524:. The SAS team escaped, but Mulsant and Barrett were captured by the Germans. Benjamin Cowburn parachuted into France on 30 July in a vain attempt to free Mulsant and Barrett but both were later executed. Cowburn and Yvonne Fontaine, the fourth member of the Tinker team, continued work with the Resistance until the liberation of the area from German control in late August 1944 and then returned to England. On her return to England, Fontaine was outspoken in blaming SOE for the capture of Mulsant and Barrett.
108:
88:
484:. Cowburn was a believer that SOE networks should avoid contact with each other for reasons of security as many SOE agents were being captured by the Germans. However, he was asked to deliver wireless crystals to Francis Suttill, the leader of Prosper in Paris. Cowburn delivered the crystals, but expressed concern to Suttill about the number of people involved with Prosper. He continued on to
353:, crossing clandestinely on foot from Vichy France into occupied France and due to the danger involved in the crossing he resolved to find a better way in the future. On his next and subsequent border crossings he conspired with cooperative railway workers to cross the border by lying in a space beneath the
295:
as short, stocky, and taciturn, "the very picture of a 'dour north-countryman.'" Moreover, he was blunt spoken with a "directness of manner" that was "disconcerting." He was known for his fondness of telling off-color ("blue") stories which made him popular in the officer's mess while in
England. In
507:
In the crackdown following the destruction of the locomotives, the
Germans learned from an informer of Cowburn's arms depot. He quickly removed all the arms and explosives to another location. As the situation in Troyes was becoming untenable, Cowburn returned to England by Lysander on 17 September
304:
to be deployed in France but the charismatic "diva" and
Cowburn, the "great performer," did not get along. M.R.D. Foot later said that Cowbourn's outspokenness probably prevented him from getting the honors that many of his peers in the SOE received, although some of them were "not half his worth."
430:
Cowburn's second mission was more ambitious, albeit still more exploratory than operational, than his first. He arrived 1/2 June 1942 by parachute with an assistant, American-born Edward
Wilkinson ("Alexandre"), plus luggage on an additional parachute. They were dropped in Vichy France (still
439:, and then onward to Paris in occupied France, crossing the border using Cowburn's under-the-tender technique. Rake and Wilkinson, however, were captured by the Germans on 15 August and Cowburn was left to fend by himself, maintaining contact with SOE headquarters in
499:, his courier. He took as much of the risk of capture as possible on himself, securing a house by himself and storing weapons and preparing plastic explosives for use. On the night of 3/4 July he and three men he had recruited slipped into the
443:
through Hall. He received two air drops of sabotage supplies and persuaded French friends in
Chateauroux to introduce abrasives into the production line for manufacturing aircraft engines and to destroy high-tension electrical lines at the
503:
and destroyed with explosives six locomotives and damaged another six. In a bit of irony, the
Germans, now conscious of the need of security for the railway, bought lumber to erect barriers from Pierre Mulsant, who owned a lumber company.
368:("The Cat") and attempted to return with them to Britain by boat. Failing in that but feeling the necessity of returning to inform SOE headquarters in London of the treachery of Carré, he undertook a long difficult journey, crossing the
290:
In the task of passing as a
Frenchman, Cowburn had some difficulty. During his time in France, three different people asked him innocently if he were English as he spoke French with an accent. Cowburn was described by author
267:, the official historian of the SOE, named Cowburn as one of SOE's half-dozen "best men." Cowburn was a prudent and practical agent, much concerned with the security of the French people with whom he worked.
1023:
263:. He was the longest serving F-Section (French Section) SOE agent. He was never captured by the Germans. Of the more than 400 SOE agents who worked in France during World War II,
422:, flew down the length of the Champ-Èlysées at an altitude of 12 metres (39 ft), fired cannons at the German High Command headquarters, and returned to England safely.
