SOE F Section networks

These are the networks, also known as circuits, (or réseaux to their French participants) established in France by F Section of the British Special Operations Executive during the Second World War. This group(s) were tasked with the assignment of gathering information about the enemy and relaying said information to the SOE headquarters in London. At minimum, a circuit would be composed of three people: 1) Circuit leader: organize the group and recruit new members. 2) Wireless Radio Operator: know-how to work the wireless set, possessed an understanding of Morse Code and as well the ability to encode and decode messages. 3) Courier or messenger: travel from circuit to circuit within the country acquiring intelligence about the enemy.^[1]

See also SOE F Section timeline.

Networks

Acolyte

• Robert Lyon – also known as Gilbert Calvert (Adrien)^[2]
• Jean Coleman — lieutenant (Victor)^[3]
• Robert Martin, real name : Albert Grinberg (Ibis) — wireless operator

Acrobat

• Harry Rée — worked with Acrobat before taking charge of Stockbroker^[4]
• Diana Rowden — courier^[5]
• Jean Simon – organiser following Starr's arrest
• John Renshaw Starr — organiser
• Andre Henri Van der Straton^[6]
• John Cuthbert Young – wireless operator^[7]

Actor

• Roger Landes – wireless operator^[8]

Archdeacon

A network which was meant to be established by Frank Pickersgill^[9] and John Kenneth MacAlister,^[10] who were both captured in June 1943 immediately upon arrival in France. The network became an operation run by the Germans.

Joseph Placke, an assistant in the wireless section at 84 Avenue Foch, impersonated Pickersgill, and Macalister's captured radio and codes were used to transmit false messages to London, arranging parachute drops of supplies, which of course fell into German hands. The fake operation continued until May 1944 and resulted in the capture of a sabotage instructor and six other agents sent to join the network.

Asymptote

• F. F. E. Yeo-Thomas^[11]

Author

• Harry Peulevé — organiser^[12]
• Jacques Poirier – organiser^[13]

Autogiro

A network which was organised in the Paris area by Pierre de Vomécourt, but which had been destroyed by the spring of 1942 after being betrayed by Mathilde Carre.

• Georges Bégué — wireless operator^[14]
• Christopher Burney — assigned to assist Burdeyron
• Noel Fernand Rauol Burdeyron (real name, Norman F. Burley) — agent, single-handedly derailed German supply train by pulling up a rail, Autogiro's only successful attack
• Raymond Henry Flower^[15]
• Pierre de Vomécourt — organiser^[16]

Bricklayer

A small network specialised in the economical and financial matters in view of the allied landing on D-Day. The French members were mainly businessmen, lawyers, bankers and engineers.

• France Antelme — organiser^[17]
• Madeleine Damerment — courier^[18]
• Lionel Lee – wireless operator^[19]

Carver

• Charles Henri Lucien Corbin – organiser

Chestnut

• Roland Dowlen – wireless operator^[20]
• William Grover-Williams — organiser^[21]

Cinema

• Emile Henri Garry – organiser^[22]
• Noor Inayat Khan — wireless operator^[23]

Clergyman

• Robert Benoist — organiser^[24]
• Denise Bloch — wireless operator, 1943–1945^[25]
• Louis Blondet – instructor^[26]

Detective

• Denise Bloch — wireless operator, 1943–1945^[25]
• Blanche Charlet — courier^[27]
• Henri Sevenet (aka Henry Thomas)^[28]
• Brian Stonehouse — wireless operator^[29]

Digger

• Charles Beauclerk – wireless operator^[30]
• Emile Gerschel – instructor^[31]
• Peter Lake
• Jacques Poirier – organiser^[13]

Diplomat

• Maurice Dupont^[32]

Ditcher

• Guy D'Artois — organiser
• Lt. Jean Renaud-Dandicolle, M.C. (aka John Danby)^[33]

Donkeyman

A network organised following the collapse of Autogiro and built on the remnants of Carte. It had small groups over the whole of France.

• Francis Cammaerts^[34]
• Henri Frager — organiser^[35]
• Peggy Knight — courier^[36]
• Vera Leigh — liaison officer^[37]
• Rolf Baumann – teacher

Farmer

A network which was organised in the Lille area by Michael Trotobas.

• Arthur Staggs – wireless operator
• Michael Trotobas – organiser^[38]

Farrier

An operation to organise aircraft landings and the reception of agents sent by such means.

