaptations, the book is far superior to the simulated product.
October 30, 2018
A good read. Covers SOE during World War II. Wide ranging and detailed.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews