Catalogue description Special Operations Executive: Registry: France Nominal Index

This series consists of a nominal card index of SOE personnel and contacts in France and certain other individuals. The index was created by the merger of a number of separate indexes, including an F Section index, an RF Section index, a Bayswater index and others. Where appropriate, the cards are endorsed in red manuscript 'Buckmaster', but this does not appear to have been a separate Buckmaster index. Because of the number of different indexes here combined, there are frequently several cards relating to one individual.

Though most of the cards are typewritten, a number are in manuscript or contain manuscript additions, often detailing efforts to trace the subjects and their fate after the end of the war.

The exact details recorded on each card vary according to the type of index it originated from, but typically the cards might list pseudonyms used by the subject, any circuits they were involved in, details of operations participated in and accounts of their activities or roles in SOE or the local resistance, contact addresses and so on. Post war tracing details vary according to the case but include a note of the subject's death where that has been confirmed, and traces followed up through prison camps and various leads. For some circuit leaders there are also cards listing their assistants.

The index also includes references to German officers based in France and to known or suspected French collaborators or traitors. These often include physical descriptions of the subjects.

Foreign Office, Special Operations Executive, 1945-1946

Ministry of Economic Warfare, Special Operations Executive, 1940-1945

in 2004 Secret Intelligence Service