Special Operations Executive

Discussion in 'SOE & OSS' started by Jedburgh22, Oct 24, 2010.

  1. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    For some years I have been involved in a database project to list those who were part of SOE during WWII. Most of the Officer P/Fs survived - however many of the NCOs files were destroyed and those who worked with SIS and SAS post war were retained and not released to TNA Kew. We have the 13000 + names that appear in the HS9 file series at Kew plus perhaps another 3,500 names whose names appear in documents, histories and the SOE Symbols lists. The research has had a postive result in enabling us to identify some agents who perished with no known grave and no recognition from CWGC. Any help that can be given to identify personnel serving with SOE whose names do NOT appear in the HS9 series would be much appreciated.

    Steven
     
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  2. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Steven, Do you have a copy of the SOE name list? A large alphabetical volume that lists a wide range of staff and identifies whether they have a P/F or not. It also gives their initial department and date of recruitment.

    HS 9 is only going to list those with a P/F and, of course, many did not have a P/F - including many headquarters staff.

    For many years I've been getting many of the HS 9 P/Fs released, particularly of the German section.

    Lee
     
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  3. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Here's a sample page from the SOE name list:

    [​IMG]

    You can see in the lefthand col. which staff member has a formal P/F and which who do not.

    Lee
     
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  4. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    Thank you Lee, Yes I think I've included most of these onto the Non-P/F database, the symbols lists give a good picture of the HQ staffs. Do you have the file reference for the names list?

    Steven
     
  5. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Steven, I have photographed the whole SOE name list ;-)

    Is public access to your database available?
     
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  6. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    Not at present - however if you send me message with a postal address I can send you a CD with the two databases - the format is MS Access.
     
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  7. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    The Memorial at Valencay lists 114 SOE deaths,13 of the list being women.

    I understand that there was roughly a total of 480 SOE F Section agents passed through the organisation during its being.Of these,130 were caught and 114 paid the ultimate penalty for service to their country.Don't forget this figure only includes those,althought detached from military units,entered the continent in civilian clothing as distinct from organisations such as the Jedburghs who entered France wearing combat uniform.As far as I can see,it does not include those who served in the various sections such as the Dutch,Danish or Norwegian Sections.

    The other organisation was the RF Section controlled by the Free French led by CDG and I cannot put a figure on their strength.

    As has been stated the British SOE records were ransacked immediately after the war.That is why it took Vera Atkins a great deal of time and endeavour to trace the fate of those agents who had "disappeared".

    After the war,almost all the SHAEF files relating to the SOE were removed to the US and for political reasons,the archives in Paris were virtually inaccessible to M.R.D.Foot when he set about recording the history of the SOE in France in what became a gold nuggat for those those interested in clandestine warfare,namely "SOE in France".

    Regarding the US records, where it involved OSS operations,these appear now to have been declassified and released to public domain via NARA from 2008.It will be very interesting to see more factual accounts of these clandestine operaions.Its a question of probing through the various records to try to gain the information on the events in Europe nearly 70 years ago.
     
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  8. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Not at present - however if you send me message with a postal address I can send you a CD with the two databases - the format is MS Access.

    Just sent you a PM.
     
  9. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    The French BCRA records are being released at the moment, Bourne- Patterson's British Circuits in France gives a good picture of F Section and personalities on the ground as it was prepared to assist British Consular staff to consider claims in the post-war period. The OSS and SOE were in effect a joint operation in Europe where Special Operations were concerned right up to the end of WWII - also of interest are the joint SOE/OSS Special Forces teams which were based with each of the Allied Armies to provide liaison with SFHQ and the Resistance.
     
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  10. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    Would you be interested in non-UK personnel as well ? For example, allied personnel trained by the SOE and/or participating in SOE-initiated overseas operations ?
     
  11. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    Yes they were all considered part of SOE.
     
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  12. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    Jedburgh; Please see Visitor's message
     
  13. Suze215

    Suze215 Junior Member

    Lee,
    I am going through a lot of declassified docs and am mired in the acronyms of the time. Do you know what M. T. stands for? I see it in the section of the book you photographed.
    Many thanks,
    S
     
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  14. Suze215

    Suze215 Junior Member

    Lee,
    Sorry to bombard you. What is the HS File number at Kew for the SOE name book?
     
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  15. Lachlan10

    Lachlan10 Junior Member

    Hello all


    This is my first post and when I saw a thread about SOE, I made a bee-line here !


    My father was a member of SOE during WW2. He was recruited from The Royal Corps of Signals as a wireless operator (morse) and was assigned to Force 136 which operated in Burma and the Far East.


    After training, mainly at Fawley Court, Henley on Thames, he was set to India (Force 136’s HQ at Meerut initially), as well as Horona, Ceylon (a Force 136 jungle training facility), Calcutta and Tollygunge (Force 136’s transmission base close to Burma) and finally Burma itself. Between missions, he and his colleagues took their turn in Tollygunge, receiving and transmitting cyphered messages.

    Whereas some of Force 136 went undercover to train local guerrillas and blow up trains etc, my father’s service was as part of deep penetration groups provided by the Indian Army (mainly Gurkhas and Burma Rifles). His first action was as the SOE’s wireless operator in a 40 strong Gurkha group (one of several such groups) sent behind enemy lines after the Kohima battle to determine Japanese intentions and state of organization.

    If anyone needs info on a Force 136 wireless operator’s duties, method of ciphers, equipment and life behind the lines, then I’ll try to help.
     
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  16. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

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  17. Joseph Francis Sharrock

    Joseph Francis Sharrock Junior Member

    Jedburgh, there is anedotal evidence that Joseph Francis Sharrock (my granddad served in the SOE after the war. He was CMP, does his name appear on the list?
    Appreciate the help.
     
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  18. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  19. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    Ron,
    I've checked my SOE databases - sadly he is not listed - however due to the fact that his mission involved SHAEF (Eisenhower) and was financially linked - and the bankers he was lodged with, there is a chance that there will be something in the Bank of England records. One of SOE's little known tasks was providing foreign currency (genuine) for the RAF and Commando escape kits, with 1000 bombers fling on some missions over several countries vast amounts of money were involved - my gut instinct is that Merton may have been involved in this scheme. I'll check and get back to you.

    Steven
     
  20. Joseph Francis Sharrock

    Joseph Francis Sharrock Junior Member

    Jedburgh, there is anedotal evidence that Joseph Francis Sharrock (my granddad served in the SOE after the war. He was CMP, does his name appear on the list?
    Appreciate the help.
     

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