• Juliane Aisner — courier^[39]
• Marcel Remy Clement – assistant^[40]
• Henri Déricourt — organiser
• Andre Watt – wireless operator^[41]

Fireman

• Alexander Campbell – assistant^[42]
• Edmund Mayer – organiser^[43]
• Percy Mayer – organiser^[44]
• Patricia O'Sullivan — wireless operator^[45]

Footman

• George Hiller — organiser^[46]
• Cyril Watney – wireless operator^[47]
• William Hawk Daniels – OSS instructor^[48]
• Richard Pinder – instructor^[49]
• Guy S. Songy – OSS instructor^[50]

Freelance

• John D. Allsop – instructor^[51][52]
• Andre Michael Bloch – instructor^[53][54]
• Rene Dussaq – assistant^[55]
• John Farmer – organiser^[56]
• Denis Rake – wireless operator^[57]
• Reeve Schley^[58]
• Nancy Wake — courier^[59]

Headmaster

• Sonya Butt — courier^[60]
• Pierre-Raimond Glaesner – instructor^[61]
• Charles Sydney "Soapy" Hudson — organiser^[62]
• George Jones – wireless operator^[63]

Heckler

• Paul Goillot – organiser^[64]
• Virginia Hall^[65][66]
• Henry Riley – organiser^[67]

Historian

• Nicholas Allington – assistant^[68]
• Lilian Rolfe — wireless operator^[69]
• Andre Studler – assistant^[70][71]
• George Alfred "Teddy" Wilkinson – organiser^[72]

Inventor

A sub-circuit of the Physician network.

• Marcel Clech – wireless operator
• Sidney Jones — organiser and arms instructor^[73]
• Vera Leigh — courier^[37]

Japonica

• Blanche Charlet

Jockey

A network in the south-east

• Francis Cammaerts — organiser^[34]
• Leslie Fernandez^[74]
• Xan Fielding^[75]
• Auguste Floiras – wireless operator^[76]
• Christine Granville — courier^[77]
• Cecily Lefort — courier^[78]
• Pierre Martinot – instructor^[79]
• Pierre Reynaud – sabotage instructor^[80]
• Antoine Sereni – wireless operator^[81]

Juggler

A sub-circuit of Physician, operating from Châlons-sur-Marne, east of Paris. It also had headquarters in the rue Cambon, near the Place de la Concorde. Also known as Robin.

• Gustave Cohen – wireless operator^[82]
• Sonya Olschanezky — courier, administrator^[83]
• Jacques Weil – second in command^[84]
• Jean Worms (aka Jean de Verieux) — organiser^[85]

Labourer

• Elisee Allard (aka Charles Montaigne)^[86]
• Pierre Geelen (also known by the surnames Garde and Grandjean)^[87]
• Marcel Leccia (aka Georges Louis)- organiser^[88]
• Odette Wilen

Marksman

• Elizabeth Devereux-Rochester — courier^[89]
• Richard Harry Heslop — organiser^[90]
• Owen Johnson – wireless operator^[91]
• Gordon Nornable – wireless operator^[92]
• Geoffrey Parker – medic^[93]
• Jean Pierre Rosenthal – organiser^[94]
• Marcel Veilleux – wireless operator^[95]

Minister

• Denis Barrett – wireless operator^[96]
• Yvonne Fontaine — courier^[97]

Monk

Also known as 'Monkeypuzzle' Circuit.

• Marcel Clech – wireless operator^[98]
• Jean Dubois – wireless operator^[99]
• Eliane Plewman — courier^[100]
• Jack Sinclair^[101]
• Charles Skepper – organiser^[102]
• Arthur Steele – wireless operator^[103]

Musician

A network in eastern Picardy.

• Yolande Beekman — wireless operator^[104]
• Gustave Biéler — organiser^[105]
• Paul Tessier – assistant^[106]

Pedlar

• Nicholas Bodington — organiser^[107]
• Herbert Maurice Roe - Wireless operator

Pimento

• Anthony Brooks — organiser^[108]

Permit

• Robert Bruhl – assistant^[109]
• Gerard Dedieu – organiser^[110]
• Ginette Jullian – courier^[111]

Physician

Also known as Prosper.

• Francine Agazarian — courier^[112]
• Jack Agazarian — wireless operator^[113]
• Andrée Borrel — courier^[114]
• Jacques Bureau – radio technician
• Pierre Culioli – organiser^[115]
• George William Darling – group leader ^[116]
• Gilbert Norman — wireless operator^[117]
• Yvonne Rudellat — courier^[118]
• Francis Suttill — organiser^[119]
• Germaine Tambour^[120]
• Madeleine Tambour^[121]

Prosper

An unofficial name for Physician, named for its organiser's codename.

