The third Thursday in February saw Errol Back-Cunningham lecture on Courage, Deceit and Betrayal: SOE Operations in Holland and France during WW2. Errol lives in the northern hemisphere for most of the year but returns to sunny SA during the worst of the American winter - which seemed very necessary this particular year!
Many documents which were sealed during WWII are being opened and Errol took full advantage of this to find out about several unfortunate incidents and betrayals which saw many British agents captured, tortured and executed almost as soon as they arrived on the continent. Some were turned and became sources of counter-intelligence for the Nazis. While at least one attempted to warn his handlers in England that something odd was going on, those in the UK were not the least suspicious even with obvious errors in his messages.
His meticulous research and clever presentation revealed the structure of SOE which had been compromised by the Cambridge five - Philby, Burgess et al. - being included in their senior ranks. They were feeding information to Russia from very early on in the war.
Errol's overview covered why the operations in Holland were markedly less successful than those in parts of France. Many - if not most - of the agents dropped in Holland were intercepted upon their parachuted arrival, tortured and executed without SOE realising they were sending them straight to their deaths.
He mentioned the involvement of organised crime operations which poked their noses into anything which looked like it would add profit to their exercises.
One of the more interesting facets was, that there were so many liberation groups operating, for example in France, that internecine squabbling frequently led to them murdering each other's agents and operatives.
He mentioned specific people by name because of their positions, heroic deeds or alleged betrayals - some of which were confirmed by later confessions and trials - but one person who really seemed to have annoyed him was Henrí Dericourt. This double agent was manager of flying ops for SOE but simultaneously feeding information to the Abwehr and Gestapo. MI6 were aware of his duplicity but did nothing. His files are still sealed today. A whole section of a northern France area's people were captured, Errol telling of the horrific execution of four of the female agents - Dericourt widely suspected of betraying the section.
He then spoke about specific agents' successes but also told of the whole town of Oradour-Sur-Glane being wiped out in revenge for deaths of an SS officer. The ruined town is left as a war memorial to this day.
One of his aftermath stories even has (vague) links to the Epstein scandal...
His video recording is, as usual, recorded in the Society's Video Library on the website.
FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS - ZOOMINARS
Johannesburg
Thursday 19th March 2026 at 19h30 and then 20h15
Speaker: Louis Venter (from Bloemfontein's Museum of the Boer Republics)
Subject: "Such is war nowadays!: Sport and leisure in the British forces during the Anglo-
Boer War, 1899-1902"
Louis explores the sport and other pastime activities which members of the British forces
engaged in during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).
Eastern Cape Branch (SAMHSEC)
SAMHSEC Zoominars
Monday 9th February 2026 at 19h30 and then at 20h15:
Speaker: Chris de Coning
Subject: Anti-submarine operations by 262 Squadron RAF operating out of
Congella during WW2.
Eastern Cape Branch (SAMHSEC)
SAMHSEC RPC
The next RPC (Request the Pleasure of your Company) Zoominar will be on Monday 23rd March 2026. Details will be on the invitations. SAMHSEC RPC
If you would like invitations to the ZOOMinars send an email to joan@rfidradar.com
Next KwaZulu-Natal Branch Meeting
Saturday 14th February
The main talk for March will be on the call-up and deployment of the tanks of the NMR to the border. It will be given by WOl(Ret) Johan Bodenstein.
This will be preceded by a PowerPoint show and video on the Centurion Tank from its original design brief through its operational history with many countries, until its debut as the Oliphant tank in South Africa.
The venue is the St Cyprians Church Hall off Umbilo Rd, with secure parking. Entry is free and open to all, with visitors welcome, but a donation of R20 for the car guard and gives entry into the monthly raffle is requested from all attendees.
Visitors are welcome and encouraged. Details from Phil Everitt, Cell or WhatsApp: 084 437 1636
BRANCH CONTACT DETAILS
Eastern Cape details contact Malcolm Kinghorn 041-373-4469 culturev@lantic.net
Gauteng details contact Joan Marsh 010-237-0676 joan@rfidradar.com
KwaZulu-Natal details contact Prof Phil Everitt 084-437-1636 everitt@iafrica.com
KwaZulu-Natal * NOTE* Fast mirror and backup site BOOKMARK FOR REFERENCE Main site * NOTE*