When Allied fighters were trapped behind enemy lines, one branch of military intelligence helped them escape: MI9. The organization set up clandestine routes that zig-zagged across Nazi-occupied Europe, enabling soldiers and airmen to make their way home. Secret agents and resistance fighters risked their lives and those of their
families to hide the men.
You often hear that people never talked about the heroic work they did in the war, and this is particularly true of those in the intelligence services. The work of the SOE has become a mainstay of wartime dramas, yet I knew next to nothing about MI9 before reading this book.
Drawing from thousands of recently declassified records, memoirs, and personal testimonies, Helen Fry gathered enough to fill several volumes. This book is therefore packed with fascinating details and stories of this secretive branch of British military intelligence, responsible for assisting Allied airmen and soldiers trapped behind enemy lines in their dangerous journeys back to safety.
I particularly liked the personal accounts of the bravery of the men and women navigating the perilous landscape of wartime Europe. There are harrowing tales of captured personnel, the ingenuity and dedication of MI9 operatives, and the courage of civilians who risked their lives to hide escapees.
The book includes previously untold aspects of MI9's operations, the challenges faced in establishing escape lines in Italy due to communication difficulties and the surprising level of vigilance in Italian POW camps. This nuanced perspective adds depth and complexity to our understanding of the organisation's efforts.
Helen Fry shines a light on this hidden world, and the people who faced impossible odds. "MI9" has a unique blend of historical detail and thrilling human drama. Her engaging writing style and meticulous research make this book a valuable tribute to the unsung heroes who operated in the shadows, tipping the scales in favor of the Allied cause. Highly recommended.
Tony Riches
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About the Author
Historian and biographer Helen Fry is the author of the bestselling book The Walls Have Ears: The Greatest Intelligence Operation of WWII, Spymaster: The Man who saved MI6, MI9: The British Secret Service for Escape & Evasion, and more than twenty books on intelligence, prisoners of war, and the social history of World War II. She appears regularly in TV documentaries, media interviews and podcasts. In 2022 she was recognised as a Woman of Achievement in the Women of the Year Lunch 2022. Find out more at Helen's website www.helen-fry.com and find her on Facebook and Twitter @DrHelenFry
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