A Spur Called Courage

The little known exploits of seventeen courageous SpecialOperations Executive [SOE] officers in Italy during WW2are vividly recounted by Alan Ogden in this inspiring newstudy of SOE and the Italian Resistance. Through theirgallantry, ingenuity and determination, a small handfulof SOE missions were able to arm and inspire thousands ofItalians to fight the occupying German army from 1943onwards and in the process give invaluable support to theadvancing Allied armies as they pushed north towardsAustria. The author has been in contact with many of thefamilies of these SOE heroes and has had access tohitherto unpublished letters, photographs and diaries.The picture that emerges is one of a heroic struggle notonly against a ruthless and experienced enemy but alsoagainst the elements, hunger and harsh landscapes of theItalian Alps and Apennine Mountains. These seventeenextraordinary stories of individual SOE officersillustrate the many and varied tasks of SOE missionsthroughout the different regions of Italy from 1943-45and thus provide a fascinating collage of the history ofSOE during the prolonged and difficult Italian campaign.