SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC

The first complete biography of Britain's WWII spymaster presents an intimate look at his life and career, as well as an insider's look at the SOE.
Major General Sir Colin Gubbins was the driving force behind Britain's Special Operations Executive, the secret military organization established by Winston Churchill in 1940. First as its Operations and Training Director, and then its Commander, Gubbins orchestrated every aspect of the SOE's worldwide covert operations.
Though Gubbins made enormous contributions to Allied victory, his life and work have remained shrouded in secrecy until now. With copious research and unprecedented access to family archives, biographer Brian Lett reveals the war hero's early experiences in the Great War, as well as in Russia, Ireland, Poland, and as Head of British Resistance. The result is a fascinating biography that reveals as much about SOEs extraordinary activities as it does about the man who inspired and commanded them.

1137594019
SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC

The first complete biography of Britain's WWII spymaster presents an intimate look at his life and career, as well as an insider's look at the SOE.
Major General Sir Colin Gubbins was the driving force behind Britain's Special Operations Executive, the secret military organization established by Winston Churchill in 1940. First as its Operations and Training Director, and then its Commander, Gubbins orchestrated every aspect of the SOE's worldwide covert operations.
Though Gubbins made enormous contributions to Allied victory, his life and work have remained shrouded in secrecy until now. With copious research and unprecedented access to family archives, biographer Brian Lett reveals the war hero's early experiences in the Great War, as well as in Russia, Ireland, Poland, and as Head of British Resistance. The result is a fascinating biography that reveals as much about SOEs extraordinary activities as it does about the man who inspired and commanded them.

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SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC

SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC

by Brian Lett
SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC

SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC

by Brian Lett

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$19.99 

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Overview

The first complete biography of Britain's WWII spymaster presents an intimate look at his life and career, as well as an insider's look at the SOE.
Major General Sir Colin Gubbins was the driving force behind Britain's Special Operations Executive, the secret military organization established by Winston Churchill in 1940. First as its Operations and Training Director, and then its Commander, Gubbins orchestrated every aspect of the SOE's worldwide covert operations.
Though Gubbins made enormous contributions to Allied victory, his life and work have remained shrouded in secrecy until now. With copious research and unprecedented access to family archives, biographer Brian Lett reveals the war hero's early experiences in the Great War, as well as in Russia, Ireland, Poland, and as Head of British Resistance. The result is a fascinating biography that reveals as much about SOEs extraordinary activities as it does about the man who inspired and commanded them.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781473863828
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
Publication date: 01/31/2020
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 288
File size: 14 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Brian Lett is an author of World War Two history, who has seven books currently in print. He has lectured extensively upon irregular warfare in World War II, including to the British Army. He is a recently retired Queen's Counsel who practised at the Bar of England and Wales for forty-seven years.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Part I The Formative Years 1

Chapter 1 Escape from Germany: August 1914 3

Chapter 2 Childhood 16

Chapter 3 War: the Second Battle of Ypres 23

Chapter 4 The Somme and Arras 32

Chapter 5 Archangel 42

Chapter 6 Ireland 54

Chapter 7 India 73

Chapter 8 Back Home: 1930-1938 82

Chapter 9 How to Resist 89

Chapter 10 Poland 97

Chapter 11 Norway 111

Chapter 12 The Auxiliary Units 120

Part II The Special Operations Executive 131

Chapter 13 The Beginning 133

Chapter 14 Recruitment and Training 143

Chapter 15 Signals and Delivery 154

Chapter 16 Research, Development and Sabotage 159

Chapter 17 1941: The Early Days 165

Chapter 18 1942: Operation Postmaster 171

Chapter 19 1942: Operation Anthropoid 178

Chapter 20 1942: Operation Dryad 188

Chapter 21 1942/3: Operation Gunnerside 198

Chapter 22 1943/4: Violette Szabo - an Agent's Fate 210

Chapter 23 Michael 222

Chapter 24 France 1944: The Beginning of the 'Grand Finale' 227

Chapter 25 Italy 1944/5: Operation Galia 238

Chapter 26 The Far East and Force 136 245

Chapter 27 After the War 249

Chapter 28 Did SOE Refuse to Die? 256

Appendix I Address by Sir Peter Wilkinson KCMG, DSO, OBE, at the Memorial Service on 20 May 1976 261

Appendix II Full List of Colin Gubbins' Medals 264

Acknowledgements 265

Sources 266

Index 269

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