Husband & wife group: Army and SOE

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 06:43 PM

Thanks Stewy.

Here are her enrolement papers into the FANY.

The ladies who joined were generally from the Middle Class and had private means, i.e. their own money.

As you can see from the following documents, you had to pay for everything. Look at the prices for the badges and buttons, Six Shillings and Fourpence. Not cheap. Your also bought your own uniforum: they recommended the best London tailors.

**Stewy S** · 08-05-2009, 06:48 PM

Ade,did they have to pay coz funds were tight? Or due to it being a "privilage"? Stewy S

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 07:03 PM

Hi Stewy, it was and still is to some extent, almost a "private army". Hence you had to buy your own kit. It was a uniformed civilian organisation. This was one of the attractions to the recruiters from Military Inteligence / SOE. (Plus most of them were well educated) So while working as an agent they could not be accused as being "out of uniform" as they were not soldiers in the true sence of the word. Not that this little niceity did them much good in the hands of the Gestapo....

Here is some more documentation. Note how she appeared to be joining as an ambulance driver for the British Red Cross.

The standing orders to be seen at bottom left are interesting to read. Click on the image to enlarge it to read. This reflects well the social background to which Corps members came from.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 07:08 PM

Here we have her FANY service dress cap. Made at one of the top London hat makers, "Scott and Co"

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 07:13 PM

FANY bronze cap badge by "JR Gaunt of London" most likely taken from her bonnet (beret)

**Stewy S** · 08-05-2009, 07:22 PM

Group gets better Ade

. An other question. Were there approved places they went to for their uniforms? Or was it down to the individual? Stewy S

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 07:26 PM

Yes, they had "approved" retailers for their uniforms. Saville Row tailors, etc.

Here is a FANY bonnet note the label:

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/weste...712/#post72048

Here is a comrade of her's. She wears the bonnet. I think she might also be the lady in the tin hat, but I am not sure?

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 07:49 PM

Here is a very important document from the group. This letter about her National Insurance contributions (Tax) dating from 1950 proves that she was a member of SOE from Nov '44.

SOE was known under a variety of names. See here:

SOE - Your Archives

M.O. 1 (SP) | MO 1(SP) or Military Operations 1 (Special Plans) of the War Office was just one of them.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 07:56 PM

Here is a note which she made about the FANY in general and her SOE service. This also explains the BRC driver cover story.

In 1945 she was a member of Force 134, part of the liberating forces sent in Norway in 1945. Her job was to gather Intel.

The photos are taken from then. I had these made from the tiny negatives. The one with the Dakota was taken in Copenhagen, Denmark, when they were about to fly into Norway.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-05-2009, 08:08 PM

With WW2 at an end, she carried on in uniform. She served in Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine for several years. Here she was a civilian officer of the military government. Note the slip on shoulder titles. She wear her FANY tunic, now devoid of collar dogs, in these pics.

Shown here are some of her comrades. These photos were taken in the garden of her billet in Minden in March 1946. We have some photos of this house and you can see the photos I showed earlier of Norman on display. The attractive girl wearing the former WREN's uniform is named as Eileen Stoves.