All the King's Men

by Robert Marshall

The story of secret service treachery in the Second World War. It describes how the head of MI6, piqued by Chruchill's setting up of SOE as a rival sabotage and intelligence organization, devised a trap, using a double agent, Henri Dericourt, to destroy the whole of SOE's intelligence network in France. As a result nearly 1,000 men and women were arrested, hundreds of whom died in concentration camps.

Genres: Nonfiction, War, World War II, History

318 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Tania Rook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A meticulously researched account of a story buried by official sources, because World War II was big, and there was plenty of room to lose information. I think it was also about egos, with warring intelligence agencies in the UK stonewalling everyone who wasn't them.

TLDR: Henri Derricourt was a very good pilot who ran planes from England to France during World War II, getting small numbers of people between those two locations. The problem? He was in bed with British and German secret intelligence. He was running information as well as people. The long term impact? Watch the wife.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wrong book! Right title, wrong author! Interesting all the same

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story, but the writing style is very dry and confusing at times.

[Catherine Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books on the British SOE Section F agents. With that being said, the name Dericourt is touched on in most of these agents stories who were captured and executed by the Nazis Was Dercourt a traitor? Did he truly work for other British agencies? Marshall delivers an insight to Dericourt's character, (or lack of), and his motivation.

Yes, the author does bounce from one subject to the next which can confuse the reader. The only thing that was consistent about the subject, Dericourt, was his inconsistencies. This man had been in many pockets and the center of powerful and strategic political ploys. This is where Marshall gives a thorough portrait of just how much of an opportunist Dericourt was.

Most people who read this book have already read books on the fallen SOE agents and should be able to follow the author's quick subject changing.

[Clare Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as research - interesting and useful.

[Agnes DiPietrantonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing insight into the world of WwII operations

Appears to be as factual as possible considering the circumstances. Amazed by the nonchalant attitude towards life and the lives involved.