SOE on Crete.

[chubby60]

Hi everyone its my first day on this site and not sure if i am doing it right i am trying to do some research about my wifes father an s.o.e on crete he was in the Royal Co. Signals i was told by the admin. that i may find some s.o.e's on this site
Kind Regards
Vince

[von Poop]

Hi Vince, glad you made it in (& you're doing fine).
I don't think we have any SOE veterans (they probably wouldn't say would they? ) but there are some chaps who are pretty knowledgeable on the SOE.
I think people would be rather interested to see those 'mementoes' and forged papers you mentioned in your email.

Cheers,
Adam.

Edit: I've moved your query to it's own thread so it doesn't get buried.

[airborne medic]

Vince,
There is a civil servant who is part of the Froeign Office who is known as the SOE adviser and I suppose in theory he might be somewhere to start.....regretfully I've never contacted him but I wonder if he appears on a government website???
Any pals got any thoughts????

[airborne medic]

Vince,

Sorry thought I'd have a quick look myself and found:

Records of the Special Operations Executive (SOE)

The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was formed in 1940 from three separate organisations to assist local resistance groups and to promote sabotage and subversion throughout occupied Europe; in Winston Churchill's memorable phrase 'to set Europe ablaze.' The chief executive of SOE was responsible to Hugh Dalton at the Ministry of Economic Warfare. It was divided into three organisational branches reflecting its origins; SO1 (propaganda), SO2 (active operations - sub-divided geographically) and SO3 (planning). Its broad remit often led to confusion and inter-departmental disputes with the War Office, the Foreign Office and MI6 regarding its responsibilities and priorities.
In 1941, following a dispute between the Ministry of Information and the Foreign Office, the bulk of SO1 was transferred to the newly created Political Warfare Executive (PWE) under Foreign Office control, whereupon it was amalgamated with the Ministry of Information, Foreign Publicity Department and the BBC European Section. Thereafter the remainder of SOE continued as a planning and operational entity until it was disbanded in 1946. When the Ministry of Economic Warfare was wound up in May 1945 responsibility for SOE was transferred to the Economic Warfare Department of the Foreign Office.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of SOE operational files have not survived. Many were destroyed in a fire at SOE's headquarters shortly after 1945 and some files, particularly personnel files relating to administrative staff seconded from the armed services were destroyed at the end of the war. As there was no central registry and no indication of the file series it is difficult to estimate overall losses, though these have been estimated as being as high as 80 percent. However, surviving SOE records can be found in department code HS.
Catalogue
Reference Description HS 1 SOE operations: The Far East. HS 2 SOE operations: Scandinavia. HS 3 SOE operations: Africa and the Middle East. HS 4 SOE operations: Eastern Europe. HS 5 SOE operations: Balkans. HS 6 SOE operations: Western Europe. HS 7 SOE Histories and War Diaries. HS 8 SOE headquarters records. HS 9 SOE Personnel Files. See below. HS 10 Photographs of equipment developed by SOE Station 15b for covert operations behind enemy lines.

HS 9 - SOE Personnel Files (PFs) were transferred to The National Archives in 2003. As with SOE operational records many PFs were destroyed, particularly those of junior SOE staff, whilst others were damaged, or contain extracts that continue to be retained under section 3 (4) of the Public Records Act (1958). The aforementioned fire at SOE's offices is thought to have destroyed a further 3000 PFs. Other absences are explained by the fact that many PFs were transferred to the personal files maintained of other government agencies for which an individual agent subsequently worked.
Because of the sensitive personnel nature of many of these files the Lord Chancellor has stated that SOE personnel files remain closed for the lifetime of the individual concerned (i.e. for 100 years from 1930). If a researcher can demonstrate that the person whose file they wish to examine was in fact born more than 100 years ago, or is deceased, or indeed if you are a living SOE agent and wish to examine your own file, then The National Archives will make the relevant record available. Please note, however, that application for disclosure, enclosing any copies of evidence of date of both, or of death, of the subject, must be made in writing to The National Archives and, because of the physical arrangement of the records, an estimated two weeks should be allowed after the approval of the Lord Chancellor before the record can be made available.
Enquiries should be addressed in the first instance to Records Management Department, The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. (Email: recordsmanagement@nationalarchives.gov.uk).
All surviving SOE records have now been transferred to the National Archives.
MI5 investigations of several suspected renegade SOE agents can be found in KV 1 and KV 5 . There are also many scattered references to the search for suspected renegades in the diaries of Captain Guy Liddell (see below).
Another further useful source of information regarding SOE are the original SOE general file indexes transferred to The National Archives by the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in 2004. These contain for each entry the subject original SOE file references. Since the reorganisation of the SOE archive in the 1960s, it is no longer possible, without extensive investigation and speculation, to identify current piece numbers from these file references. Nevertheless, these index cards give the last remaining references to headquarters files that no longer survive. The cards include occasional post-war additions by successive SOE Advisers, including indications that the file referred to was now 'missing', and sometimes, for individuals, dates of death or other biographical information. The two types of card, subject and nominal, use for the most part different forms of printed card, and it seems likely that this index was originally two separate indices which were, at some unknown time in the past, merged. These SOE card indexes can only be seen under supervision. Depending on the subject (indicated below) and the circumstances in which the information on them was compiled, these index cards may list personal details of agents and contacts, pseudonyms, details of the circuits with which they were involved, post-war tracing details and confirmation of death, First Aid Yeomanries (FANYs) attached to SOE with details of postings, contact addresses and in rare instances photographs. They also frequently contain references to the status of contacts known to be in enemy hands, safe houses, enemy intelligence officers, collaborators and traitors.

[Gage]

I don't know hardly anything about SOE in Crete, I'm more interested in F section. But would be nice to know more.

I really should read the book I have on the Abduction of General Kreipe.
The Abduction of General Kreipe in Crete in 1944

Harry Ree should know about SOE Crete stuff.

[Drew5233]

Here's a online book that has loads of mentions of SOE on Crete. It came up on a google search I did for you, so I don't know how good it is.

The Nazi occupation of Crete, 1941-1945 - Google Book Search

[Drew5233]

and here's another:
Undercover, the Men and Women of the ... - Google Book Search

From SOE -Special Operations Executive - The Fedora Lounge

The 1944 abduction of General Kreipe, the commander of the occupation forces on Crete springs to mind. Kreipe was kidnapped in his car, by SOE operatives, marched inland, over the mountains and down to the south coast, where he was sent by boat to British HQ, in Egypt. The walk from one side of Crete to the other took something like 18 days- a long and arduous journey, especially with a wounded German General and much of the occupying German soldiers hunting them. The SOE operatives, William Stanley Moss and Paddy Leigh Fermor were aided all the way by local Cretan operatives.

and a link on the above thread:
Behind the fighting lines

I think I posted a link for you on your first post too

Cheers Andy

[chubby60]

Thank you Drew
i found the name of the boat that landed my father in law on Crete it was the "Hedgehog" he was with Xan fielding and was going to Crete with a second wireless set for Monty Woodhouse many thanks to all of you for helping me i am so greatfull

[Blackbeard Flotillas]

Dear Chubby 60, If you want to know more about "Hedgehog" and the outfit it was part of let me know - I am writing a book about it so have lots of info.
Cheers Away,BF.