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Assignment: Gestapo Kill
John Goldsmith’s wartime exploits are all the more remarkable considering that at first his services were consistently refused due to his being over 30. Not easily deterred he eventually became a tank driving instructor in the ranks. In 1942 accidental circumstances saw his recruitment into Buckmaster’s F Section of the Special Operations Executive. His faultless French and upbringing in Paris were to prove invaluable.
Commissioned overnight and after intensive training he was parachuted into France for the first of his three missions. His adventures included crossing the Pyrenees, sabotage, forming his own circuits, being captured by the Gestapo, a daring escape and black-marketeering. In 1944, now a Major, he was advisor to the Maquis in the Mont Ventoux area where they fought the Germans in pitched battles and won.
Although this refreshingly modest account does not admit to it, Goldsmith’s extraordinary war is best summed up by his DSO, MC, three Croix de Guerre and Legion d’honneur. Accidental Agent is as thrilling an account of war behind enemy lines as has ever been written.The author’s descriptions of his experiences and the many colourful characters he came across are a joy to read.
Commissioned overnight and after intensive training he was parachuted into France for the first of his three missions. His adventures included crossing the Pyrenees, sabotage, forming his own circuits, being captured by the Gestapo, a daring escape and black-marketeering. In 1944, now a Major, he was advisor to the Maquis in the Mont Ventoux area where they fought the Germans in pitched battles and won.
Although this refreshingly modest account does not admit to it, Goldsmith’s extraordinary war is best summed up by his DSO, MC, three Croix de Guerre and Legion d’honneur. Accidental Agent is as thrilling an account of war behind enemy lines as has ever been written.The author’s descriptions of his experiences and the many colourful characters he came across are a joy to read.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 31, 2018
An excellent memoir of John Goldsmith's world war II service with the British SOE (Special Operations Executive). The SOE was the organization that worked with the resistance movements in Europe. The SOE's mission was to "set Europe on fire" (Winston Churchill 1940) and not to collect and analyze intelligence. That was the role of military intelligence (MI-6). The SOE was controversial at the time and is still controversial in 2018. Terrorists like to point out that their tactics are evolved from the dirty war that the SOE and the American O.S.S. fought. In other words we're nothing but a bunch of hypocrites.
Well ,regardless of the morality of the thing, Mr. Goldsmith's memoir makes for good reading. An Englishman, but born and raised in France he spoke impeccable French. Initially the British military would not take him because he was deemed to be too old for active field duty (he was thirty-one at the time). Finally he was accepted into the armored corps and trained to be a tank driver. However there was a very strong possibility that he would remain in England training other ,younger, soldiers. At the last minute he was recruited for the SOE because of his language skills and knowledge of France. Of the five men in his training group only he and one other would survive the war. He was sent into Occupied France three times during the war. He was actually arrest by the Gestapo on his second mission, but escaped. On his third deployment he found himself in battle alongside the maquis in Southern France in August of 1944.
At no time does Mr. Goldsmith make himself out to be some type of James Bond. He is very modest in his account and makes it very clear that he functioned more as an instructor (firearms and explosives) and a coordinator of supplies to the maquis, rather than a bold agent engaged in dangerous and violent actives. In the summer of '44 when he does engage German troops in combat he serves more like a simple infantryman (a Private) rather than a commanding officer. He leaves the leadership and tactics to the French leadership. There is little braggadocio in his book and I appreciate that. He even discusses partaking in the execution of two French collaborators. Both of the collaborators were women and mother and daughter. He doesn't sugarcoat what happened during the war.
Nevertheless Mr. Goldsmith displayed tremendous courage during his wartime service with the SOE. He was received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), Military Cross (MC) and the French Croix de Guerre with palm and all were well deserved.
A fascinating read.
Well ,regardless of the morality of the thing, Mr. Goldsmith's memoir makes for good reading. An Englishman, but born and raised in France he spoke impeccable French. Initially the British military would not take him because he was deemed to be too old for active field duty (he was thirty-one at the time). Finally he was accepted into the armored corps and trained to be a tank driver. However there was a very strong possibility that he would remain in England training other ,younger, soldiers. At the last minute he was recruited for the SOE because of his language skills and knowledge of France. Of the five men in his training group only he and one other would survive the war. He was sent into Occupied France three times during the war. He was actually arrest by the Gestapo on his second mission, but escaped. On his third deployment he found himself in battle alongside the maquis in Southern France in August of 1944.
At no time does Mr. Goldsmith make himself out to be some type of James Bond. He is very modest in his account and makes it very clear that he functioned more as an instructor (firearms and explosives) and a coordinator of supplies to the maquis, rather than a bold agent engaged in dangerous and violent actives. In the summer of '44 when he does engage German troops in combat he serves more like a simple infantryman (a Private) rather than a commanding officer. He leaves the leadership and tactics to the French leadership. There is little braggadocio in his book and I appreciate that. He even discusses partaking in the execution of two French collaborators. Both of the collaborators were women and mother and daughter. He doesn't sugarcoat what happened during the war.
Nevertheless Mr. Goldsmith displayed tremendous courage during his wartime service with the SOE. He was received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), Military Cross (MC) and the French Croix de Guerre with palm and all were well deserved.
A fascinating read.
April 10, 2019
This is a true story. It's well told and makes for interesting reading.
February 3, 2012
For WW2 espionage buffs, Goldsmith's story as a
Brit agent in France is a wondrous non-fiction
thriller of derring-do. Published in 1971, it may
be hard to track down, but it's worth the effort.
This is the real stuff.
Brit agent in France is a wondrous non-fiction
thriller of derring-do. Published in 1971, it may
be hard to track down, but it's worth the effort.
This is the real stuff.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews