Our annual activities and projects programmes are shown below, but please subscribe to our emails and newsletters, either as a Supporter (free) or Friend (annual subscription) so that you can receive up-to-date news. Please see here.

ACTIVITIES 2025

 

February 2025 – circulation of quarterly newsletter.

Tuesday, 11^th March 2025, 8-9 pm (UK) – quarterly Zoom presentation. ‘Operation CADILLAC’, a film created and presented by our Co-founder, Martyn Cox. Four massive daylight supply operations across France took place between June and September 1944, which were also undertaken by the USAAF. Operation Cadillac on July 14th 1944 was the largest of the four.  Martyn will present the original archive footage, which had been safely stored in an American military archive, but never attributed to Operation CADILLAC by name, initially for security reasons back in 1944. He’ll then preview an already completed  fifteen minute sequence from the longer Operation CADILLAC film, which will be completed in time for an October SOE/resistance event in the Lot.

Thursday, 20^th March 2025, 7.30-8.30 pm – online presentation: The Jedburghs. Join Dr Ben Jones as he explores the history of the allied special force The Jedburghs who worked behind enemy lines to support the Allied invasion of France.

Benjamin F. Jones is currently the State Historian and Director of the South Dakota State Historical Society. A retired US Air Force officer he became curious about WWII special forces while serving in the 352nd Special Operations Group, then located at RAF Mildenhall.  Bookings (£8) here via Peterborough Cathedral where the Jedburgh memorial is sited.

Thursday, 20^th March 2025, 6.30 pm – Operation POSTMASTER presentation by Trustee and Treasurer Ashley Barnett at the Union Jack Club, Sandell St, London SE1 8UJ. For those of you who missed Ashley’s Zoom presentation on POSTMASTER last year, this is normally a members-only event, but one to which Ashley can invite (paying) guests, please apply to [email protected].

Monday, 24^th March 2025, 3pm (France) – Unveiling of plaque commemorating Major Francis Suttill DSO, head of the Prosper-PHYSICIAN circuit of F Section, SOE. Organised by our friends at Libre Résistance, the unveiling at 18 rue de Mazagran, 75010 Paris will be open to all, but please note that a reception afterwards is by invitation only, due to the limited capacity of the premises involved.

Friday, 4th April 2025, 7.30pm doors open, 8 pm  a talk – ‘Churchill’s Most Secret Airfield in WWII’ by Ian Griffith. The talk centres on the memoirs of Ian’s father-in-law, who flew many special duties flights from Tempsford. He will focus on a flight which became known as “A nightmare flight with 13 secret agents”, when just about anything that could go wrong, did. Ian will bring along his father in law’s log books and memorabilia, and also a log book belonging to Guy Gibson, V.C, who led the Dambusters raid. The talk will be held in the Memorial Hall, School Lane, Chalfont St. Giles Bucks HP8 4JJ. Tickets are £10 per head. For further details contact Mrs Jan Still via [email protected] – 01494 873388 or 07778 867672

22^nd April 2025, 11am – Trustees’ AGM.

 Thursday, 1^st May 2025 – deadline for submission of articles for the quarterly newsletter, to be circulated the same month.

 Monday 5^th May to Wednesday 7^th May 2025 – annual F Section ceremonies at Romorantin-Lanthenay (5^th – 4 pm tbc and Valençay (6^th – 11 am, all welcome, no booking necessary, programme for remainder of 6^th and 7^th tbc.)

Organised by Libre Résistance, with support from the Mairies of  Romorantin-Lanthenay and Valençay and with a contribution, display and wreath laying by SECRET WW2. Own travel arrangements necessary, contact [email protected] for further details and formal invitation.

Sunday, 11^th May 2025, 1.15pm – annual ceremony at the Czechoslovak burial plot in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, organised by the Memorial Association of Free Czechoslovak Veterans. SECRET WW2 to lay a wreath on behalf of SOE and Special Duties squadrons Czechoslovaks. All welcome, no formal booking necessary, but please email [email protected] if you propose to attend.

