---

Special Operations Executive Summary of Operations in Western Europe
This summary refers only to those operations with the fullest material in the files. For reasons of space it does not refer to every operation mentioned in the records. Similarly, the newly released records do not contain evidence on every operation which was mounted by the sections.
Source : Adam Matthew Publications

A(E)NEAS
Belgium, May-June 1944, field name Nicole, Graumont

ARBORETUM
Belgium, 1944, agents executed.

AEMILIUS
Belgium, 3 August 1944, field name Lucie, Rochefort – Marche

AGAMEMNON
Belgium, January-February 1944, field name Suzanne, Tournai, liaison mission with Cufflinks mission

AGRIPPA
Belgium, 5 March 1944, field name Brooch

AILERON
Italy, brief report only available in the files of an agent sent to Siena in March 1944

ALARBUS
Belgium, 3 June 1944, field name Locket, Ciney – Marche

ALCIBIADES
Belgium, 5 August 1944, field name Ida, Halle – Nivelle (provision of instruction in sabotage)

ALMOUTH
Italy, February 1944, plans for blowing up of railway bridge over the Taro

ALOES
France, 1944, code name for resistance headquarters, Brittany

ALSATION
Belgium 21-22 April 1943, Briquet. Mission members killed on impact. Aimed at encouragement of resistance in industry

AMPTHILL
Italy, March 1944, rail sabotage at Pedaso

ANDROMACHE
Belgium, 2-3 June 1944, field name Valerie, Graimont, liaison with resistance, reception committees and sabotage

ANTENOR
Belgium, 1944, field name Tiepin, Gembloux

APEMANTUS
Belgium, February/March 1944, field name Monique, Beauraing

ARMADA
France, November 1943, sabotage of Le Creusot electricity power, also transformer stations and fuel depots

ARMADILLO
Belgium, 6 August 1944, field name Gavotte, Ardenne

ARTICHOKE
Holland, June 1942, to destroy VLF stations at Kootwyk, the communications centre for U Boats in North Sea. An agent was to be exfiltrated

ASSOCIATION
Belgium, infiltration of agent to Belgium through Lisbon; paid off after attempt at usage 1941-1942

ATLOW
Italy, April 1944, sabotage against railways in Siena, Asciano

AUFIDIUS
Belgium, 1 April 1944, filed name Colette, Ciney Marche, liaison mission with chief of zone IV, for organisation of zone, instruction in arms and explosives

AUTOGYRO
Belgium, 1941, few details in files, mission cancelled after several failures

BABOON
Belgium, 17 November 1942, PID mission to encourage peasant resistance

BADGER
Belgium, February 1943, Liège région, reception committees, communication with Secret army; agent deemed ‘irresponsible’.

BALAKLAVA
Belgium, September-October 1941, W/T support to Outcaste at Neufchateau, discovered by Germans

BALLOONET
Italy 1944-1945, political and military mission to the east Tyrol and VIOLET south-west Carinthia.

BALTHAZER
Belgium, 1942-1944, field name Louise, aimed at paralysis of river traffic in Hainault region, later expanded to cutting of railway routes and destruction of communications in preparation for D-Day, working to Nelly

BANDON VII
Italy, 1945, continued political and military liaison mission in Turin. Appears to have had the task of facilitating supplies by safeguarding Rivoli airport

BASSIANUS
Belgium, May 1944, field name Violette, to work to Nelly, sabotage instruction, including derailment of trains

BERGENFIELD
Italy, 1944-1945, political and military liaison mission to the TABELLA partisans, Udine area

BERNARDO
Belgium, 4-5 July 1944, Brussels region, messenger to chief of Secret Army, field name Nina

BIANCA
Belgium, 28-29 June 1944, field name Diane, sabotage instruction

BLUNDELL
Italy, general name used to denote the various liaison missions to the Italian partisans in the north, 1944-1945

