A groundbreaking history of women in British intelligence,revealing their pivotal role across the first half of the twentieth century.
From the twentieth century onward,women took on an extraordinary range of roles in intelligence,defying the conventions of their time. Across both world wars,far from being a small part of covert operations,women ran spy networks and escape lines,parachuted behind enemy lines,and interrogated prisoners. And,back in Bletchley and Whitehall,women's vital administrative work in MI offices kept the British war engine running.
In this major,panoramic history,Helen Fry looks at the rich and varied work women undertook as civilians and in uniform. From spies in the Belgian network "La Dame Blanche," knitting coded messages into jumpers,to those who interpreted aerial images and even ran entire sections,Fry shows just how crucial women were in the intelligence mission. Filled with hitherto unknown stories,Women in Intelligence places new research on record for the first time and showcases the inspirational contributions of these remarkable women.
Publisher: Yale University PressISBN: 9780300260779Number of pages: 464Dimensions: 235 x 156 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Beware - this is a book full of danger and deception,sabotage and secret codes,and some brilliant,unstoppable women.'- Clare Mulley,author of The Spy Who Loved
'This account is long overdue. Helen Fry redresses the relative neglect of the contribution of women as intelligence officer and agents during and between the two world wars,with gripping personal stories of bravery,grit and analytic brilliance.'- Sir David Omand GCB,former Director of GCHQ
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