Description
Object description
British civilian served with Special Operations Executive in Stockholm, Sweden, 1940-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, France and Denmark, 1914-1941: civilian work pre-war in Copenhagen; registration to join RAF; relationship with Peter Tennant; group earmarked as Scandinavian experts; hospitalisation in Edinburgh during summer 1939; attempt to join RAF; details of work given by Peter Tennant in Stockholm during autumn 1939; problems faced in work; details of activities at Cambridge University; letter written to Adolf Hitler; letter received from Oswald Moseley; political background including involvement with fascism; activities in attempts to improve relationship between GB and Germany; problems in gaining work in Copenhagen; opinion of relationship between GB and Soviet Union; details of period studying in Biarritz; setting-up and joining of Section D aka Special Operations 4; opinion of reasons for selection; background to gaining civilian work in Denmark; details of international theology course taken in London; learning of Danish.
REEL 2 Continues: qualifications for role in Denmark; journey from Leith to Copenhagen en route to Oberammergau; problem with ear and anti-Hitler demonstration on arrival in Oberammergau; attitude toward Jews; details of later problems with Special Operations Executive in Netherlands and questioning faced over operations in Denmark; details of period at Copenhagen University. Recollections of period as civilian with Special Operations Executive in GB and Sweden, 1941-1945: opinion of British organisation; call-up to Special Operations Executive; discussions before posting abroad; role to be held and story of having cover blown; number and codename; memories of fellow operatives including arrival in Sweden; criticism for lack of work on cover; details of air travel to Sweden including memories of Niall Murphy, Montague Pollack and Victor Mallet and opinion of staff at British Embassy in Stockholm; memories of Malcolm Munther and problems on arrival in Sweden; receiving of money for operations; relationship with Montague Pollack; discussion on usefulness of Special Operations Executive's activities; attitude to situation following Dunkirk; politics in Sweden; reflections on British Government; political work in East End before war; officers placed in charge of Special Operations Executive activities in Scandinavia.
REEL 3 Continues: recruitment of staff; memories of Duss Hansen; creation of alliance between Sections C and D including memories of C Section heads; advantages gained from alliance; memories of Henry Denham; relationship with navy; attitude to work and relationship with head of naval intelligence; opinion of pessimism among officials in Stockholm; relationship with Montague Pollack including opinion of orders from Special Operations Executive; opinion of Victor Mallet's priorities; details of intelligence received from Denmark on V1 bombs; memories of Niels Bohr and details of smuggling him from GB to Sweden; details of de Havilland Mosquito; story of flight Sweden to GB flight shot down; story of Niels Bohr's meeting in London with Winston Churchill; advice given on atomic bomb after war; story of cancer scare; question of life ever being in danger during war.
REEL 4 Continues: stay in Savoy Hotel during the Blitz including story of meeting Winston Churchill; treatment of Churchill in press before war; details of civilian work in press before war; story of visit to Soviet Union; conference in Ankara; details of journey to Turkey via North Africa and Middle East; arrival in Ankara; accommodation; story of witnessing Armenians being ejected from country; organisation of journey to Ankara; story of old couple met on voyage to South Africa; route taken to South Africa; memories of wife; details of operation smuggling Swedish ball bearings to GB; help received from Americans in communications between GB and Denmark; details of operations; story of attempt to sneak a torpedo into a Danish harbour; story of operation to spring an agent from jail; story of trip wire set up in British Embassy; memories of Wing Commander Venner; explanation of a memo sent in 1942.
REEL 5 Continues: memories of Assistant Air Attaché in Sweden Donald Fleet; opinion of qualities needed among officials in Sweden; contact with Trade Unions in Denmark; desire to gain work in Copenhagen following war; departure from Sweden following war; handover to Bill Ram; memories of Butler and reflections on a letter written during war; opinion of German Section; reflections on Brazil's success in the 1994 World Cup and Ayrton Senna's death; reflections on Scotland's failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup and Scottish football generally; discussion on introduction of metric system at start of war; memories of Niels Bohr; details of Georg Duckwitz including story of ensuring his release when arrested at end of war; Danish Resistance method of carrying microfilm information; work of photographic section.
