Women in Intelligence : The Hidden History of Two World Wars

**A groundbreaking history of women in British intelligence, revealing their pivotal role across the first half of the twentieth century** From the twentieth century onward, women took on an extraordinary range of roles in intelligence, defying the conventions of their time. Across both world wars, far from being a small part of covert operations, women ran spy networks and escape lines, parachuted behind enemy lines, and interrogated prisoners. And, back in Bletchley and Whitehall, women’s vital administrative work in MI offices kept the British war engine running. In this major, panoramic history, Helen Fry looks at the rich and varied work women undertook as civilians and in uniform. From spies in the Belgian network “La Dame Blanche,” knitting coded messages into jumpers, to those who interpreted aerial images and even ran entire sections, Fry shows just how crucial women were in the intelligence mission. Filled with hitherto unknown stories, __Women in Intelligence__ places new research on record for the first time and showcases the inspirational contributions of these remarkable women. A groundbreaking history of women in British intelligence, revealing their pivotal role across the first half of the twentieth century  From the twentieth century onward, women took on an extraordinary range of roles in intelligence, defying the conventions of their time. Across both world wars, far from being a small part of covert operations, women ran spy networks and escape lines, parachuted behind enemy lines, and interrogated prisoners. And, back in Bletchley and Whitehall, women’s vital administrative work in MI offices kept the British war engine running.  In this major, panoramic history, Helen Fry looks at the rich and varied work women undertook as civilians and in uniform. From spies in the Belgian network “La Dame Blanche,” knitting coded messages into jumpers, to those who interpreted aerial images and even ran entire sections, Fry shows just how crucial women were in the intelligence mission. Filled with hitherto unknown stories, Women in Intelligence places new research on record for the first time and showcases the inspirational contributions of these remarkable women. Contents List of Illustrations List of Terms and Abbreviations Acknowledgements PROLOGUE I Never Knew His Name INTRODUCTION Reclaiming a Lost Past 1 Invisible Spies 2 Espionage behind Enemy Lines 3 Intelligence on the Home Front 4 Spies and Infiltrators 5 Secret Secretaries 6 The Codebreakers 7 When the Walls Had Ears 8 Women of Naval Intelligence 9 Eyes in the Sky 10 Double Cross Agents 11 Double Cross Deception 12 The Baker Street Irregulars 13 Section X 14 Spy Swap 15 SOE and intelligence 16 Noah’s Ark 17 The Clarence Service 18 MI9 Secret Agents 19 Women of MI6 20 Cloak and Dagger EPILOGUE A Life in Secrets Notes Bibliography Index