Contains – "Of Their Own Choice" and "Duel of Wits" by SOE operative Captain Peter Churchill DSO.
In Their Own Choice, he describes his initial training at Warnborough Manor, near Guildford, in sabotage, Morse code, use of firearms, bridge demolition, and French military drill; and then to the Scottish Highlands near Mallaig, for map reading, orienteering, weapons and explosives training, close combat, and physical training; and then parachute training at Ringway near Manchester. The final training was at the Finishing School at Beaulieu Abbey in the New Forest where he learnt railway sabotage, inconspicuous behaviour, codes, cover stories, how to build up networks, and how to behave under interrogation. Of 14 people who began the training, Churchill was one of only three who graduated.
He was assigned to the French Section in June 1941, and given his French identity card with a false identity. His first mission was to be infiltrated into the French Riviera by submarine in order to inspect three SOE networks in Antibes, Marseille and Lyons, evaluate their strengths weaknesses, assess their needs, and give them instructions....
In Duel of Wits Peter Churchill tells the story of his second submarine operation of board H.M. Submarine P42-Unbroken-commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Alastair Mars, D.S.O., D.S.C., and then goes on to describe his experiences as an organiser of Resistance in the south-east of France, where he spent many months as liaison-officer to a large group. This book includes the epic story of how Odette and Arnaud, racing against time, climbed a 6,000 feet snow-covered mountain in order to signal the bomber that was going to drop a parachute on to its summit. It tells of the arming of the first Maquis force and ends with the betrayal and capture of Odette and Michel.
