The HS 9 Project
Opening up the stories of the
Special Operations Executive
Jonathan Cole – Freedom of
Information Team
16 October 2014
SOE, TNA, FOI – Why the HS 9 Project?
• The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a secret British WWII
organisation that conducted clandestine warfare in enemy territory:
sabotage, subversion and paramilitary activity.
• HS 9 – Personnel files for SOE. Most are still closed to the public. The
Freedom of Information (FOI) Centre receives more FOI requests for
HS 9 files than for any other class of document.
• The HS 9 Project began in February 2014. It is a 12-month project,
proactively assessing and opening these files for their research and
public interest potential.
How are we doing? Progress of the HS 9 Project
The project total as of 13 October 2014 stood at 960 documents opened.
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A Quick Peek – ‘Fifi’ and SOE
Image: INF 13/217 - Careless Talk Costs Lives: Posters & Pamphlets.
Quotes: HS 9/307/3 - Marie Christine CHILVER - born 12.09.1920. Opened 16 September 2014.
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…the bad…
…the good…
…and the strange!
…the good…
From HS 9/1470/7 – Jose TINCHANT - born 08.04.1916. Opened 13 August 2014.
From HS 9/398/6 – Winifred Elizabeth DAVIDSON, née WATT - born 10.1907
From HS 9/307/3 - Marie Christine CHILVER - born 12.09.1920. Opened 16 September 2014.
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Final Points
To publicise some of SOE’s interesting stories, I have been writing entries
for The National Archives Blog. Do please read them if you have the time.
Operation Remorse, Part One: http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/tales-specialoperations-executive-operation-remorse/
Operation Remorse, Part Two: http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/tales-specialoperations-executive-operation-remorse-part-two/
Operation Remorse, Part Three: http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/talesspecial-operations-executive-operation-remorse-part-three/
The Drama of SOE: http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/theatre-war-drama-specialoperations-executive/
‘Our Special Agent’, Fifi: http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/special-agent-fifispecial-operations-executive/