STS 1, Special Operations Executive.

Our farthest-flung UK effort to date saw the October 2025 unveiling of a plaque and information board in respect of STS 1, Brockhall, near Flore in Northamptonshire.

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.

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’ was recruited by SOE and most received initial training at STS 1, Brockhall in 1942. Kay Walker represented the FANY (PRVC).

After the church service we relocated three miles to The Depot, Weedon Bec, Northants NN7 4PS as it is here, in the site’s Visitor Centre Pictured above) 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.

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.

F (French) Section, Special Operations Executive.

To complement the T (Belgian) Section, SOE plaque on Norgeby House, 83 Baker Street, London SW1 (see article below) SECRET WW2 placed another, to F (French) Section, SOE, on the same property. The unveiling event was held on 14th September 2024 at 56 Baker Street, W1, courtesy of Henry Robinson of devolpers Derwent.

The plaque was unveiled by David Harrison, eminent F Section historian, and Admiral Luc Reynal, Defence Attaché at the French Embassy in London.

The F (French) Section plaque, subsequently mounted on Norgeby House, 83 Baker Street W1 – opposite the plaque commemorating T (Belgian) Section. Both these Country Sections of SOE were located in this building during the Second World War.

STS 3, Special Operations Executive.

Continuing our programme of information boards and/or plaques to SOE’s first six (STS 1 – STS 6) training schools in Britain, an information board commemorating STS 3, Stodham Park, Liss in Hampshire was unveiled in June 2024.

Although the house still exists, the owners are not keen on the potential for visits from what a local resident called “WW2 geeks” (!)

Consequently, the board was placed on a popular walking and cycle route, the Shipwright’s Way, some one mile from Stodham Park, but immediately next to Liss railway station. Coincidentally, this element of Shipwright’s Way is on the end of what was once the railway line of Longmoor Military Railway – used by SOE trainee sabotage agents.

Funding contributions came from East Hampshire District Council and the location was given, and the board installed, by Liss Parish Council. The board was unveiled by uniformed representatives from the US and Norwegian special forces and the British Army’s Special Operations unit, the 2nd Battalion, The Ranger Regiment. An honour guard was provided by local Army Cadets.

T (Belgian) Section of the Special Operations Executive.

In November 2023 we were delighted to advise the Belgian Embassy in London (and our good friends there, Defence Attaché Colonel Bruno Plaetsier and Assistant Defence Attaché Warrant Officer Sven Berg) on the location, wording and production of a blue plaque marking the wartime offices of T (Belgian Section) of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) at Norgeby House,  83 Baker St, London W1U 6AG.

Colonel Plaetsier is seen helping the Belgian Ambassador, His Excellency Bruno van der Pluijm, unveil the plaque.

Paul McCue of SECRET WW2 gave a presentation after the unveiling to the Ambassador and invited guests in Norgeby House.

STS 4/STS 7, Special Operations Executive.

Unveiling of our information board, commemorating the SOE’s training school and assessment board at Winterfold, near Cranleigh, Surrey, on Sunday, 8th October 2023 at Cranleigh Arts Centre.

This was the third in our series of plaques and information boards covering STS 1-6 of SOE. Winterfold was originally (1941-1943)  STS 4, the Preliminary School for Belgian and Dutch trainee agents of SOE. From June 1943 it became STS 7, the Students’ Assessment Board.

The plaque was generously funded by Cranleigh Parish Council and Friends of the Hurtwood and the location (see below) was kindly provided by the late Jim McAllister, Founder and Chief Executive of The Rutland Group.

The information board is located near to the property Winterfold (still the original building) in Hurtwood car park no. 4, Winterfold Heath Rd, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7NJ (close to the junction with Barhatch Road) on publicly-accessible land (in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), much used by walkers and cyclists. The limited space and the surrounding narrow lanes nevertheless make it impractical to hold the unveiling ceremony in situ for a reasonably-sized audience, hence our use of Cranleigh Arts Centre.

Lt-Colonel André Hue.

Our SECRET WW2 blue plaque on the former house of Lt-Colonel André Hue – French resistance, SOE F Section, Far East Jedburgh, postwar Parachute Regiment and SIS/MI6 officer. Unveiled 17th July 2023.

Another initiative kindly funded by the Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charity.

