Undercover operator : wartime experiences with SOE in France and the Far East

Memoirs of SOE agents have always been rare ETH so many were either killed in action or executed ETH and today they are almost unheard of. But Sydney Hudson's story, which he has waited nearly sixty years to tell, is just about as dramatic and thrilling as any to have appeared. The Author was captured and escaped into Spain, to return to fight with the Maquis. Undercover Operator is a fascinating mix of true drama, rich excitement and refereshing good humour Shortly after being commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers early in the Second World War, Sydney Hudson volunteered for special operations and, thanks to his linguistic ability, was soon transferred to the French Section of SOE. On completion of training, he was parachuted into Vichy France in 1942 only to be betrayed after three weeks. Unlike so many of his colleagues he not only avoided execution but, after fifteen months in a Vichy prison, escaped by walking out over the Pyrenees and through Spain to safety. In April 1944 he again parachuted into Nazi-occupied France to organise resistance in the Sarthe region until the arrival of the US 3rd Army. Thereafter he conducted numerous undercover reconnaissance missions with a female agent.Before long he was sent to the Far East to join SOE's Force 136. In May 1945 he parachuted into North East Thailand to run their guerilla resistance to the Japanese. Once the war ended he stayed on organising the evacuation of Allied POWs and co-ordinating the post-war civil administration of the Pakse area of Laos. His fascinating story ends back in Europe where he worked in the Control Commission for Germany. Undercover Operator may very well be the last new memoir by an SOE agent to be published. Fortunately it is eligible to take its place with the very best of the genre. The Author writes with an enchanting blend of the sombre, dramatic and humorous. He clearly relished not only the stimulus of danger but the scope that his role gave him for unorthodox soldiering. This splendid book will not only inspire and amuse but also add, even if somewhat belatedly, significantly to the history of SOE in France and the Far East in the Second World War.

Memoirs of SOE agents have always been rare - so many were either killed in action or executed - and today they are almost unheard of. But Sydney Hudson's story, which he has waited nearly sixty years to tell, is just about as dramatic and thrilling as any to have ever appeared. After volunteering for guerilla operations should the Germans occupy Britain, he transferred to SOE. He spent most of the Second World War in France, remarkably surviving 15 months captivity and interrogation before making a daring and thrilling escape through the Pyrenees into Spain. Shortly after he was back in France, again by parachute, to organize resistance operations until the arrival of the US 3rd Army. More secret missions followed behind enemy lines with a female agent. Thereafter he volunteered for further SOE work in the Far East where he served in India and Thailand. He was twice decorated with the Distinguished Service Order for his efforts and also awarded the Croix de Guerre and it is easy for the reader of this book to see why.

Undercover Operator is a fascinating mix of true drama, rich excitement and refreshing good-humor. It is no exaggeration to say that it makes a significant contribution to the history of SOE.

Memoirs of SOE agents have always been rare - so many were either killed in action or executed - and today they are almost unheard of. But Sydney Hudson's story, which he has waited nearly sixty years to tell, is just about as dramatic and thrilling as any to have ever appeared. After volunteering for guerilla operations should the Germans occupy Britain, he transferred to SOE. He spent most of the Second World War in France, remarkably surviving 15 months captivity and interrogation before making a daring and thrilling escape through the Pyrenees into Spain. Shortly after he was back in France, again by parachute, to organize resistance operations until the arrival of the US 3rd Army. More secret missions followed behind enemy lines with a female agent. Thereafter he volunteered for further SOE work in the Far East where he served in India and Thailand. He was twice decorated with the Distinguished Service Order for his efforts and also awarded the Croix de Guerre and it is easy for the reader of this book to see why. Undercover Operator is a fascinating mix of true drama, rich excitement and refreshing good-humor. It is no exaggeration to say that it makes a significant contribution to the history of SOE.