Behind Enemy Lines with the SOE

Sergeant Roland Barker was a radio operator assigned to Operation Arundel in 1944, where he and Major Bill Smallwood were captured by German troops. Despite being interrogated by the SS and Gestapo, their mission was never revealed. After surviving, he escaped and was repatriated to the UK. He remained in the Army, became Major, and was killed in a helicopter crash in Malaya in 1953 before his memoir could be published.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 256 pages
\n Publication date: 12 April 2021
\n Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
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Sergeant Roland Barker, having completed his special forces training, was assigned to Operation Arundel as the radio operator. Under the command of Captain Martin Smith MC, he was parachuted into the Dolomites in 1944. The team's mission was to create chaos in the area surrounding the Italian border and to infiltrate into Austria. While evading German forces, Sergeant Barker and Major Bill Smallwood encountered challenging mountainous terrain, resulting in the Major's injury and hindrance in their swift movement. Despite their valiant efforts, they were apprehended by pursuing German troops who outpaced them.

Barker vividly recounts his interrogation by the SS and Gestapo, enduring threats and harsh conditions. Despite the enemy's attempts to uncover their mission, the truth remained concealed. After surviving these harrowing experiences, he was incarcerated in Stalag Luft XVIII in Southern Austria. Undeterred, Barker managed to escape by seeking admission to the camp hospital and making his way to Hungary. From there, he was eventually repatriated to the UK.

Following the war, Barker chose to remain in the Army and was promoted to Major. He assumed the role of Officer Commanding 22 SAS in Malaya. Tragically, he met his end in a helicopter crash in Malaya in 1953, before he could see his plan to publish his memoirs come to fruition.

\n Weight: 596g\n
Dimension: 165 x 240 x 30 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781526779748\n \n