The Need2No Ark

D3: Project notes

'When COVID-19 struck ...'

Book title

The Secret Agent's Wardrobe: Dress, Disguise, and Deception in the Second World War.

Timeline

The overall project has been pushed back by the wholesale closure of archives and libraries, and by global travel restrictions. The extent of the postponement will not become clear until these facilities/modalities return to the 'new normal'. So far (June 2020) it can be calculated at six months' minimum delay. All UK (SOE/MI9) archival research has been stopped; AOS' trip to NARA (OSS) has been cancelled; AOS' library-based sec-lit (bibliography and skim/scan) research is frozen.

Funding

This means that CHH will have to get clarification from SAL as to how our Phase 2 funding will be affected, and what consequences this will have in terms of revised deadlines.

Contingency/mitigation action

AOS to continue optimising Kew images harvested in Jan/Feb 2020 and uploading them to the Need2No Ark. This work was delayed significantly by a computer storage failure in May 2020.
CHH to approach Kippax and see how much he wants for SOE files he mentioned at Kew; this will allow us to see if we have missed anything.
CHH to contact independent researchers and see whether they have relevant files. We could look at purchasing them.
AOS to ascertain what OSS materials are available via Fold3.com and possibly NARA digital downloads.
Based on what we have so far, we need to compile an initial outline of the final output (book).
AOS to continue reading previously acquired sec lit for agents' anecdotal material. Maybe CHH could begin organising this for a first chapter draft?
AOS to begin a first chapter draft of the organisational history of SOE Camouflage Section (D/CAM), i.e. Sta XVa, b, and c.

TNA research

CHH and AOS spent two weeks at Kew in January 2020 and took a total of over 6,000 photographs of SOE-related archival records. All these files are currently being uploaded to the Need2No Ark (click on D3 'Catalogue' in the Need2No Dashboard). Those not yet optimised are indicated by the suffix '_Orig'.

The following P/Fs were overlooked during our visit to Kew and still need to be obtained as digital copies:

File identifier	Content
HS 9/1170/5	PERKINS, Phyllis Brenda, Miss. P/F. Is this 'Polly' of exploding rats fame? Or is she but a rabbit in a rabbit hole? We need to know.
HS 9/1178/2	PETTIGREW, Isabella, Miss. P/F. D/CAM/F.2. Secretary (Special Supplies).

The following known Station XV (D/CAM) employees (and superiors) have no Kew P/Fs: Pte Albert 'Bert' ADLINGTON (see IWM 26823), Mr William ANDERSON, Capt Leonard J 'Appy' APPLEBEE, Mr Albert G CHURCHILL, Pte(?) Joan Eileen CORNELL, Miss Joyce COUPER, SSgt Edward Anthony 'Teddy' CRAIG (aka CARRICK), Col FT 'Tommy' DAVIES, Mr Hubert T DOVE, Pte Jack ELLIOT, Miss Madeleine E EVANS, Sgt William G 'Willie' FORT (orig Wilhelm FORTGANG), Ens(?) Marjorie W HINDLEY, SSgt fnu JONES, Lt William KENMORE (orig Willi KAHNHEIMER), Sgt Jack KNOCK (IWM 11471), Capt JV MYER, SSgt fnu NUNNEY, Mr William A 'Bill' OSBORNE, Pte Polly PERKINS, Mr Harold H PLATAR, Sgt Constance PUGH (mentioned in IWM 20809), Miss Claudia PULVER, Pte May SHRUBB (see IWM 20809), Maj Arthur C SIVYER (mentioned in IWM 11471), Capt Eric K SOWERSBY, Sgt N STANLEY, Miss ECC TAIT, Mr Frank WAKEHAM, and Spr fnu WORMWOOD.

IWM research

CHH and AOS visited the Imperial War Museum on 20 January 2020. After a few hours, our work had to be abandoned because of a system failure which prevented playback and analysis of audio materials. When AOS enquired about obtaining digital audio recordings, he was told that this was not possible for copyright reasons. It is equally impossible to download most audio material from the IWM website, though some items do seem to be copyright-free and downloadable. Fortunately, CHH was able to complete examination of all written materials. No photographic or object collections were examined. Consequently, some of the following records remain to be examined:

