ASSESSMENT, VETTING AND CLEARANCE


Initial interviews and assessments were normally held at locations such as the Former Victoria Hotel at 8 Northumberland Avenue (below left) before trainees were allowed anywhere near F Section's headquarters at Orchard Court, Portman Square (below right), just along the road from SOE's headquarters at 64 Baker Street.


 

Anyone arriving in England from an enemy-occupied country had to be vetted and cleared by MI 5: the men at the Royal Victoria Patriotic School on Wandsworth Common, London SW18 (above left); the women at the nearby 101 Nightingale Lane, Balham, SW12 (above right).

Photo - courtesy of Tony Hampton

For preliminary training and assessment, most French Section trainees were sent to either (above left) STS 5, Wanborough Manor, near Puttenham, Surrey or (after July 1943) to STS  7 (above right) at Winterfold, near Cranleigh, Surrey.


PARAMILITARY TRAINING

Paramilitary training was delivered by the 'Group A' schools in Inverness-shire, Scotland.

Photo: David Harrison

The schools used by French Section included, above left - STS 21, Arisaig House, Arisaig and

above right - STS 23 Meoble Lodge, Morar

Above - STS 24A, Inverie House, Knoydart

Above - STS 25A, Garramor House, Morar

PARACHUTE TRAINING

                    Photo: Tony McDonald
While undergoing parachute training at STS 51, RAF Ringway, agents stayed at either (above left) STS 51a, Dunham House, Dunham Massey, Altrincham or (above right) STS 51b, Fulshaw Hall, Wilmslow.

Ground instruction at STS 51 RAF Ringway (above and below), including physical exercise.

The grounds of Tatton Park (below) were used for practice jumps from a tethered balloon

Jumps from Whitley aircraft, flying from RAF Ringway, were made into the grounds of Tatton Park

Photo: R. A. Bridgeford coll.

Photo: R. A. Bridgeford coll.