A Schoolmaster's War: A British Secret Agent in World War II

by Jonathan Rée

A school teacher at the start of the war, Harry Rée renounced his former pacifism with the fall of France in 1940. He was deployed into a secret branch of the British army and parachuted into central France in April 1943.

Harry showed a particular talent for winning the confidence of local resisters, and guided them in a series of dramatic sabotage operations, before getting into a hand-to-hand fight with an armed German officer, from which he was lucky to escape.

This might seem like a romantic story of heroism and derring-do, but Harry Rée's own war writings, superbly edited and contextualized by his son, the philosopher Jonathan Rée, are far more nuanced, shot through with doubts, regrets, and grief.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2020

About the author

Jonathan Rée is a freelance philosopher who used to teach at Middlesex University in London, but gave up lecturing in order to "have more time to think," and was for many years associated with the magazine Radical Philosophy. His work has appeared in the Times Literary Supplement, the London Review of Books and elsewhere.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

We may think: not another book about the WW2 Special Operations Executive! There are already hundreds. But this one is different. It comprises collected writings by a thoughtful SOE agent who parachuted into France and built up resistance networks in the country's northeast, near the Swiss border. The variety of pieces has been skillfully edited by his son. The result is an often moving potpourri that celebrates the ordinary French men and women whose everyday heroism often went unrecognised.
If you are unfamiliar with the context, you may want to start by reading the three-page 'Story in Brief' at the back of the book, and perhaps also leaf through the Chronology.

[Gnome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as well written or structured as one might of hoped given the reviews. It is really a tell the story, repeat it and tell it again. The last third was better than the first. Many years ago, I read Eric Newby's autobiography ' Love and War in the Apennines' whilst not about the French resistance, it was a much better written and more interesting account and memoir than this about the Second World War. This has its interest but, limited. Glad it wasn't any longer. Very repetitive.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harry Rees takes you right into the thick of the French Resistance with his vivid writings in his diary and his charming tales for young people. Although he was a pacifist, he reluctantly changed his mind to join the SOE. He is very self-deprecating, arguing that his French wasn't very fluent and that he made a lot of mistakes. However, he certainly had extremely quick wits, because he kept evading the Gestapo even though he was in danger of being betrayed quite often.



Although his job was to commit acts of sabotage, shoot collaborators or train the maquis, he had peaceful interludes in Switzerland occasionally, where he relaxed a bit and he had the time to read. He appears to have been a very wise man, so his thoughts on the war and the books he read are just as interesting as his descriptions of the Resistance.



I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Incunabula_and_intercourse · Rating 5 out of 5]

A definitive must-read memoir for WW2 espionage enthusiasts.
The overall structure takes some getting used to, but seeing as Harry Ree himself would have written in a chrono-illogical style, it's only fitting. The man had a hell of a voice, for sure. The kind of beautifully dry wit perfectly suited for an Office-style comedy, mixed with the somber reality of the harsh situations he and his comrades faced. He seemed to have been allergic to the concept of grand heroism, especially in later reflections--a stance I can get behind. Wartime fiction does focus so much on the bombastic, even now; I'm glad that his words celebrate the Barbiers and Fouiettes just as much as they do the Claudes and Jeans.
Made me chuckle, made me cry, made me fall in love with this pocket of SOE history all over again.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhat convoluted structure, but an immensely enjoyable read, all the same. Fascinating perspective of a fascinating part of history.

[Neil Henning · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting bunch of snippets about the French resistance during WWII. It was more like reading a diary then a book. Probably better for research then for enjoyment.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and moving book which presents a very accurate and modest portrayal of wartime Resistance activity.