Grateful thanks to: Gordon and Jackie Rees for agreeing to host the plaque; Lt-Commander Mathieu Kuhn of the French Navy (representing the Embassy of France); Nikki Bennett, (daughter of André Hue), the Bennett family and friends including Lt-Colonel (ret’d) Ewan Southby-Tailyour. It would not have been possible without our helpers on the day – Carol Browne, Ian Titman and Joy Hanauer –  and a big pat on the back to Trevor Butterworth, long-term subscribed Friend of SECRET WW2, from whom the project originated.

Special Raiding Squadron of the SAS.

Our information board commemorating the WW2 camp and training of the Special Raiding Squadron of 1st SAS, commander by Major Blair “Paddy” Mayne. Unveiled 8th June 2023 at Gesger HaZiv, Israel.

With grateful thanks to: Brigadier General (Res) Erez David Maisel; Colonel Richard Hecht, IDF; IDF International Co-operation Unit; Kibbutz Gesher HaZiv; 22 SAS Regiment and Jane Storey.

One of a series of plaques and information boards planned throughout Israel covering British intelligence and special forces during WW2 in what was than Mandate Palestine.

Generously funded by the Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charity.

Section Officer Yvonne Cormeau.

Our plaque created in memory of Section Officer Yvonne Cormeau, clandestine radio operator for 13 months in occupied France, F Section, SOE.

The plaque was unveiled on 17th September 2022 at Holbein House where Yvonne lived postwar. The plaque is on the wall, adjacent to 16 Holbein Place, London SW1W 8NL.

Grateful thanks to the Guinness Partnership, owners of the property, who agreed the location and provided much support and encouragement.

STS 5, Special Operations Executive.

Information board installed in 2021 in Wanborough Great Barn, commemorating STS 5 at adjacent Wanborough Manor near Guildford, Surrey.

Assisted by funding from the Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charity and Guildford Borough Council.

In partnership with the Wanborough Great Barn Management Committee.

Captain Ronald Taylor.

On 6th July 2019 the plaque was unveiled to commemorate Captain Ronald Taylor, a British Liaison Officer of No. 1 Special Force, SOE who served behind enemy lines in northern Italy with the Italian resistance.

The plaque was placed on the wall of Carlton Hill Primary School, Carlton Hill, Brighton BN2 0RQ close to the site of the (since demolished) house (29 Carlton Street) where he was born.

The project was in partnership with the Worshipful Company of Constructors (Ronald Taylor having been a past Master of the livery company) and the Taylor family.

Lieutenant Jacqueline Nearne.

In August 2018, another plaque commemorating Lieutenant Jacqueline Nearne was unveiled by her niece, Odile , on the aerodrome at Dunsfold Park, Surrey. As RCAF Dunsfold, this was the airfield to which Jacqueline returned by Lysander aircraft in April 1944.

The plaque was funded by Dunsfold Airport Ltd (the Rutland Group), managers of Dunsfold Park, through the generosity of their founder and Chief Executive, the late Jim McAllister. Nancy Edwards of the Rutland Group was also instrumental in making the occasion a success and organising lunch for attendees.

The ‘Reveal’ of four blue plaques to SOE personnel.

Our first four blue plaques were unveiled at a ‘Reveal’ ceremony at the Corn Exchange in Brighton on 12th November 2016. They commemorated four Brighton and Hove-born personnel of the Special Operations Executive (SOE): Lieutenant Jacqueline Nearne (agent of F (French) Section in occupied France); Captain Ronald Taylor (British Liaison Officer of No. 1 Special Force with the Italian resistance in northern Italy); Captain Michael Trotobas and Captain Edward Zeff (both also agents of F Section in occupied France). Captain Trotobas was killed in a shoot-out with enemy forces in 1943, the others survived – Zeff miraculously so having been held in a Nazi concentration camp and being Jewish. The plaques were subsequently placed on the relevant properties where the four were born or lived:

Lieutenant Jacqueline Nearne – on the property where she was born at 32 West Hill St, Brighton BN1 3RR

Captain Ronald Taylor – on the wall of Carlton Hill Primary School, Carlton Hill, Brighton BN2 0RQ close to the site of the (since demolished) house (29 Carlton Street) where he was born.

Captain Michael Trotobas – on the house where he was born at 1 North Place, Brighton BN1 1YF

Captain Edward Zeff – at the entrance to the apartment block where he lived at the end of the Second World War, Embassy Court, 5 Western St, Hove, Brighton BN1 2PG

A book Brighton’s Secret Agents, written by Paul McCue to support the plaques’ unveiling, can be ordered here.