BLUNDELL
Italy, 1944, political and military liaison mission to VIOLET Piacenza partisans, working in Spezia region. The relevant files contain reports by leaders Captain T D Gregg and Major Lett

BORZOI
Belgium, 20 December 1942, Brussels and Tournai, to extend Flemish clandestine press, reception committees; agents escapes to Geneva, March 1943

BOYKIN
Italy, plan for kidnapping of suspected double agents who were thought to be compromising the north Italian resistance. Although successful when carried out in February 1945, interrogation of the agents later suggested that the suspicions were unfounded

BRABANTIO
Belgium, July or August 1944, filed name Odette, principal delegate to occupied territory for organisation of sabotage

BRADDOCK I
Germany, 1944, dropping of incendiary devices by air for possible and II use by POWs in an uprising

BROADBEAN
Holland, February 1943, to collect mail from resistance groups in northern Holland and arrange transportation

BUCKHOUND
Belgium, 1943, W/T support, military zone IV, Brussels

BULLFROG
Belgium, May 1943, contacts with secret army and organisation of GOFER reception committees

CAIUS
Belgium, August 1944, field name Stephanie, sabotage instruction to Huguette, Brussels and Liege region, captured, escaped

CALF
Belgium, January 1943, aimed at the creation of links to secret army, Hainault, but a possible security breach

CALPURNIA
Belgium, July-August 1944, field name Courante, W/T support to Huguette group, Hainault region

CALVADOS
Germany, 1943, attempt to start a sabotage organisation in Hamburg and Bremen, using a German deserter, Kurt Koenig

CANIDUS
Belgium, June 1944, W/T to Delphine mission

CANTICLE
Belgium, March 1942, with Duncan, Mastiff, Incomparable; courier, and W/T support arrested; later agents reported to have been beheaded

CAPHIS
Belgium, January 1944, field name Herminie, probably a stage mission, captured

CARICAL
Belgium, 1942-44, PID mission, based in Liège, Charleroi, Brussels, to destroy records of the Office National du Travail to undermine the use of skilled labour by the German occupiers

CASEMENT
A deception plan aimed at creating the belief that Germans were fleeing to Eire or Argentina to form a free German government. Suggested by the Spanish section during 1944, it did not go ahead through the lack of evidence of the Spanish escape connection considered necessary for its success

CATO
Belgium, July 1944, field name Celeste, to provide a messenger link for communications from the Minister of Finance

CAWDOR
Belgium, February-March 1944, field name Roland, accompanied by Necklace, to provide a courier service

CAYOTE
Belgium, (?) May 1942, for organisation of motor sabotage, Brussels, accompanied by W/T mission Duncan

CELESTE
Belgium, July 1944, carrying messages from the Belgian Minister of Finance

CHEROKEE
Italy, 1944-45, political and military liaison mission to partisans in ANTI-SCORCH northern Piedmont

CHICKEN
Belgium, August 1941, field name Tante Caro, creation of organisation based on passive resistance and sabotage in the Antwerp area

CHIRON
Belgium, April 1944, field name Sash, W/T mission; arrested

CIMBER
Belgium, August 1944, field name Yvonne, transmission of microfilmed messages
CISCO
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission, Modena-Reggio, aiming to create a secure base on the northern Apennines

CITRONELLE
France, 1944, to assess Maquis Strength, Ardennes region

CIVET
Belgium, 1942-44, also known as mission Stanley, report on strength of secret armies at request of Pierlot

CLARIBEL
Belgium, March 1941, preparations for possible use of Belgium by enemy forces as a springboard for the invasion of Britain

CLAUDIUS
Belgium, July 1943, to contact resistance groups – FIL, MNB, Group G, and offer financial support

CLOWDER
Austria, 1943-45, establishment of an advance post to make contacts in central and eastern Europe, exploiting resistance movements, and looking especially to work in Austria and Germany

COAL/TURTLE
Belgium, January 1943, abortive mission to steal German fighter aircraft, Brussels