Agents continued to be sent to the Prosper network for some time after it had been controlled by Germans.^[122]

Prunus

• Maurice Pertschuk - organizer ^[123]

Robin

An unofficial name for Juggler.

Salesman

• Edgar Fraser – Dakota expert^[124]
• Jean Claude Guiet – wireless operator^[125]
• Claude Malraux^[126]
• Isidore Newman – wireless operator^[127]
• Violette Szabo — courier^[128][129]
• Philippe Liewer (aka Charles Staunton) — organiser^[130]
• Bob Maloubier – weapons instructor^[131]

Scholar

• Raymond Aubin – organiser^[132]
• Yvonne Baseden — wireless operator^[133]
• Rene Bichelot – assistant^[134]
• Louis Antoine Nonni^[135]
• Marie Joseph de Saint-Genies – organiser^[136]

Scientist

A network in the area of Bordeaux.

• Claude de Baissac — organiser^[137]
• Lisé de Baissac — courier^[138]
• John Danby^[33]
• Marcel Defence – wireless operator^[139]
• André Grandclément – organiser double agent^[140]
• Victor Hayes – instructor^[141]
• Mary Katherine Herbert — courier
• Roger Landes – wireless operator^[8]
• Maurice Larcher – wireless operator^[142]
• Phyllis Latour — wireless operator^[143]
• Paul Baptiste Pardi – landing grounds^[144]
• Harry Peulevé

Silversmith

• Madeleine Lavigne – courier and wireless operator^[145]

Spindle

A network based in Montpellier.

• Peter Churchill — organiser^[146]
• André Girard
• Victor Hazan^[147]
• Adolphe Rabinovitch – wireless operator^[148]
• Odette Sansom — courier^[149]

Spiritualist

• Henri Diacono – wireless operator^[150]
• René Dumont-Guillemet – organiser^[151]

Spruce

Also known as 'Plane' circuit.

• Robert Boiteaux – organiser^[152]
• Henri Paul Le Chêne – organiser
• Marie-Thérèse Le Chêne – courier
• Pierre Louis Le Chêne – radio operator^[153]
• John Dolan^[154]
• John Hamilton^[155]
• Madeleine Lavigne – courier and wireless operator^[145]
• Robert Sheppard – saboteur^[156]
• Edward Zeff – wireless operator^[157]

Stationer

A network with activities in the south and center of France, from Châteauroux to the foothills of the Pyrenees.

• Jacques Dufour^[158]
• Rene Mainguard – organiser^[159]
• Rene Mathieu – wireless operator^[160]
• Pierre Mattei – landing grounds^[161]
• Jacqueline Nearne — courier^[162]
• Alexander Shaw – landing grounds^[163]
• Maurice Southgate – organiser^[164]
• Pearl Witherington — courier, organiser following Southgate's arrest^[165]

Stockbroker

• Eric Cauchi – instructor^[166]
• Joseph Maetz^[167]
• Harry Rée — organiser^[4]
• Jean Alexander Simon^[168]
• Paul Ullman – wireless operator^[169]

Ventriloquist

• Muriel Byck — wireless operator^[170]
• Emile Counasse^[171]
• Maurice Lostrie – saboteur^[172]
• Stanislaw Makowski – instructor^[173]
• Pierre de Vomécourt — organiser^[174]

Wheelwright

A network in the area of Toulouse.

• Jean-Claude Arnault – assistant^[175]
• Yvonne Cormeau — wireless operator^[176]
• Philippe de Gunzbourg – courier^[177]
• George Reginald Starr — organiser^[178]
• Anne-Marie Walters — courier^[179]

Wizard

• Eileen Nearne — wireless operator^[180]
• Jean Savy – organiser^[181]

Wrestler

A network with activities in the Valençay-Issoudun-Châteauroux triangle.

• Pearl Witherington — organiser^[165]

Map of networks as of June 1943

The map below shows the major SOE F Section networks which existed in France in June 1943, based on the map published in Rita Kramer's book "Flames in the Field" (Michael Joseph Ltd, 1995).

Note: The map does not show the correct location of the original Autogiro network, which operated in the Paris area and did not exist after the spring of 1942. However the network was later revived by Francis Suttill, organiser of Prosper.

See also

• List of SOE Agents
• List of Female SOE Agents

References