516:
Disaster struck in July 1944. Pierre
Mulsant and John Barrett of Cowburn's Tinker network had returned to France. They rushed to rescue a British commando team of the
777:
1003:
280:
934:
360:
Cowburn's first task was to set up a resistance network ("reseau") in the Paris area and to look for targets for sabotage. He worked with
544:
said he didn't know of a better SOE memoir. Foot said the book stands "the test of verification by official sources particularly well."
399:
who posed as a German colonel during the Carré affair. Cowburn doubted that
Bleicher was a colonel because "he wore such cheap shoes."
1018:
895:
688:
637:
204:
180:
431:
unoccupied by the
Germans) 65 kilometres (40 mi) distant from their intended spot but met each other by pre-arrangement in
364:, an aristocratic resistance leader. He got tangled up in the delicate dance between Vomécourt and double (and triple) agent
562:
275:
Cowburn was born on 13 March 1909. He had arrived in Paris, aged eight with his parents, and studied at a British school in
200:
175:
225:
117:
338:
248:. SOE agents allied themselves with resistance groups and supplied them with weapons and equipment parachuted in from
341:
bomber on the night of 6/7 September 1941. He was part of a group of six agents who were met by wireless operator
587:
377:
521:
361:
195:
973:
240:. The purpose of SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in countries occupied by the
435:. They traveled first to Lyon to meet with Virginia Hall, an SOE agent, and find a wireless operator,
1013:
1008:
403:
74:
395:
Cowburn's perceptiveness and caution is illustrated by his comment about German spycatcher Sergeant
517:
411:
301:
342:
500:
276:
232:. He was the creator and leader of the Tinker network (or circuit) which operated in the area of
532:
After World War II, Cowburn married a French woman who had been the secretary of Prime Minister
654:
930:
924:
891:
684:
633:
453:
365:
568:
541:
449:
314:
533:
496:
481:
419:
256:
553:
477:
334:
284:
221:
166:
140:
93:
997:
492:
445:
396:
385:
354:
264:
448:, interrupting power transmission for a few hours. He returned to London along with
330:
292:
260:
245:
229:
153:
113:
508:
1943. Mulsant, Barrett, and Fontaine, for their own safety, followed in November.
557:
415:
241:
170:
346:
57:
436:
357:
of a locomotive where he was invisible to routine inspections of the train.
283:. He later studied electrical engineering and worked for the American firm,
313:
Recruited in 1941 into SOE's 'F' (French) Section, Cowburn was trained at
369:
655:"Benjamin Hodkinson COWBURN (The National Archives - Discovery Service)"
472:
on 11/12 April 1943 along with a wireless operator, Denis John Barrett (
381:
297:
249:
402:
While in Paris, Cowburn learned that German soldiers paraded down the
485:
440:
432:
237:
233:
287:, building distillation plants for oil refineries all over France.
469:
373:
350:
890:. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. pp. 164–165.
389:
491:
In addition to Barrett, Cowburn's key recruits in Troyes were
407:
376:
and arriving in Britain in March 1942. De Vomécourt's brother
406:
every day shortly after noon. That information permitted the
345:(the first SOE agent in France) and French Resistance member
488:
where he set up his own autonomous network called Tinker.
540:
describing his experiences, was first published. Author
988:
No Cloak, No Dagger: Allied Spycraft in Occupied France
616:. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. p. 311.
683:. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 178–179.
159:
149:
139:
131:
123:
99:
81:
64:
44:
36:
23:
410:to mount a propaganda mission. On 12 June 1942, a
632:. London: Frontline Books. p. introduction.
1024:British Special Operations Executive personnel
8:
520:which radioed that were in trouble in the
468:for his third mission. He parachuted near
392:helped him during his flight from France.
20:
300:, he was in charge of training SOE agent
452:("Jean") from a clandestine airfield by
949:
873:
837:
813:
763:
751:
715:
703:
579:
480:of the large, important, and ill-fated
476:). The two were met on the ground by
7:
961:
910:
861:
849:
825:
801:
739:
727:
259:on four different missions during
14:
952:, pp. forward, introduction.
778:"Ten Minute Triumph over Tyranny"
659:discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
205:Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
181:Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
1004:Recipients of the Military Cross
106:
86:
706:, pp. introduction, 67–68.