CODFORD
Name for all operations designed to prevent enemy states from seizing assets of neutral foreign countries

COLAN
Germany, 1945, sabotage of railway between Stuttgart and Heilbronn, reports of success by agents

COLLIE
Belgium, March 1942, mission for SOE and Belgian Surété, to contact resistance, organise reception committees; exfiltration of leader of Legion Belge, but caused a subsequent quarrel between SOE and the Belgian government in exile over interrogation of leader of Legion Belge

COLLOSSUS
Italy, February 1941, Landing of sabotage of bridges

COMINIUS
Belgium, March-April 1944, field name Mitten, Huy, Ardennes region

CONJUGAL
Belgium, September 1941, to organise sabotage and contacts, but captured

COOLANT
Italy, 1944-45, political and military liaison mission to the partisans

COOLANT BLUE
north east of Udine

CORDELET
Belgium, 1943-44, mission to social and democratic trade unionists, to encourage resistance, and organise a go-slow of Belgian workers in Germany

CORIOLANUS
Belgium, April-May 1944, field name Handbag

CORONA

Italy, 1944-45, political and military liaison mission, Piedmont

CROWD

Austria, 16 March 1945, investigation of general conditions of the underground socialist movement in the Sudetenland; fate unknown but thought to have been captured

CURLING
Holland, 1944

DANBURY
Austria, 13 August 1945, sabotage of enemy lines of communication in Drau valley, based at Klagenfurt

DARANUS
Belgium, April 1944, field name Agnes, investigation of Tybalt/ Claudius mission, information gathering on the efficiency of various groups, re-evaluation of sabotage missions

DEFIANCE
Spain, 1942-43, attempt to build up ‘traditionalist’, probably Catalan, support in the Barcelona area

DENVER
Austria, 8 May 1944, contact with resistance groups in Sudentenland and establishment of communications.

DICING
Holland, (?) April 1945, Jedburgh team to represent special forces and act as liaison between resistance and paratroops in the Assen, Meffel and Coevorden area

DINGO
Belgium, 1943-44, PID mission, to stimulate slow down in production in the industrial areas of Charleroi, possible security breaches by agent

DOLABELLA
Belgium, July/August 1944, field name Ursule, work in organising reception committees with Simone

DONALDBAIN
Belgium, August 1944, field name Foxtrot, W/T mission accompanying Odette mission

DONUM
Italy, 1944-45, political and military liaison mission in east Piedmont

DOWNEND

Germany, 1944, agent sent to create a sabotage organisation in the Ruhr and Frankfurt area, based on a nucleus of contacts with the ISK

DRAUGHTS
Holland, January 1945

BACKGAMMON/ DRAUGHTS
Holland organising mission, 1944

BEZIQUE / DRESSMAKER
France, 1943, sabotage of tanneries at Graulhet (Pau-Toulouse) and Mazamet (Carcassone); unsuccessful

DRYBROOK
Austria, 13 August 1945, establishment of W/T links in east Tyrol; dropped in error to Germany and returned to UK

DUNCAN
Belgium, October 1942, attempted infiltration of agent to Belgium via Portugal through a staged desertion; contact eventually lost

DUNCERY
Austria, 24 April 1945, preservation of Zeltweg Aerodrome for the Allies, in the event unnecessary through work of local anti-Nazi groups

DUVAL
Austria, 16 February 1945, to contact underground organisation in Salzburg and assist in sabotage; party captured

EBENSBURG
Austria, 8 February 1945, organisation of local sabotage with Maquis; capture of Bad Aussee four days before US arrival

ECHALOTTE
France, 1944, wireless bases in Moselle and Vosges area to augment existing radio circuits and to provide information to London from rear of German line

ELECTRA
Austria, 23 March 1945, to contact the underground socialist movement, Vienna

EMELIA
Belgium, August 1944, Mrs Olga Jackson, field name Babette, independent propaganda mission for undermining of morale in Brussels, Ghent, Liège, Antwerp, Charleroi; organisation of prostitution circuit aimed at German officers

ENORBARBUS
Belgium, 1944, field name Polka, W/T support to Constantine mission

ENVELOPE
Italy 1945, Reggio Emilia region, political and military liaison

BLUE (TOFFEE)
mission

EROS
Belgium, August 1944, field name Reel

EUCALYPTUS
France, 1944, derived from Union, liaison mission, Vercors

EUPHRONIUS
Belgium, May 1944, field name Arlette, sabotage instruction to Nelly in field, region Bierene

EVANSVILLE
Austria, 7 February 1945, support to movement in Graz, and arrangement for agents in Italy; believed killed and underground organisation crushed

EVAPORATE
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission to Modena and area

FALAISE
Tangier, 1941-42, destruction of an enemy wireless station used for providing locations of Allied submarines in the Straits

FERRET
Belgium, 1942, plan to evacuate seven agents from Belgium, including Arboretum, presumed captured by Germans

FERRET
Italy, June 1944, to land three A force agents north of Bonassola on the Ligurian coast and attempt a meeting with an existing ferret party

FERRULA
Italy, 1944-45, Val d’Aosta, political and military liaison mission

FLAMINIUS
Belgium, October 1943, field name Jacqueline, arrested mid-1944

FLAP/FIN
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission to southern Piedmont, dispatched August 1944. Also appears to be known as Temple mission

FLAVIUS
Belgium, 1943-44, field name Bib Red

FLECKNEY
Germany, 1944-45, establishment of an organiser for sabotage in Breslau region

FLOODLIGHT
Italy, 1944-45, political and military liaison mission consisting of Major W O Churchill, to act as British Liaison Officer to General Cadorna at the request of the CLNAI in northern Italy

FORDWICK
Germany, 1944, establishment of a line for agents and information between Germany and Denmark

FORTINBRAS
Belgium, 1943, field name Bracelet

FOXLEY
Germany, 1944-45, plan to assassinate Hitler pressed by SOE and supported by Duff Cooper. A full implementation and intelligence report was drawn up but was not taken forward – Hitler’s military strategy and decisions favored the Allies and there was no desire to create a martyr cult. However, plans to deal was Hitler’s subordinates, including Goebbels, found favour but were not implemented (Operation Little Foxley)

FRILFORD
Germany, 1944-45, to sabotage railway track from Hintshingen to Oberlauchringen

GAMBLING
Holland, 1945, Jedburgh team to Veluwe region

GELA BLUE
Italy, 1944-45, political and military liaison mission to partisans in Vittorio Veneto

GENESSE
Italy, 1945, military and political liaison mission to Oltre-Po, Pavese and partisans of Ligurian zone

GIBBON
Belgium, 1942-44, PWE mission, organisation of carrier pigeon communication systems

GLAMIS
Belgium, April 1944 field name Josephine, Huy, Andenne region, adjunct to Hotton sabotage group

GRATIANO
Belgium, January, 1944, field name Ping Pong, W/T operator for Samoyede II, based Brussels

GREENLEAVES
Austria, 2 April 1945, group based at Klagenfurt

GREYHOUND
Belgium, 1942-45, organisation of escape routes through France to Spain (also known as WOODCHUCK and ANTOINE)

GRIFFON
Belgium, February 1943, field name Genon, sent in with W/T mission Badger to Huy region; 2me Bureau agent sent to liaise with secret armies, eventually captured and sent to Dachau

GUINEAPIG
Belgium, October 1943, field name Wig, with Flaminius

GYPSY
Belgium, September 1941, to organise reception committees, VERMILLION courier routes

HAIL
Italy, led by Petrucci, shot by the SS in March 1944

HAMSTER
Austria, 21 April 1945, arming of small resistance groups for attacks on road and rail transport – Klagenfurt

HANGMAN
France, 1942, sabotage of pylons

HAPALE
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission to the partisans, southern Piedmont; signals investigation mission

HAPEVILLE
Italy 1945, liaison mission to the partisans at Bergamasco

HARAS
Austria, 30 July 1945, to join Communist underground in Innsbruck, establish radio links.