File identifier	Content
IWM-3337 EXAMINED by CHH / Images not yet received by AOS	Private papers of Kenneth MACKENZIE. F Section W/T operator. This is the same Kenneth MACKENZIE whose oral history is at IWM_18154. There are also photos at IWM_HU 68063 etc. (Kew P/F at HS 9/965/1).
IWM-4898 EXAMINED by CHH / Images not yet received by AOS	Private papers of Mrs C. (Claire) WRENCH. Known in SOE as Miss Claire WOOLF. 2 i/c F Section clothing at Orchard Court under Phyl MACKENZIE. (According to TNA, Miss Lucetee Helene Marcele DECHAPPE was F Section Secretary, Clothing and Outside Purchases, and was dismissed for persistent illness, presumably before MACKENZIE got the job). Interesting descriptions of aspects of her work of preparing agents for missions to occupied France. Cited and quoted in Binney (2002). Question to be resolved: Did Orchard Court get their clothing from Station XV or were they supplied independently? (Kew P/F is at HS 9/1620/5).
IWM-16947 EXAMINED by CHH / Images not yet received by AOS	Descriptive Catalogue of Special Devices and Supplies. Containing descriptions, with illustrations, of stores produced by or for SOE. With much additional detail about the sourcing of items together with examples of foreign labels.
IWM-18154 EXAMINED by AOS / Notes taken	MACKENZIE, Kenneth (Oral history). F Section. 5 reels. Mention of appearance: deliberately shaved moustache off before drop. This is the same Kenneth MACKENZIE whose private papers are at IWM-3337. There are also photos at IWM-HU 68063 etc. (Kew P/F at HS 9/965/1). REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with F Section, Special Operations Executive in GB, 1942-1944: reasons for becoming an agent; initial reaction to having to parachute into France; psychological assessment; allocation to role as wireless operator; refusal to take cyanide tablet; attitude towards survival; advice given on how to deal with torture; training in Scotland; opinion of silent killing methods; atmosphere amongst trainee agents; selection of his organiser; instructional duties in military matters; opinion of British, French and Polish female agents; opinion of Jewish women working in France; memories of Denise BLOCH and Violette SZABO; difficulties of relations with women during Second World War. REEL 2 Continues: explosives training in Scotland; description of how to blow up a car; use of plastic explosive; problems with wireless training; story of narrowly escaping capture whilst sending wireless message in France; importance of wireless security checks; impressions of Leo MARKS; memories of Eileen NEARNE and Violette SZABO. Recollections of operations as agent with F Section, Special Operations Executive in France, 1944: abortive flight to France; purpose of his mission to France; opinion of Vera ATKINS; farewell meal at RAF Tempsford; reaction to leaving GB. REEL 3 Continues: reasons for shaving moustache prior to going to France; narrow escape; character of parachute drop; impressions on arrival on French soil; story of escape from German troops whilst travelling in car in Toulouse; reaction to first contact with Germans in Toulouse; move to chateau in countryside; warning of German search of chateau and move to peasant house; German search of peasant house and kindness of elderly peasant woman. REEL 4 Continues: opinion that he passed for French; story of dentist discovering his British fillings during treatment; quality of false papers carried; strict security rules adhered to and discipline of Maquis; German treatment of captured agents; presence of two Communists in Maquis; opinion of Communist Francs-Tireurs et Partisans (FTP) Maquis; incident of Francs-Tireurs et Partisans (FTP) shooting wrong woman; use of BBC message system; reaction to hearing of D-Day landings, 6/6/1944; relations with family; parents' reaction to his work as agent. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of success as agent; mission to rescue group of Maquis from Germans; RAF attack on German armoured division; opinion of Germans; story of training in silent killing by former Shanghai Municipal Police officer; capture and treatment of Gestapo agent; opinion of France.
IWM-20809 EXAMINED by AOS / Notes taken on Reels 1-2 only	SHRUBB, May (Oral history). ATS private at Station XV (The Thatched Barn, Borehamwood). Memories of Lt-Col WILLS. Essential listening. 3 reels. (No Kew P/F). REEL 1 Background in Rotherhithe, 1919-1941: family; education; employment as seamstress pre 1939. Enlistment and training with Auxiliary Territorial Service in GB, 1941: reasons for joining army; impressions of Pontefract; attitude towards basic training. Recollections of period as private with Auxiliary Territorial Service attached to Special Operations Executive at The Thatched Barn, 1941-1945: initial posting to The Priory then the Thatched Barn; allocation to Props under Sergeant Constance PUGH; work on 'tyre-busters'; organisation of work and types of work engaged in; work on 'jelly feet'; work on bags for Sten guns; disguising Sten guns as fish; concealing codes in pens; flooding of Germany with forged marks. REEL 2 Continues: description of 'jelly feet'; manufacturing of Organisation Todt armbands; degree of knowledge of workings of other departments; secrecy surrounding The Thatched Barn; how her old gramophone used by an agent; story of meeting her husband and his subsequent death; story of possessing photograph and stamp depicting both her husbands in 1945; memories of Colonel WILLS; cover name for Special Operations Executive; staff relationships; living conditions; security measures; pay; farewell winding up party, 1945. REEL 3 Continues: Demobilisation arrangements for married women and widows. Reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Recollections of period as civilian in Rotherhithe during London Blitz, 1940-1941: experiences of bombing in Trocy Cinema, Stepney,7/9/1940; mother's evacuation to Taplow; bombing of Farringdon Street; hitching lifts during Blitz; public morale; losses of relatives and friends. Reflections on Second World War: attitude towards outcome of Second World War; attitude towards Germans; VE Day celebrations; black marketeering in Second World War; pilfering from bombed buildings; attitude to travelling in blackout.
IWM-26823 NOT EXAMINED	ADLINGTON, Albert "Bert" (Oral history). British civilian plasterer worked for SOE, 1939-1945, ageing fabrics. At V&A and Thatched Barn. (No Kew P/F). 60 mins.
IWM-27339 ADDRESS BOOK EXAMINED by CHH	Private papers of Allan HARDY. Civilian who worked for the Directorate of Clothing & Textiles (Section CT6c), Ministry of Supply, which supplied clothing to SOE and MI9.
IWM-EPH-10080 NOT EXAMINED	Fake clothing label.
IWM-EPH-11645 NOT EXAMINED	Collection of 17 counterfeit European and Burmese tailors' labels.
IWM-UNI-16262 NOT EXAMINED	Coat, leather, Continental style, civilian's (MI9/SOE).