644:. Originally published in 1960.
464:Cowburn adopted the code name
1:
766:, p. Foot, Introduction.
495:, who became his deputy, and
418:dropped a French flag on the
349:. Cowburn first journeyed to
974:London Gazette November 1945
618:. Revised from 1966 edition.
309:Special Operations Executive
226:Special Operations Executive
118:Special Operations Executive
536:. In 1958, Cowburn's book,
1040:
923:O'Connor, Bernard (2016).
628:Cowburn, Benjamin (2014).
228:(SOE) organization during
192:Benjamin Hodkinson Cowburn
40:Benjamin Hodkinson Cowburn
1019:French Resistance members
886:Escott, Beryl E. (2010).
18:British clandestine agent
742:, pp. 172, 191–192.
207:(1909–1994), code named
782:Vintage Wings of Canada
754:, pp. 9–53, 88–98.
612:Foot, M. R. D. (1976).
522:Forest of Fontainebleau
317:in the spring of 1941.
679:Mulley, Clare (2012).
329:first parachuted into
255:Cowburn was sent into
378:Philippe de Vomécourt
124:Years of service
538:No Cloak, No Dagger,
456:on 26 October 1942.
446:Eguzon power station
325:Cowburn, code named
220:was an agent of the
75:Boulogne-Billancourt
888:The Heroines of SOE
876:, pp. 188–189.
852:, pp. 269–272.
840:, pp. 145–150.
816:, pp. 103–141.
804:, pp. 196–197.
630:No Cloak, No Dagger
592:Imperial War Museum
412:Bristol Beaufighter
362:Pierre de Vomécourt
302:Christine Granville
864:, p. 271-272.
501:railway roundhouse
277:Boulogne-sur-Seine
936:978-1-326-70498-8
926:Agents Francaises
681:The Spy who Loved
454:Westland Lysander
384:and the American
189:
188:
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793:
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776:O'Malley, Dave.
773:
767:
761:
755:
749:
743:
737:
731:
725:
719:
718:, pp. 9–53.
713:
707:
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667:
665:
651:
645:
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625:
619:
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584:
569:Legion of Honour
542:Sebastian Faulks
450:Georges Duboudin
315:Wanborough Manor
198:
112:
110:
109:
101:
92:
90:
89:
71:
68:17 December 1994
54:
52:
31:
25:Benjamin Cowburn
21:
1039:
1038:
1034:
1033:
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1028:
994:
993:
984:
979:
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937:
929:. p. 375.
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648:
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627:
626:
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611:
610:
606:
596:
594:
586:
585:
581:
577:
563:Croix de Guerre
550:
534:Georges Bidault
530:
514:
497:Yvonne Fontaine
482:Prosper Network
462:
428:
420:Arc de Triomphe
323:
311:
296:early 1944, in
273:
257:occupied France
224:'s clandestine
201:Croix de Guerre
194:
185:
176:Croix de Guerre
116:
107:
105:
87:
85:
73:
69:
56:
50:
48:
32:
29:
27:
26:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1037:
1035:
1027:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
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996:
995:
992:
991:
983:
980:
978:
977:
966:
964:, p. 453.
954:
942:
935:
915:
913:, p. 410.
903:
896:
878:
866:
854:
842:
830:
828:, p. 269.
818:
806:
794:
768:
756:
744:
732:
730:, p. 175.