REEL 6 Continues: further details of Georg Duckwitz; discussion of Germany; details of Danish resistance; memories of Niels Bohr and his family; description of de Havilland Mosquito flights including administration of flights between Sweden and GB; details of pay and funding including relationship with Special Operations Executive in London; sending of diamonds into Denmark; organisation of meetings with contacts; details of Section D; official duties of a press attaché; memories of Peter Tennant; memories of David Ogilvy and Ian Harvey; memories of Ian McCloud. Aspects of period as civilian in GB and Denmark, c1932-1940: memories of tutors at Cambridge University.
REEL 7 Continues: further details of period at Cambridge University including involvement with Marlowe Society and pranks played; impressions of Danish people; story of being model for Gunnar Jensen in painting of Hamlet; visits to Kronborg Castle; Germanic elements of Denmark; further impressions of Danish people; relationships between young people and story of rejecting homosexual advances; climbing; memories of father; problems with flat feet; involvement with music; officials in Copenhagen; story behind meeting wife including her background; German invasion, 9/4/1940, and change in role as press attaché; reason for invasion of Denmark; British involvement in Norway; story of quick journey to British Embassy.
REEL 8 Continues: Gestapo raid on British Embassy; Danish attitude to invasion; period at Embassy before departure; options for departure from Denmark; details of journey to GB including stops in The Hague and Brussels and speech made by French commentator; journey of wife to GB; marriage and honeymoon; air raids including noise of anti-aircraft guns and details of life in London; memories of Malcolm Sergeant. Aspects of period in transit from Liverpool, GB, to Stockholm, Sweden, 1940-1941: time travelling through South Africa including discussion of Netherlands; details of Short Sunderland flight to Egypt; stay in Cairo; story of receiving flowers from French representatives; loss of passport; details of journey to Turkey including details of mountains; discussion of Franz von Papen; stay in Istanbul.
REEL 9 Continues: removal of Armenians from hotel; duties of voyage across Black Sea to Odessa; story of agent in Odessa; opinion of Russia; story of eggs during journey to Moscow; arrival and stay in Moscow; story of car journey to airport; flight to Stockholm. Aspects of period as civilian with Special Operations Executive in GB and Sweden, 1941-1945: welcome on arrival; accommodation and spies; initial meetings; communications with London; details of Special Operations Executive Headquarters; contacts at headquarters; getting started in Stockholm; gaining contacts in Denmark including story of Gunnar Larsson; discussion of Special Operations Executive staff in Stockholm; details of Shell House raid and accidental attack on French school; later British Army use of Shell House and involvement with Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force; German troops in Denmark; medals awarded; involvement with American forces; memories of George Beuer.
REEL 10 Continues: further details of medals awarded; memories of Olaf Liebmann and other Special Operations Executive members; discussion of organisation of help given to Danish resistance; memories of Madame Collentine; details of Danish Royal Family and Victor Mallet; memories of Montague Pollock; memories of Donald Fleet; contact with intelligence; quarrelling among British authorities; importance of naval intelligence; situation on arrival in Stockholm; discussion on agents dropped in Denmark; details of staff in German Foreign Office; life in Stockholm; arrests made by Swedish authorities.
REEL 11 Continues: Swedish attitude toward war in Finland; end of diplomatic service; reflections on upbringing in Scotland and education; religion; political outlook as war approached; reaction to selection by Special Operations Executive; other Scandinavian press attachés and their war work; Special Operations Executive work in Norway and Denmark including own duties; memories of Victor Mallet; accommodation; story of first wireless set carried into Denmark during war; communications; Brazil's involvement in Second World War; reactions to books about Special Operations Executive in Scandinavia; memories of Special Operations Executive members.
