Alan Odgen reveals many fascinating stories of men and women who inspired courage and bravery whom were gifted in their ability for carrying out these dangerous missions without little question for which future generations should be thankful.

This is a timely, well-written and researched book.

www.polandinexile.com

Agents of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) were instructed to "set Europe ablaze". Their daring missions behind enemy lines attempted sabotage and subversion. The author paints a fascinating political background and tells an interesting story, but a sad one. Far too many of these brave men and women perished. It would have been interesting to be told more about the German's ruthlessly efficient counter-insurgence. Were the SOE's efforts in this region therefore a futile diversion of lives and resources? Alan Ogden would firmly reply not, for the chance of detaching Bulgaria and Slovakia from Germany opened huge possibilities.

Soldier Magazine, August 2010

The Special Operations Executive is best known for its efforts in Occupied Europe, in particular in western Europe and Scandanavia, but SOE was also active in the very different environment of the Balkans. SOE operatives were faced with two major problems in this part of the world. First of all, although it was Hitler's back door to the western allies, it was the front door for Stain, so the operatives were always tripping over the Soviets. The second was that most of the time the SOE operatives were always tripping over the Soviets. The second was that most of the time the SOE operatives were working in countries that were allied with the Germans, a very different prospect from working in occupied territory.

The second of these problems had the biggest impact on the day-to-day activities of the SOE agents. While agents in the west operated amongst a largely supportive population, those in the Balkans were surrounded by a hostile population and active local police forces, militias and armies. As a result of this many of the missions spent much of their time traveling through hostile remote areas attempting to evade capture, and most had a rather short life-span. Despite all of the odds against them many of these SOE missions managed to complete at least some of their objectives, slowly eroding the trust between Hitler and his Balkan allies.

This book is a fitting tribute to those brave men and women of SOE whose efforts were made in obscure corners, away from the historical limelight, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.

History of War Website, November 2010