HARRISBURG
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission to partisans

SIAMANG
Val Maria area, helping to coordinate anti-scorch measures to protect hydroelectric plants in the region

HECATE
Belgium, mid-1944, W/T mission to Huguette group, Brussels

HECTOR
Belgium, Hector 2 captured.

HELENUS
Belgium, August 1944, field name Jeannine, Brussels, sabotage instructor for Nola

HERRING
Italy, April 1945, small parties of agents of Italian origin dropped to harass and disorganize enemy transport routes

HERRINGTON
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission, northern Lombardy, to the partisans of Bergamasco

HILLCAT
Belgium, August 1943, sent with Tybalt, W/T missioni to Hector group

HIRELING
Belgium, September 1941, arrested shortly after landing, escape, investigation by MI5

HISTORIAN
Austria, 24 April 1945, attack against communication lines in Klagenfurt

HOLLOWSHOES
Spain, 1942-45, building up of a network by Emilio Varas Canal. The group took its name from the latter’s girlfriend who proved her ability to create hollow heeled footwear

HOMESTEAD
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission, northern Lombardy

HORATIO
Belgium, January 1944, field name Glove, Brussels, W/T mission for Hector II and Nelly, arrested May 1944

HORTENSIUS
Belgium, January 1944, field name Valentine, sabotage of waterways, Wanneberg and Brussels region, arrested in April 1944

HOUSEKEEPER
France, 1943, sabotage of canal lock at Lesdains

IACHIMO
Belgium, 1944, field name Noemie, to contact resistance groups of MNB.

IAGO
Belgium, January 1944, field name Scipio, provision of counter scorch organisation in Antwerp; investigation of security of Hector organisation under recent arrests

IMOGEN
Belgium, July/August 1944, field name Alice, courier for Odette

INCISOR
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission to the Val d’Aosta area

INCOMPARABLE
Belgium, March 1942, PID propaganda mission, to contact and obtain influence in sabotage organisation

INDELIBLE
Italy, 1945, military and political liaison mission to partisans in the COTULLA Savona province

INDEPENDENCE
Belgium, April 1941, via Gibraltar; to contact any existing organisations and assess progress, advise on needs

INSULIN
Italy, March 1945, political and military liaison mission, Piacentina area

INTERSECTION
Belgium, January 1942, captured shortly afterwards, investigation on use by Germans and possible arrest of other agents

IZARRA
Italy, proposed exfiltation of General Gustvo Pesenti

JERBOA
Belgium, April 1943, Ghent, Sûreté mission, to limit industrial production, some sabotage of waterways

JUNIUS
Belgium, May/June 1944, field name Parasol, W/T mission, possibly arrested

KOALA
Belgium, June 1942, to stimulate a go-slow action to Beringen coal mines to reduce output, also to prepare sabotage on railways and Albert canal

KUYPER
Holland, October 1944, Lieutenant Dubois of Dutch army sent to organise reception committee and locate evading service personnel. Captured

LABRADOR
Belgium, January 1943, 2em mission, to organise reception committees; later doubts as to security

LACQUER
Belgium, September 1941, sent to liaise with Conjugal organisation

LAMB
Belgium, April/May 1942, W/T mission, to the secret army

LAVINIA
Belgium, March/April 1944, field name Victorine, organisation mission, sabotage against river traffic and locks

LEAR
Belgium, August 1943, to assist Stanley mission in cooperation with the secret army

LEMUR
Belgium, November 1942, British officer sent to try to resolve. current impasse, to organise reception committees, Ghent region

LEPIDUS
Belgium, May 1944, field name Waltz, W/T mission with Huguette, eventually captured

LEYTON
Italy, July 1944, to block enemy transport and communications on the coast road, Fano to Pesaro

