SOE in France, 1941–1945 : An Official Account of the Special Operations Executive's 'British' Circuits in France

In the archives of Special Operations Executive lay a report compiled by a staff officer and former member of SOE's F Section, Major Robert Bourne-Paterson, which has never been published before. Because of the highly sensitive nature of the work undertaken by SOE, the history produced by Bourne-Paterson was originally treated as confidential and its circulation was strictly limited to selected personnel. Now, at last, it has been made available to the general public.Limited, also, was the time available to Bourne-Patterson in compiling his account in 1946 as SOE was being wound up and many documents and records were being weeded from the files. Nevertheless, the paper he wrote provides a fascinating insight into the work of the SOE in France, the country where its operations were most extensive.Bourne-Paterson wrote his report on SOE no doubt believing that this secret organization would be forgotten and its achievements unrecognized. His aim was simply to leave a permanent account of the activities of the brave men and women who operated in France, where no such record existed.Little could Bourne-Patterson have realized that SOE would become one of the most celebrated organizations of the Second World War, or that his unique report would one day be published for all to read. In the archives of the Special Operations Executive lay a report compiled by a staff officer and former member of SOE's French Section, Major Robert Bourne-Patterson, that until recently could not be published. Because of the highly sensitive nature of the work undertaken by the SOE, the paper was treated as confidential and its circulation was strictly limited to selected personnel. Now, at last, it can be made available to the general public. Limited, also, was the time available to Bourne-Patterson in compiling his report in 1946 as the SOE was being wound up and many documents were being weeded from the files. Nevertheless, the paper he wrote gives a good picture of the work of the SOE in France, the country where its operations were most extensive. It contains an overview of operations in France by the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War with detailed records of individual circuits from their inception onwards, containing much information concerning individual agents and their contacts, calendars of subversive activity against the Germans and the names and addresses of personnel connected with the circuits who had survived the war. In writing his account, Bourne-Patterson drew heavily on personal interviews and wartime debriefings by agents. A wartime report drawn heavily from personal interviews and wartime debriefings by agents.