MI9: A HISTORY OF THE SECRET SERVICE FOR ESCAPE AND EVASION IN WORLD WAR TWO
The intriguing story of a secret wartime world
Author Helen Fry Publisher Yale University Press Price £20 Released Out Now
In her latest book, MI9: A History of The Secret Service For Escape And Evasion In World War Two, Helen Fry tells the fascinating story of MI9, an almost forgotten branch of the Secret Service. Established in 1939, this War Office department remained in operation until 1945 and had two objectives. Firstly, MI9 offered help to escaped Allied prisoners of war attempting to flee Axis countries to safety. Secondly, it gave assistance to military personnel stranded behind enemy lines as they attempted to evade capture and reach Allied countries.
In the face of terrible danger, the intelligence operatives and resistance fighters of MI9 established clandestine routes across Nazi-occupied Europe by which Allied soldiers could find their way home.
The story of MI9 is the stuff of spy fiction, and it certainly makes for a fascinating subject. Fry is fortunate to have enjoyed access to previously classified files and documents, which allows for a more in-depth study of the department than ever before. The combination of this material, eyewitness testimony and some truly breathtaking tales of heroism and survival make this a must-read for anyone with an interest in the history of the intelligence services of World War II. The narrative is peopled by some familiar names and some who will likely be less well-known to many readers.
MI9: A History of The Secret Service
For Escape And Evasion In World
War Two is clearly the product of an immense amount of research. What shines through most of all are the individual stories of those who put their lives on the line time after time for the sake of the war effort, not to mention the heroic Allied personnel who made such dangerous escapes and risked everything to be able to fight again. It’s no criticism to say that the book sometimes reads more like spy fiction than historical truth, but such was the work of MI9.
However, we did notice some small but niggling errors that occasionally undermine its impact and authority. It also has a tendency to move back and forth through time, leading to some repetition that might have been avoided with a more linear approach. Readers with a particular interest in the intelligence services will no doubt find much to debate in Fry’s assertion that the work of MI9 as an intelligence gathering organisation has been overlooked. She argues that it should be considered alongside MI5, Bletchley Park et al as a centre of military intelligence, and this is certainly an intriguing new theory that would bear some further examination.
MI9: A History of The Secret Service
For Escape And Evasion In World War Two is a fascinating story, peopled with a cast of characters who readers won’t soon forget. The aforementioned errors cannot go unremarked, but the extensive bibliography will reward those who wish to undertake some further research. As a history of an overlooked organisation and a celebration of some extraordinary achievements, there is much here to enjoy.
“Fry is fortunate to have enjoyed access to previously classified files”