Published in 2022!  SOE’s Psychological Warfare in Burma: the diary of Major Alfred Trutwein with research and commentary on the Indian Field Broadcasting Units (IFBUs) now available – click HERE

Trutweinn cover

 Buy SOE in Burma HERE 

FIF_Full Cover_AW.indd

Also Available:

dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav
dav

All the above books are either exclusively about SOE in Burma, or have content about it.  The book title in what follows will link to Amazon for more details/reviews, but if you dislike Amazon, of course look elsewhere…

  • Roderick Bailey, Forgotten Voices of the Secret War contains little extracts from SOE operators from Europe and the Far East by year of the war.  Some great extracts for the Far East and Burma, particularly from the NCOs who served.
  • Jack Barnard, The Hump, is the story of escape from Burma in 1942, over the mountains to China.  Recruited by SOE’s Oriental Mission, Barnard later joined the OSS and went on operations with Beamish before returning to SOE.
  • John Beamish, Burma Drop, is the memoir of an Anglo-Burman who was parachuted into Burma three times, one of which was with the American OSS.
  • John Bowen, Undercover in the Jungle, is the memoir of a man who was originally recruited into V Force, but who ended up on Operation Character, SOE Burma’s most well known mission.
  • Keggie Carew, Dadland, written by Tom Carew’s daughter.  A splendid piece of work and a must read.  Tom Carew served with SOE in France and Burma.
  • Francis Clifford, Desperate Journey, written by ALB Thompson, a Burma Rifles officer who was recruited into SOE’s Oriental Mission in 1942.  This is the story of his escape from Burma.  He was probably the last of the Oriental Mission to make it out to India.
  • MGM Crosby, Irregular Soldier, is the memoir of an extraordinary man who served in Norway, North Africa, France and Burma during the Second World War, and then the Korean War.
  • Charles Cruickshank, SOE in the Far East, is the official history of SOE in the Far East.  Published in 1983, it is the place to start if you are interested in SOE beyond Europe.
  • Philip Davies, Lost Warriors, the story of Seagrim and Pagani, published in 2017.
  • Duncan Guthrie, Jungle Diary; Guthrie jumped into Burma on Operation Character and broke his ankle.  This is his story of hiding in the hills and being looked after by the Karen.
  • Robert Hamond, Flame of Freedom, is the story of Corporal Ras Pagani who escaped the Burma death railway and found Major Seagrim in the Karen Hills.
  • John Hedley, Jungle Fighter, is the memoir of a Chindit and SOE officer.  The book is all about his war in Burma from 1941 until the close of hostilities in 1945.
  • Ian Morrison, Grandfather Longlegs, is the story of Major Hugh Seagrim, written by The Times correspondent Ian Morrison.  Morrison applied for permission to write this book, and had access to SOE files to do so.
  • Terence O’Brien, The Moonlight War is written by one of the Special Duties squadron pilots.  Some great insight into various characters who served in Burma.
  • Alan Ogden, Tigers Burning Bright focuses on the men who served in SOE across the Far East.  Some excellent biographies and detail of the campaigns in which these men served.
  • Bickham Sweet-Escott, Baker Street Irregular is the memoir of a staff officer who served with SOE in Europe and the Far East.  A final chapter is devoted to Burma.
  • Captain Taylor, The Forgotten Ones of Southeast Asia and Force 136 is an entertaining read, but might belong to the fake memoir genre.  I wrote a review in 2012, and by 2017 I have found nothing to change my opinion.
  • Harry Verlander, My War in SOE, is written by a sergeant wireless operator who served in France and Burma.