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Inside North Pole: A Secret Agent's Story
Book by Dourlein, Pieter
206 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1957
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 15, 2015
This book provides a fascinating first had account of the author's wartime experience from the day Holland officially declared war to the first few years after the war when inquiries were being held to determine what had gone wrong with SOE (Special Operations Executive) operations in Holland.
Dourlein was a sailor with the Dutch Navy when war began but his ship was quickly sunk after being ordered into narrow waters where they were an easy target. His next self-imposed task was to get out of Holland and go somewhere where he could fight for his country. During war-time this was not something that could be done very easily. His early attempts included trying to cross the ocean in a canoe! (He didn't get very far!).
He finally made it to England and once again was serving with the Dutch Navy. I was quite surprised just how big the Dutch Navy was at this point. Sadly, many of their ships were decimated over time till not many were left.
After learning more English, Dourlein was approached to see if he was interested in going back to Holland on a special mission. He was keen to do this and undertook training in Scotland which included learning how to parachute from planes and how to use a radio to transmit coded messages.
On arrival in Holland, Dourlein and others dropped were immediately captured by the Germans and interrogated at great length. The author was amazed at just how knowledgeable the Germans were about the whole operation. After months locked up in a prison at Haarlen, Dourlein and one other prisoner managed an escape. The Germans sent messages overseas implying that they were not to be trusted.They themselves had managed to send a message to Britain to let them know that all agents being sent over were immediately captured. This was the first they had heard of problems.
After a lengthy and exhausting trip, Dourlein made it first to Switzerland and finally back to England by travelling through France, Spain and Gibralter. His reception in England was not the happy one he anticipated and included interrogation and accusations of wrongdoing. Ultimately he was proved innocent and was able to go back to war - this time in the Air Force.
After the war he was involved in inquiries into just what had gone wrong and how the Germans had initiated what became known as Operation North Pole. All the other agents who had been captured and held at Haarlen were eventually executed by the Germans. Sadly, this could and should have been prevented.
Dourlein was a sailor with the Dutch Navy when war began but his ship was quickly sunk after being ordered into narrow waters where they were an easy target. His next self-imposed task was to get out of Holland and go somewhere where he could fight for his country. During war-time this was not something that could be done very easily. His early attempts included trying to cross the ocean in a canoe! (He didn't get very far!).
He finally made it to England and once again was serving with the Dutch Navy. I was quite surprised just how big the Dutch Navy was at this point. Sadly, many of their ships were decimated over time till not many were left.
After learning more English, Dourlein was approached to see if he was interested in going back to Holland on a special mission. He was keen to do this and undertook training in Scotland which included learning how to parachute from planes and how to use a radio to transmit coded messages.
On arrival in Holland, Dourlein and others dropped were immediately captured by the Germans and interrogated at great length. The author was amazed at just how knowledgeable the Germans were about the whole operation. After months locked up in a prison at Haarlen, Dourlein and one other prisoner managed an escape. The Germans sent messages overseas implying that they were not to be trusted.They themselves had managed to send a message to Britain to let them know that all agents being sent over were immediately captured. This was the first they had heard of problems.
After a lengthy and exhausting trip, Dourlein made it first to Switzerland and finally back to England by travelling through France, Spain and Gibralter. His reception in England was not the happy one he anticipated and included interrogation and accusations of wrongdoing. Ultimately he was proved innocent and was able to go back to war - this time in the Air Force.
After the war he was involved in inquiries into just what had gone wrong and how the Germans had initiated what became known as Operation North Pole. All the other agents who had been captured and held at Haarlen were eventually executed by the Germans. Sadly, this could and should have been prevented.
December 4, 2015
Dourlein was one of the first SOE operatives and I bought this book to get an insider's look at their commando training in Arisaig, Scotland. It's fascinating stuff and I quote Dourlein about Fairbairn's (their close combat instructor) "Art of the Silent Kill" in my book on MI5/6 agent Dusko Popov (Into the Lion's Mouth), who also trained there. Enjoyed this book.
April 22, 2025
Probably the best book of its genre I've read. Dourlein soberly lays out the path that brought him from Dutch sailor, Dutch freedom fighter, accused (by the British) spy, and absolute hero.
The book is split into two main sections, each taking up approximately one half of the book. The first is the compelling account of Dourlein's days in the Dutch Navy, leading up to Holland's entry into World War 2. Seeing no way to fight to save his country within its borders, he looked to other countries to fight from the outside - no easy task with the Germans everywhere, not to mention those oddly sympathetic to the Germans' point of view. He is eventually able to make his way to England.
After a number of challenges and a sprint to learn English as well as he can, the author then enlists with England's Special Operations branch to work his way back home to fight in an already-organized guerilla campaign. The objective was to put as many SO operatives in place as possible, to perform set-up operations and await the signal for what would eventually become D-Day. We follow Dourlein's training - physical, mental, and intelligence tradecraft training, all of it fascinating. Preparations all to get him air-dropped into Holland and begin his work with the team already in place. But almost immediately, Dourlein understands that there is a potential mole in the operation - Germany is not only aware of the Dutch partisans, but are also - to a great extent - calling the shots and luring more and more unwary Dutch (provided by the unwary Brits) to a massive trap, all in hopes of learning the date and location of the upcoming Allied invasion.
There is a hell of a lot of first-hand writing in this genre, but nothing beats Dourlein, particularly when he describes efforts to carry out a prison break and eventual repatriation to England. Nothing is easy for him, but by all accounts (not just his own, but of those who knew him and spoke up for him afterwards), Dourlein simply refused to give up, refused to surrender his morals.
An outstanding book.
The book is split into two main sections, each taking up approximately one half of the book. The first is the compelling account of Dourlein's days in the Dutch Navy, leading up to Holland's entry into World War 2. Seeing no way to fight to save his country within its borders, he looked to other countries to fight from the outside - no easy task with the Germans everywhere, not to mention those oddly sympathetic to the Germans' point of view. He is eventually able to make his way to England.
After a number of challenges and a sprint to learn English as well as he can, the author then enlists with England's Special Operations branch to work his way back home to fight in an already-organized guerilla campaign. The objective was to put as many SO operatives in place as possible, to perform set-up operations and await the signal for what would eventually become D-Day. We follow Dourlein's training - physical, mental, and intelligence tradecraft training, all of it fascinating. Preparations all to get him air-dropped into Holland and begin his work with the team already in place. But almost immediately, Dourlein understands that there is a potential mole in the operation - Germany is not only aware of the Dutch partisans, but are also - to a great extent - calling the shots and luring more and more unwary Dutch (provided by the unwary Brits) to a massive trap, all in hopes of learning the date and location of the upcoming Allied invasion.
There is a hell of a lot of first-hand writing in this genre, but nothing beats Dourlein, particularly when he describes efforts to carry out a prison break and eventual repatriation to England. Nothing is easy for him, but by all accounts (not just his own, but of those who knew him and spoke up for him afterwards), Dourlein simply refused to give up, refused to surrender his morals.
An outstanding book.
July 29, 2012
Time-Life Books. Classics of World War II: The Secret War.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews