SPECIAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE (SOE)
BRITISH INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

visits since 25 March 2002

Special Operations Executive (SOE) was formed in Britain in July 1940 after the Germans invaded France. Its roles was to "foster passive and active resistance to enemy occupation forces by the inhabitants of lands which were overrun."

SOE's main activities included:-

- Non-cooperation
- Industrial Sabotage
- Ambushes
- Guerrilla Warfare
- Training and arming of secret armies

In March 1942, General Douglas MacArthur approved the establishment of an offshoot of SOE in Australia. This idea had been proposed by General Blamey. In London the new organisation was known as Special Operation Australia (SOA) but it was given a cover name in Australia where it was known as Inter Allied Services Department (IASD). This acronym was usually shortened to ISD.

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 25 March 2002

This page last updated 26 March 2005