MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two
A thrilling history of MI9—the WWII organization that engineered the escape of Allied forces from behind enemy lines

“A fitting tribute to the hundreds of men and women who risked their lives in assisting Allied escapees.”—Giles Milton, Sunday Times (London)

“A masterful retelling with a fascinating cast of characters straight out of a John le Carré thriller.”—Mark Felton, author of Castle of the Eagles

When Allied fighters were trapped behind enemy lines, one branch of military intelligence helped them escape: MI9. The organization set up clandestine routes that zig-zagged across Nazi-occupied Europe, enabling soldiers and airmen to make their way home. Secret agents and resistance fighters risked their lives and those of their families to hide the men.
 
Drawing on declassified files and eye-witness testimonies from across Europe and the United States, Helen Fry provides a significant reassessment of MI9’s wartime role. Central to its success were figures such as Airey Neave, Jimmy Langley, Sam Derry, and Mary Lindell—one of only a few women parachuted into enemy territory for MI9. This astonishing account combines escape and evasion tales with the previously untold stories behind the establishment of MI9—and reveals how the organization saved thousands of lives.
1136574614
MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two
A thrilling history of MI9—the WWII organization that engineered the escape of Allied forces from behind enemy lines

“A fitting tribute to the hundreds of men and women who risked their lives in assisting Allied escapees.”—Giles Milton, Sunday Times (London)

“A masterful retelling with a fascinating cast of characters straight out of a John le Carré thriller.”—Mark Felton, author of Castle of the Eagles

When Allied fighters were trapped behind enemy lines, one branch of military intelligence helped them escape: MI9. The organization set up clandestine routes that zig-zagged across Nazi-occupied Europe, enabling soldiers and airmen to make their way home. Secret agents and resistance fighters risked their lives and those of their families to hide the men.
 
Drawing on declassified files and eye-witness testimonies from across Europe and the United States, Helen Fry provides a significant reassessment of MI9’s wartime role. Central to its success were figures such as Airey Neave, Jimmy Langley, Sam Derry, and Mary Lindell—one of only a few women parachuted into enemy territory for MI9. This astonishing account combines escape and evasion tales with the previously untold stories behind the establishment of MI9—and reveals how the organization saved thousands of lives.
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MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two

MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two

by Helen Fry
MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two

MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two

by Helen Fry

eBook

$28.00 

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Overview

A thrilling history of MI9—the WWII organization that engineered the escape of Allied forces from behind enemy lines

“A fitting tribute to the hundreds of men and women who risked their lives in assisting Allied escapees.”—Giles Milton, Sunday Times (London)

“A masterful retelling with a fascinating cast of characters straight out of a John le Carré thriller.”—Mark Felton, author of Castle of the Eagles

When Allied fighters were trapped behind enemy lines, one branch of military intelligence helped them escape: MI9. The organization set up clandestine routes that zig-zagged across Nazi-occupied Europe, enabling soldiers and airmen to make their way home. Secret agents and resistance fighters risked their lives and those of their families to hide the men.
 
Drawing on declassified files and eye-witness testimonies from across Europe and the United States, Helen Fry provides a significant reassessment of MI9’s wartime role. Central to its success were figures such as Airey Neave, Jimmy Langley, Sam Derry, and Mary Lindell—one of only a few women parachuted into enemy territory for MI9. This astonishing account combines escape and evasion tales with the previously untold stories behind the establishment of MI9—and reveals how the organization saved thousands of lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780300255928
Publisher: Yale University Press
Publication date: 10/27/2020
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 320
File size: 16 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Helen Fry is a specialist in the history of British Intelligence. She is the author of The Walls Have Ears, The London Cage, and over twenty books focusing on intelligence and POWs in World War II.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Author's Note xi

Acknowledgements xvi

Abbreviations xviii

Prologue Red Carnation 1

1 The Creation of MI9 3

2 Europe under Occupation 23

3 Gateway to Freedom 35

4 The Pat Line 52

5 The Comet Line 78

6 Escape Lines under Attack 98

7 Great Escapes 119

8 Intelligence School 9 (IS9) 137

9 Sea Evacuations 151

10 Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) Escape Lines 171

11 Italy 184

12 Under the Wings of the Vatican 210

13 Operation Marathon and D-Day 234

14 IS9(WEA) Western Europe 251

15 A Matter of Humanity 260

16 The Far East and Other Theatres of War 267

Epilogue The Legacy 281

Notes 288

Bibliography 317

Index 321

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