SOE's foreign currency transactions

Murphy, Christopher

Abstract

This article provides an account of the work of the Finance (D/Fin) Directorate of the Special Operations Executive in acquiring foreign currency for use by the British intelligence community and the service departments during the Second World War. This activity earned SOE the gratitude of the Bank of England, which had experienced mounting difficulties in the acquisition of such currency. SOE's involvement in such financial operations also played a significant part in Lord Selborne's response to the JIC enquiry into SOE of December 1943. This article suggests that the significance of these financial operations is missed when SOE is examined through a geographical, country section, perspective, and argues that greater attention needs to be given to SOE's non-geographical sections.

Citation

Murphy, C. (2005). SOE's foreign currency transactions. Intelligence and National Security, 20(1), 191-208. https://doi.org/10.1080/0266684520500059528

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2005
• Deposit Date: Jan 23, 2009
• Journal: Intelligence and National Security
• Print ISSN: 0268-4527
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 191-208
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0266684520500059528
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0266684520500059528