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Britain’s covert WWII commando unit went by many names. Officially, it was the Special Operations Executive, while those without clearance referred to it as the Inter-Service Research Bureau. Within the organization, it was occasionally called “the firm” or “the racket.” Due to their ruthless methods and unorthodox approach to warfare, they are often remembered in history as “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” In his latest book bearing the same title, Damien Lewis unveils the hidden tale of the SOE, whose fearless operatives and commandos laid the groundwork for many modern special operations tactics.
CHURCHILL’S “IRON FIST”
In 1940, Winston Churchill mandated the creation of the Special Operations Executive. Their objective was clear: sabotage, subversion, and assassination. Churchill believed that small, covert units could achieve what large military forces could not, and certain actions—deemed too controversial or unethical to be linked to Britain—were necessary. (Lewis characterizes these actions as “politically volatile, unlawful, or morally questionable.”) The SOE operated under the principle of complete deniability. They were not part of the military but rather the Ministry of Economic Warfare, ensuring that their operations could be disavowed by the government. As Lewis notes, “Officially, the SOE was nonexistent, as were its agents and missions, which meant that no limits applied.”
Its members were recruited as “volunteers for Special Duties.” The secrecy surrounding their identities was so intense that agents received cash payments to avoid leaving a paper trail or any evidence that could link them to their missions. Ideal SOE agents were described as “fiery, defiant, rebellious, and independent, with little regard for the rigid hierarchies of traditional military structures.”
THE LUXURY OF SQUEAMISHNESS
Training took place at Experimental Station 6, a facility disguised as the “refined” Ashton Manor in Hertfordshire, southern England. Agents referred to it as their “academy for chaos.” Here, they mastered skills like knife combat (“a weapon that never jams”), strangulation, and hip-fired pistol shooting. They were trained in close-quarters assassination techniques, with the “double-tap” method being favored: a quick shot to the body followed by a precise shot to the head (“there’s no room for hesitation”). They also practiced with bows and arrows, which the SOE championed as a silent, effective tool for modern warfare, capable of killing “swiftly and painlessly” to avoid alerting others.
They were instructed “to engage in warfare in a manner that was distinctly un-British—swift, ruthless, and without restraint ... they were trained to inflict harm, injury, or death ‘without a flicker of doubt or fear.’”
Lewis concludes, “The methods taught at Station 6 were neither fair nor elegant, but they were undeniably effective.”
REINVENTING WAR
One of the most intriguing aspects of World War II special operations is that every tactic now considered standard had to be pioneered from scratch. The SOE, for instance, developed techniques for silent water infiltrations using canoes, which were ideal for stealth missions. In Africa, they even had to devise strategies to avoid shark attacks while conducting these operations. They encountered resistance from a traditional military hierarchy that viewed them as “rogue commandos.” The Royal Navy restricted their operations to Africa, barring them from other theaters.
Maintaining secrecy was another challenge, especially as their successes grew more prominent. A Member of Parliament nearly exposed them during a House of Commons session, questioning Churchill: “Is it true, Prime Minister, that a group of men in the Aegean Islands, fighting under the Union Flag, are essentially a band of ruthless, lawless assassins?”
Churchill’s response was sharp: “If you don’t sit down and remain silent, I’ll have you sent to join them.”
Hitler personally ordered that captured SOE agents receive “special treatment”—execution by piano wire, a method designed to be slow and agonizing, ensuring captives would talk. Agents signed agreements acknowledging that they would be disavowed by the British government if captured or killed. In essence, they were on their own during missions. “The thought of being captured was unbearable, as they would likely be treated as spies—tortured and killed.” Their standing directive was clear: “Avoid confrontation whenever possible, but resist capture at all costs.”
They commandeered German and Italian vessels anchored in Spanish ports, breaching Spain’s neutrality. In Greece, they sabotaged railways with explosives, severing critical German supply routes. Across Europe, they collaborated with partisans and guerrilla fighters, orchestrating and executing missions. They destroyed fuel depots and airfields, donned disguises to gather intelligence, and parachuted into France in small teams to aid D-Day operations. Their relentless firefights across the continent struck fear into German officers. (One German officer, in a captured letter to his superior, described the special operations force as, “The British appear like shadows and vanish like phantoms.”)
Despite their remarkable effectiveness, they were still human, deeply affected by the gruesome nature of their work. One SOE agent confided in his diary after a particularly harrowing mission: “The most challenging task I’ve ever undertaken—I used my knife for the first time.”
LICENSE TO KILL
During World War II, elements of the Special Operations Executive were absorbed into units like the Special Air Service. After the war, the SOE was dissolved, but its influence endures in special operations forces worldwide. (The insignia of units such as the British SAS, U.S. Army Special Forces, and U.S. Army Special Operations Command feature a knife, symbolizing their heritage.)
You may not realize it, but you’ve encountered the SOE before. Much of this will ring a bell. They operated under code names like W.03 and W.25. For instance, Major Gus March-Phillips, who spearheaded Operation Postmaster—the first deniable mission of World War II—was designated W.01. The “W” stood for West Africa, and “01” indicated he was the first agent deployed there. According to Lewis, the “0” denoted that he was a “zero-rated agent,” authorized and trained to eliminate the enemy by any means necessary. (Not all SOE agents were zero-rated; while not all were trained to kill, every member mastered “the delicate arts of deception, cunning, and subterfuge.”)
Major-General Sir Colin McVean Gubbins, a renowned figure in the SOE, served as the director of training and operations. Known simply as M, he was a pivotal figure among the agency’s secret agents.
Major Anders Lassen, a legendary SOE operative, left a profound impact on Ian Fleming, who served as the SOE liaison at the British Admiralty. Lewis notes that Lassen became one of the inspirations for James Bond. Fleming’s novels immortalized elements like M, zero-ratings, fearless agents, and licenses to kill. The demeanor and language of SOE agents also mirrored Bond’s style. During a mission, Lassen suffered a severe injury from friendly fire and berated the soldier responsible. Later, after the operation concluded, Lassen approached the soldier with a mug of rum, saying, “Here, drink this.”
The soldier, accepting the drink, responded, “Oh, sir... but I shot you.”
Lassen replied, “You did, and though you may be a reckless Irish gunslinger, you’re my finest soldier. I forgive you. I apologize for my earlier words. But Sean, don’t shoot me again.”
If The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare demonstrates anything, it’s that the real-life exploits of these men far surpass the fictional adventures of James Bond.