LIGARIUS
Belgium, June 1944, field name Margot, liaison with Delphine, sabotage training; arrested July 1944

LODOVICO
Belgium, May 1944, Namur region, field name Rosalie, sabotage instruction mission

LUCULLUS
Belgium, January 1944, field name Gauntlet, Nivelles

LUCULLUSS
Belgium, March 1944, field name Jeanette, shot down

LYNX
Belgium, June 1942, Neufchateau area

M-11
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission, Asti and Piedmont (existed under different leadership before this date)

M 12/TIBER
Italy, 1945, political and military liaison mission; a sparse file suggests activity in Liguria and Genoa

M 6
Italy 1944-45, political and military liaison mission in Biella area

MACDUFF
Belgium, May 1943, with Ibex and Seal, to find reception committees for Civer, to act as an adjunct to mission Stanley

MAJORDOMO
Belgium, January 1942, with Mandamus, reports on arrests, including Laquer agents

MALLABY/NECK
Italy, 1943 with a second mission 1945, the first W/T mission dropped by parachute to Lake Como, but was captured on landing. The agent, Richard Mallaby, also known as Olaf and Richard Tucker, provided a W/T link during the final surrender of the Axis forces in Italy after being captured during his second mission

MAN FRIDAY
Belgium, January 1942, contact existing secret organisations, collect political and propaganda information

MANDAMUS
Belgium, January 1942, to organise sabotage, passive resistance, arms dumps, possibly crashed after take-off

MANDRILL
Belgium, 1943, PID mission to contact Cordier mission for the demoralisation of German support, reception of propaganda, Liège, Brussels, Ghent

MANELAUS
Belgium, October 1943, liaison mission to chief of zone 1, field name Berthe

MARCIUS
Belgium, February/March 1943, field name Necklace, W/T support to chief Osric; presumed arrested

MARDIAN
Belgium, July 1944, field name Mathilde, to work with Celeste

MARKET
Holland, September 1944, liaison missions for Arnhem operations, EDWARD, provision of W/T contacts with England during airborne operation CLAUDE, Market Garden. The four Jedburgh teams were Edward, Claude, Clarence and Daniel

DANIEL / MARMOSET
Belgium, January 1942, sabotage organisation for Periwig

MARMOT
Belgium, September 1942, support to existing sabotage movement in Mons, Scheldt region

MASTIFF
Belgium, March 1942, W/T mission with Incomparable

MENAS
Belgium, August 1944, field name Eugénie, to contact Samoyède II and Stentor organisation

MENCRATES
Belgium, April/May 1944, field name Hortense, sabotage mission to Nelly

MENENIUS
Belgium, August 1944, field name Simone, organisation of reception committees; arrives too late to fulfil mission

MESSALA
Belgium, June 1944, to regain direction in field of railway dislocation, replace Nelly and organise sabotage structure, field name Huguette

MINK
Belgium, 1942, chief steward in Belgian merchant navy, escaping to form sabotage organisation in Anvers region and await W/T

MONGOOSE
Belgium, June 1942, to contact secret armies, arrange reception committees; established but no reports received

MONTANO
Belgium, March 1944, reports on group G activities, investigation of Yapok, Fabius and Hector II missions, creation of PWE structure and sabotage central Brussels

MOSELLE
Italy 1943-45, wireless operation, agent captured in Sardinia and AVOCAT possibly played back against SOE

MOUSE
Belgium, March 1942, drops unoccupied France, arrested shortly after landing

MULE
Belgium, April/May 1942, Free French recruit, to organise transport and sabotage in Antwerp

MUSJID
Belgium, September/October 1941, contact organisations in east and west Flanders, creation of reception and sabotage organisations, organiser Aboretum, to be dispatched

Something to Add ?
Photos; Combat Experiences Stories
Documents : use form bellow.

Several photos ? Go to the Upload page (top bar of the site).
Thank you

Allowed jpg, gif, jepg, png, txt, tif, bmp, pdf.