Tuesday, 13^th May 2025, 11 am to 4pm – SOE walk and talk in central London, a commission from Classic Battlefield Tours, a commercial company. The commission earned by Executive Trustee, Paul McCue, will go to our charity’s coffers. For further details see the February 2025 edition of our newsletter By the Light of the Moon or (and booking via) https://classicbattlefieldtours.com/…/soe-london…/

Saturday, 24^th May 2025 – save the date, unveiling of information board and blue plaque at MI5’s former London Reception Centre, Royal Victoria Patriotic School (now Building) on Wandsworth Common, London SW18. All are welcome to apply to be on a list for further information – [email protected] but preference will be given to subscribed Friends. Lunch (payable) is expected to be included.

 Sunday, 1^st June 2025, 10 am to 5pm – 1940s Tempsford Event, Stuart Memorial Hall, Tempsford SG19 2AX. Organised by Tempsford Museum and Archives, there will be four speakers (incl SECRET WW2), 17 stalls (incl SECRET WW2), 1940s music and songs by Bethan Scanes, aka ‘Cara Bo’, the band of the Biggleswade Sea Cadets and an assault course for children organised by the Biggleswade and Sandy Army Cadets. The village hall also houses  Tempsford Museum and Archives which will be open on the day. No booking necessary. NB the museum and archives are well worth a visit at other times: first Sunday of every month, except January, at 2pm – www.tempsfordmuseum.co.uk

 Tuesday, 17^th June 2025, 8-9 pm (UK) – quarterly Zoom presentation. Marcus Bloom – cinema manager turned secret agent. Paul McCue re-assesses existing accounts of Bloom, an F Section radio operator for the PRUNUS circuit in and around Toulouse. An engaging character, Bloom attracted criticism in his early days in the field, yet went on to perform courageously and well. This criticism is revisited, as is that for the PRUNUS circuit in general, and fresh opinions are put forward.

 Wednesday, 18^th June 2025, 10.30 am – L’appel

The annual ceremony, organised by the Defence Office of the French Embassy in London, marks the BBC appeal of General de Gaulle to France on 18^th June 1940, a day that came to mark the beginning of French resistance to occupation. The ceremony takes place in Carlton Gardens, London SW1Y 5AA, in front of a statue of the General. This is outside 4 Carlton Gardens, the wartime HQ of the Free French Forces and the offices of the government-in-exile being created by de Gaulle. SECRET WW2 are one of the official wreath layers, commemorating the agents and teams of the BCRA; SIS; the SOE’s F, RF, DF, EU/P and AMF sections and  Jedburgh  teams who served in occupied France. No booking required.

Sunday 6^th July 2025 – Belgium Remembers. Talk and walk on ‘secret war’ Belgians buried or commemorated in Brookwood Military Cemetery near Woking, Surrey. Starts at 2pm from the Memorial to the Missing 1939-45, followed by Last Post ceremony at 3pm. Refreshments afterwards (free to Friends, otherwise donation requested). Booking please to [email protected]

Sunday, 13^th July 2025 – annual picnic and networking event at the Violette Szabó GC Museum, ‘Cartref’, Tump Lane, Wormelow, Herefordshire HR2 8HN.

SECRET WW2 will be staffing a stand and will have two new publications on sale (all proceeds to SECRET WW2): ‘Lilian’ the biography of Section Officer Lilian Rolfe, WW2 secret radio operator for F Section SOE and ‘Uncle Charlie’ the memoir of SOE’s parachute training school, STS 51, throughout WW2. The suggested (no element obligatory!) itinerary for Friends and supporters is:

12 noon arrive The Tump Inn, Wormelow, HR2 8EJ. Bar or (individual booking in advance) carvery, telephone 01981 540909.  Easy parking.

1.30pm depart Tump Inn to relocate 500 yards to Memorial Gathering. No entry charge if walking, bucket collection (£2 – £5) for parking in neighbouring field. Time allowed to look at displays, raffles, cards, books etc, some to buy, including small museum/reminiscence items.

