Secret WW2

16th November 2025 – AJEX parade, Whitehall and Cenotaph. Louisa Russell and Paul McCue were joined by Sheryl Green (who has also contributed to Jewish military history) for this annual reception and parade. SECRET WW2 benefit from a mutually rewarding relationship with AJEX and in particular with their archivist, Martin Sugarman. Dan Fox, Chair of AJEX and a serving Reservist with the British Army’s Intelligence Corps, presided in the reception before the Whitehall parade which was watched by (l to r) Sheryl Green, Paul McCue and Louisa Russell

15th November 2025 – SECRET WW2 annual conference. Broadway House, Tothill St, St. James’s, London. Our morning programme started with ‘CODENAME WHITEBEAM’ – the story of Andrée Borrel, agent of F Section SOE, ‘Another Unsung Heroine’. This consisted of Part 1 – EARLY YEARS, a short introduction, outlining Andrée’s childhood and hobbies, presented by Paul McCue, Executive Trustee. Part 2 – ESCAPE – covering Andrée’s escape lines service and her own escape from France, was expertly covered by Allan Hunn, Friend of Secret WW2 and member of the Escape Lines Memorial Society (ELMS). Allan’s high-tech maps and graphics were greatly admired. Paul then returned for Part 3 – ‘A VERY GALLANT FRENCHWOMAN’, detailing Andrée’s SOE training, service in the field and tragic fate. After a decent lunch provided on the premises we had our usual, light-hearted book auction, raising over £300 for the Network’s coffers. Our final presentation was OPERATION CLEEVES - My grandfather in SOE’s forgotten wartime tragedy in Thailand, a personal and moving presentation by Steve Wright, grandson of SOE volunteer Harding Thomas. This engaging presentation covered a fascinating family history stretching from Wales to the Far East as well as the relatively little-known invasion of Thailand by Japan. It provided an important reminder of SOE’s activities beyond Europe.

11th November 2025 – Armistice Day French ceremony, Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. The French Embassy’s annual ceremony, slipped by 30 minutes to 11 am, was led by Ambassador Hélène Duchêne and our Trustee, Colonel (ret’d) Nick Fox OBE, placed our charity’s wreath. Our own short SECRET WW2 service afterwards, at the Memorial to the Missing 1939-45, commemorated Lieutenant Andrée Borrel of F Section, SOE, as our French or Anglo-French example for remembrance. This was the first of two (see 15th Nov, below) elements highlighting this brave young woman’s courageous service and untimely death. Chair Louisa Russell placed our wreath, and Paul McCue spoke briefly of Andrée’s service and death. The French Army and French historical associations, with standard bearers, kindly attended. Refreshments were provided at the nearby Trench Experience by our volunteer Eddie Jones.

9th November 2025 – Remembrance Sunday ceremony, at the monument to SOE agents, Lambeth Palace Rd, The Queen's Walk, London SE1. SECRET WW2 Executive Trustee, Paul McCue to place our wreath, accompanied by Chair Louisa Russell and Friend, Warren le Serve. The ceremony attracted a sizeable crowd and representation from relevant embassies. The book SOE in Denmark – the official history was presented to the Danish Defence Attaché, Commodore Dan Termansen, by Paul McCue.

26th October 2025 – Czechoslovak ceremony at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. Paul McCue placed the Network’s wreath, commemorating the Czechoslovaks of SOE and the RAF.

Saturday, 11th October 2025 – plaque and information board unveiling to commemorate STS 1, Brockhall. This project was initiated by Ashley Barnett, Trustee and Treasurer and subsequently supported by Paul McCue. The first part of the day involved an 11am commemorative service and the unveiling of a small (required as such to be in keeping with two existing plaques) plaque at St Peter and St Paul church, Brockhall, Northampton NN7 4JY. The church is immediately adjacent to the hall, where all participants were kindly allowed to park – and to be group-photographed. An excellent church service was given by Rev. Stephen Burrow. We enjoyed military representation from the British Army’s Intelligence Corps, the defence teams of the US Embassy (Colonel Mike “MB” Brown, USAF and his wife, Rebecca) and the French Embassy (Lieutenant de Vaisseau (r) Thierry Ferrus) and Dr John Luckit, Volunteer Consul of the Royal Thai Embassy, London and member of the Anglo-Thai Society. Dr Luckit was joined in representing Thailand by his wife, Frances, also a member of the Anglo-Thai Society and its Chair, Steve Buckley. Padej (Pad) Kumlertsakul, Adviser for Overseas & Defence at The National Archives, Kew, London was a welcome addition and expert on matters Thai – a first group of 35 or so ‘Free Thais’ were recruited by SOE and most received initial training at STS 1, Brockhall in 1942. Kay Walker represented the FANY (PRVC). SECRET WW2 attendees were (Chair and Trustees) Louisa Russell, Paul McCue and Ashley Barnett, together with volunteer Meryl Jones, Rachelle Barnett, Ray Windmill and (also representing the Harrington Aviation Museum) https://harringtonmuseum.org.uk/ Clive Bassett. After the church service we relocated three miles to The Depot, Weedon Bec as it is here, in the site’s Visitor Centre, that our information board will be displayed, in order for it to be seen by the many visitors to the Centre – in contrast to the isolated location of Brockhall itself. See: The Visitor Centre - The Depot https://the-depot.uk/the-visitor-centre/ We were very grateful to Doreen Addicott, leading light at The Visitor Centre, for agreeing to host our information board and supporting leaflets, of which a supply was also provided for the church. The history of STS 1 is set out further on in this newsletter. Doreen mentioned that the Centre had recently had a return visit from someone who, several years ago, was in the C5 television team that conducted a dig on the site of The Depot. Their finds had included a German machine pistol and a container of the type dropped into occupied Europe. As they seemed to have no relevance to the main history of The Depot, they were reburied on site. But the depot was used throughout WW2 and, being only a short distance from STS 1, may have held arms, ammunition etc for the SOE establishment.