SOE Manual: How to be an Agent in Occupied Europe

e). The question of the civil population is a very important one, for it was their action in pouring out on to all the roads before the advancing Germans in 1940 that seriously handicapped the Allies in their attempts to deal with the German invasion. Here again detailed plans will be worked out in due course to tell the civil population what they can do to help, and especially what they can avoid doing to hinder. No doubt the B.B.C. will play a large part in this, but one cannot rely on the civilian population having receivers in an area threatened by invasion, and it may well be that your services may prove extremely useful in coping with an urgent problem of this kind.

Where does the organiser fit into all these schemes? The organiser is the key man in all of them, and it is on his work and organisation that the smooth carrying out of all the plans depends. You will have seen enough from what I have told you to realise that any one organiser has only a very small part – although an important one – in a vast organisation, and that any work he carries out is only a minute part of a big general plan. You will therefore appreciate the absolute necessity of team work. Too much individualism on the part of any one organiser might go far to wreck the plan.

The roles of the organiser are various. More often than not he is sent into the field with a specific mission to carry out. He may be given a target to demolish; he may be asked to foment industrial unrest in a particular area; he may be asked to organise a small guerrilla band in a certain district. On the other hand, he may be sent out as a pioneer with instructions to organise a certain area. In that case, he starts from scratch. He will have to make a survey of his area, and decide what are the most suitable targets to attack, and what type of organisation is best adapted to the purpose. If he is working not too far from this country, and is in fairly close touch, he will probably report back either by W/T or by letter, or, more likely still, return on a short visit. On the other hand, if the spot to which he goes is at the other end of the earth, we may not see him back again before the end of the war, and he will have to use his own initiative throughout.

It is obvious he can do none of these things unless he is properly trained and equipped for his task. That is why you have come to Beaulieu. During the next . . . . weeks you will have the task of studying the underground life in every aspect – starting with the moment at which you arrive on the ground and disengage yourself from your parachute. You will have to learn how to bury it safely, and to start your new life in your new surroundings. We shall be discussing with you every kind of measures for your own safety – the importance of having the right story to tell, the right kind of job to do, and how to lead your life most in accordance with those facts. We shall teach you how to build up your organisation from zero. There is only one word of warning I wish to make here. If you follow conscientiously in the field all that we teach you here, we cannot guarantee your safety, but we think that your chance of being picked up is very small. Remember that the best agents are never caught. But some agents when they get out into the field find it apparently much easier than they expected, and they are inclined to relax their precautions. That is the moment to beware of. Never relax your precautions, and never fool yourself by thinking that the enemy are asleep. They may be watching you all the time, so watch your step.

INDIVIDUAL SECURITY. (#u429c0a8d-2b34-5390-a949-a29f22c47bf8)

1. INTRODUCTION.

a) Security must be the first consideration of the agent. Unless he has taken the necessary precautions for his own safety it is useless for him to attempt any subversive work alone or in conjunction with other people.

b) Apart from the danger to the individual agent his arrest may jeopardise the safety of an organisation with which he is in contact.

c) The agent, unlike the soldier, who has many friends, is surrounded by enemies, seen and unseen. He cannot even be certain of the people of his own nationality who are apparently friendly. The agent must, therefore, remember that, like primitive men in the jungle, he has only his alertness, initiative and observation to help him. He has to look after himself but we can prepare him for this by training.

d) Despite the apparent difficulties the agent can train himself to be security-minded and by self-discipline make the taking of precautions an automatic process (cf. crossing the road). He should, at the same time, beware of the danger of over-confidence when he sees little evidence of measures being taken against him.

2. RULES.

The following rules should be studied and followed by the agent and passed on to any one he recruits:

a) Cover.

b) Information.

c) Alertness.

d) Inconspicuousness.

e) Discretion.

f) Discipline.

g) Planning for emergency.

a) Cover. It is essential to have a comprehensive cover story for his past and every action, and to do nothing which might jeopardise it. This is dealt with in detail in another lecture.

b) Information. This is the basis of all the agent’s work. As much as possible is provided before departure but the agent must check and supplement it on arrival. For the purposes of self-protection, information will be required on:

i. Conditions and regulations in the agent’s area.

ii. Enemy methods and personnel.

e) Alertness.

i. The agent cannot rely on the law for protection; on the contrary, he is opposed to it, and must depend on alertness and observation, e.g. must see danger early (old friend in the street, or policeman checking papers) so that he may have time to avoid it.

ii. He should not only observe things but also make deductions from them, e.g. papers moved suggesting someone has been in his room; a smell of real coffee suggesting someone connected with black market; familiar voice or face suggesting that the agent is being followed.

iii. Combined with alertness of mind, the agent should develop a good memory; the ability to remember a face, details of instructions, plans laid some time previously, is an essential requisite for the agent, who should commit as little as possible to writing.

d) Inconspicuousness.

The agent should avoid attracting attention to himself by:

i. Observing all rules and regulations. Small infringements may bring the agent into contact with the police and may lead to further investigations. Little danger in this for the person not engaged in clandestine activity, but for the agent it is unnecessary contact with the police. He should, therefore, be a “model citizen”.

ii. Personal behaviour. Under this heading consider physical appearance (hands, hair, etc.), clothes, friends (avoid persons suspected by the police, Jews, Communists, etc.), tastes, amusements, etc. The agent should merge into the background and act in the same way as those around him. This does not mean perpetual silence – which might be even more conspicuous – but natural behaviour. Build up good reputation – be pleasant to people and avoid annoying them. Conform to local conditions.

e) Discretion.

The agent must not give himself away by carelessness.

i. In conversation. The agent should not:

confide in friends just to relieve the strain on nerves;

answer questions in such a way as to arouse curiosity;

tell people more than they need know, no matter how important or how close the association;

adopt a “hush-hush” attitude (vanity is usually the cause of this), or an atmosphere of importance;

mention facts which he is not supposed to know;

mention isolated facts at different times which can be pieced together;

be led into making compromising statements, e.g. by pro-German remark.

ii. With incriminating material or documents. The agent must not leave about, and, as far as possible, must not carry, incriminating documents, e.g. names, addresses, notes. Remember that even a tram ticket may in some circumstances be an incriminating document. A daily check of the contents of one’s pockets is essential and all unnecessary documents must be destroyed at once.

iii. Behaviour. The agent must observe self-discipline, e.g. be able to control his reactions in routine controls or if accidents occur. Practise moderation in drink, care in relations with women, avoid celebration after success, etc.

f) Discipline.

It is essential to security as well as to efficiency that an agent should obey his chief’s orders exactly and without dispute.

g) Planning for Emergency.

The agent must foresee emergency and plan in advance the action to be taken.

i. Arrange alternatives in case of accident or misunderstanding, e.g. alternative R.V. if the first is not kept.

ii. Prepare for any sudden difficulty, e.g. prearranged conversation in talking to colleague in case of interruption.

iii. Prepare signs by which he can warn colleagues of the fact that he is in danger.