1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910162953003321

Autore

Grehan John

Titolo

RAF and the SOE : special duty operations in Europe during WW2 : an official account / / John Grehan

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England : , : Frontline Books, , 2016

©2016

ISBN

1-4738-9416-6

1-4738-9415-8

1-4738-9414-X

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (345 pages)

Disciplina

358.4183094109045

Soggetti

World War, 1939-1945 - Aerial operations, British

World War, 1939-1945 - Underground movements - Europe

Europe

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di contenuto

Preface / John Grehan -- Part I: The charter and directives given to the SOE bby the Chiefs of Staff and allocations of aircraft on special duties. The pioneer phase, 1940 to November 1942 -- The beginning of the offensive, November 1942 to June 1944 -- Climax in Europe, June 1944 to May 1945 -- Part II: Assistance given by the RAF to the SOE: problems and procedure of special daily operations. The scope of the problem -- Squadrons engaged on special duties work (U.K. and Mediterranean bases) -- Types of aircraft involved -- Foreign air crews -- Containers and packages -- Technical problems confronting the RAF -- Reception committees -- SOE and RAF procedures, UK and Mediterannean -- Landing operations -- Failures and losses -- SOE assisting air force escapees -- Assistance given by the RAF to SOE other than special duties operations -- The outline story -- Western Europe, supplied by UK-based aircraft -- Central Europe, supplied by aircraft based in the UK and Mediterranean -- Southern Europe, supplied by Mediterranean-based aircraft -- The satellite nation -- Part IV: Conclusion -- Appendices.

Sommario/riassunto

"The Special Operations Executive developed a vast network of agents



across Occupied Europe which played a vital role in developing and sustaining Resistance movements that persistently sought to subvert German control of their territories. The culmination of their efforts was seen when the Allied armies landed at Normandy in June 1944, with the SOE and the Resistance causing widespread destruction and disruption behind the German lines. None of this would have been possible had it not been for the Royal Air Force. Not only the RAF supply the SOE, and the movements it led and co-ordinated, with the thousands of tons of arms and equipment needed to undertake this role, it also delivered and retrieved agents from under the very noses of the enemy. Compiled at the end of the war by the Air Historical Branch of the RAF, this is an extremely detailed and comprehensive account of the RAF's support for the SOE, and in it we learn of the enormous and complex arrangements undertaken by the Special Duties squadrons as well as showing how the material delivered by these aircraft was used in the field."--Publisher's description.