SOE in France

IX

Middle Game: 1943

 

The year 1943 was altogether more successful. The tide of the European war had just turned, at Stalingrad and Alamein; conformably, the tide of SOE's affairs in France also began to rise. During these twelve months F, RF, and DF sections were all in difficulties with the Gestapo, which were survived easily enough by DF but which left F's and RF's principal field organizations alike leaderless. However, repairs were prompt; by the year's end both offensive sections had teams that covered the country effectively and knew what to do; moreover, the year's record in actual sabotage was striking. For the first time SOE could claim that it was making the sort of impression on the enemy high command in France it had been set up ...