720:
708:
696:
689:
671:
646:
638:
620:
604:
578:
576:
573:
572:
571:
566:
560:
554:Military Cross
549:
546:
529:
526:
513:
512:Fourth mission
510:
493:Pierre Mulsant
478:Pierre Culioli
461:
458:
427:
426:Second mission
424:
404:Champs-Élysées
366:Mathilde Carré
322:
319:
310:
307:
285:Foster Wheeler
279:and then at a
272:
269:
222:United Kingdom
187:
186:
184:
183:
178:
173:
167:Military Cross
163:
161:
157:
156:
151:
147:
146:
143:
141:Service number
137:
136:
133:
129:
128:
125:
121:
120:
103:
97:
96:
94:United Kingdom
83:
79:
78:
72:(aged 85)
66:
62:
61:
46:
42:
41:
38:
34:
33:
28:
24:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1036:
1025:
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989:
986:
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951:
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928:
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904:
899:
897:9780752487298
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889:
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736:
733:
729:
724:
721:
717:
712:
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705:
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697:
692:
690:9781250049766
686:
682:
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672:
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656:
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641:
639:9781848327764
635:
631:
624:
621:
615:
614:SOE in France
608:
605:
593:
589:
588:"Ben Cowburn"
583:
580:
574:
570:
567:
564:
561:
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555:
552:
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539:
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528:After the war
527:
525:
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519:
511:
509:
505:
502:
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494:
489:
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
460:Third mission
459:
457:
455:
451:
447:
442:
438:
434:
425:
423:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
400:
398:
397:Hugo Bleicher
393:
391:
387:
386:Virginia Hall
383:
379:
375:
372:on foot into
371:
367:
363:
358:
356:
352:
348:
344:
343:Georges Bégué
340:
336:
332:
328:
321:First mission
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318:
316:
308:
306:
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288:
286:
282:
278:
270:
268:
266:
265:M. R. D. Foot
262:
258:
253:
251:
247:
244:, especially
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76:
67:
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59:
55:13 March 1909
47:
43:
39:
35:
22:
16:
987:
969:
957:
950:Cowburn 2014
945:
925:
918:
906:
887:
881:
874:Cowburn 2014
869:
857:
845:
838:Cowburn 2014
833:
821:
814:Cowburn 2014
809:
797:
785:. Retrieved
781:
771:
764:Cowburn 2014
759:
752:Cowburn 2014
747:
735:
723:
716:Cowburn 2014
711:
704:Cowburn 2014
699:
680:
674:
662:. Retrieved
658:
649:
629:
623:
613:
607:
595:. Retrieved
591:
582:
537:
531:
515:
506:
490:
473:
465:
463:
429:
401:
394:
359:
331:Vichy France
326:
324:
312:
293:Clare Mulley
289:
274:
261:World War II
254:
246:Nazi Germany
230:World War II
215:
214:
209:
208:
191:
190:
154:World War II
150:Battles/wars
114:British Army
70:(1994-12-17)
15:
1014:1994 deaths
1009:1909 births
548:Decorations
416:Ken Gatward
414:piloted by
335:Châteauroux
242:Axis powers
998:Categories
575:References
437:Denis Rake
347:Max Hymans
82:Allegiance
58:Lancashire
51:1909-03-13
37:Birth name
962:Foot 1976
911:Foot 1976
862:Foot 1976
850:Foot 1976
826:Foot 1976
802:Foot 1976
740:Foot 1976
728:Foot 1976
597:20 August
271:Biography
127:1941–1944
60:, England
787:4 August
664:25 April
565:(French)
370:Pyrenees
100:Service/
77:, France
466:Germain
382:Limoges
339:Whitley
337:from a
327:Benoit,
298:Algiers
250:England
216:Germain
990:(1958)
933:
894:
687:
636:
486:Troyes
474:Honore
441:London
433:Tarbes
355:tender
238:France
234:Troyes
210:Benoit
160:Awards
145:183828
111:
102:branch
91:
982:Books
470:Blois
374:Spain
351:Paris
333:near
281:Lycée
135:Major
931:ISBN
892:ISBN
789:2020
685:ISBN
666:2017
634:ISBN
599:2020
556:and
390:Lyon
213:and
169:and
132:Rank
65:Died
45:Born
558:Bar
518:SAS
408:RAF
388:in
380:in
196:MC*
171:Bar
30:MC*
1000::
780:.
657:.
590:.
252:.
236:,
203:,
199:,
939:.
900:.
791:.
693:.
668:.
642:.
601:.
218:,
53:)
49:(
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