h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Peter When you have time could you help out on this one ?: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/F1664630?thread=660052&latest=1 Thanks Ron

Ron

There is a problem here, only two SOE agents were sent into Germany. The first SOE agent was an anti-Nazi German named Kuenhel (Operation 'Champagne'), sent in 1942; he disappeared without trace. The other was Kurt Koenig, a young Social Democrat who had deserted the German Army and contacted the British in Spain. He bravely went three times, dropped by parachute, but his luck finally ran out and he was executed by the Germans in February 1945. William Mackenzie, who wrote the secret SOE history for MI5 in 1946 says:

"These were the only operations into Germany itself before the invasion: attempts were also made to penetrate the Sudetenland, with ill-success. Two agents were sent from Sweden in March 1944, but were caught while making the crossing to Denmark. Two others were dropped by parachute in May 1944, and seem to have been at large for some time; in the end one was executed and the other committed suicide to avoid arrest."

Peter