2.30 pm Memorial Gathering – BYO camp chair recommended as seating is limited. Gathering is outside so be prepared for the weather – sun or rain – comfortable shoes. At conclusion of official programme everyone has the option of queuing for tea and picnic food provided. No fixed charge but a donation of around £2 and up is encouraged.

The event is run by Mrs Rosemary Rigby MBE, tel:  01981-540477, but no prior booking required. You will need to make your own travel arrangements. Contact Carol Browne at [email protected] to register your intention to attend if you would like to engage with SECRET WW2.

Friday, 1^st August 2025 – deadline for submission of articles for the quarterly newsletter, to be circulated the same month.

Sunday, 17^th August 2025, 10.30 for 11 am – hold the date for (tbc) our bi-annual Service of Commemoration for the WAAF and RAFVR agents of M.I.9 and the Special Operations Executive (SOE); and the aircrew of the Special Duties squadrons of the Royal Air Force; commemorated on the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial, Cooper’s Hill Ln, Englefield Green, Egham TW20 0LB. For further details and indication of intention to attend, please email [email protected].

 Tuesday, 2^nd September 2025, 8-9 pm (UK) – quarterly Zoom presentation: MRD Foot: Survival behind the lines – a second talk and film by Co-founder Martyn Cox. Ever since Martyn filmed an interview with the late Professor M.R.D. Foot, he’d remained intrigued that the SOE historian had only made very brief references to his personal wartime experiences while an SAS intelligence officer. In particular, Michael Foot hadn’t mentioned the consequences of his own ill-fated mission into northern France. Martyn will now reveal what’s proved to be the truly remarkable story of Michael Foot’s war, and eventually his survival which was down to perseverance, ingenuity and courage – plus quite a lot of luck!

Sunday, 7^th September 2025, 2-4 pm – annual commemoration of Jewish ‘secret war’ casualties, Brookwood Memorial to the Missing, 1939-45, Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. No booking necessary.

Saturday and Sunday,  13^th and 14^th September 2025, 11 am and 2.30 pm each day -presentations by SECRET WW2 members on SOE agents at STS 5, Wanborough Manor, supporting the SOE and local history exhibitions in the Wanborough Great Barn, near Guildford, Surrey. No booking necessary. Lunches/refreshments on sale.

Saturday, 11th October 2025, 11.00 am and 12.30 pm. Unveiling of plaque and information board commemorating SOE’s STS 1, Brockhall. i)  at St Peter & St Paul church, Brockhall (11am – by application to [email protected]) for unveiling of plaque; ii) unveiling of information board (all welcome) at 12.30pm at local venue tba – ctc [email protected] for further details from July 2025.

Sunday, 26^th October 2025, 1.15 pm – annual commemoration of Czechoslovak casualties by partner organisation the Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans (MAFCSV) in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. Please notify [email protected] if you expect to attend.

Saturday, 1^st November 2025 – deadline for submission of articles for the quarterly newsletter, to be circulated the same month.

Saturday, 1^st November 2025 – deadline for submissions for the Network’s Steve Weiss Bursaries from Friends of SECRET WW2, students of the University of Chichester and the King’s College, University of London.

Sunday, 9^th November 2025 10.30 am for 11 am – Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the monument to SOE agents, Lambeth Palace Rd, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 7LB. SECRET WW2 will place a wreath. All welcome. No booking necessary.

Tuesday, 11^th November 2025, 10.15 for 10.30 am – Armistice Day ceremonies, Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. The French Embassy’s ceremony at the Free French plot is followed by our own SECRET WW2 wreath laying at the Memorial to the Missing 1939-1945. No booking necessary.

Saturday, 15^th November 2025, times tbc  – hold the date for our annual conference, to be held in a central London location. More details will be published when available.

Monday, 1st December 2025 – announcement of awards of the Network’s Steve Weiss Bursaries for Friends of SECRET WW2, students of the University of Chichester and the King’s College, University of London.

Tuesday, 10^th December 2025 8-9 pm (UK) – quarterly Zoom presentation by SECRET WW2 Trustee Professor Juliette Pattinson. Topic tbc.

 

PROJECTS 2025

A full list of our current projects can be found here.