File TAYLOR, GF 1/1 - Papers relating to Turkey and South Africa, Aug 1942 - Jan 1943

Reports, telegrams and memoranda chiefly relating to a visit by Taylor (code name ‘AD’) to Turkey as Director of Overseas Groups and Missions, SOE, December 1942, and preparations for a visit to South Africa, January 1943. File includes: a directive summarising the purpose and organisation of SOE activities in East Africa; a report on SOE organisations in South and East Africa by ‘DZ 4’ [Lt Col R L Broad] two memoranda by ‘AD/U’ [William Johnston ‘Tony’ Keswick] on SOE personnel in the Durban Mission; letters from ‘WS’ [Lt Col A W Smith], relating to the command of the Durban Mission and the development of special operations in Portuguese East Africa, including possible SOE anti-submarine activities; reports by Taylor, with related correspondence, concerning his visit to the SOE office, Turkey, including SOE operations in Turkey, the morale of SOE personnel, relations with the SOE Cairo office, negotiations with the Turkish government over the sale of chromite (used in the production of chrome) to Germany, the Goeland Company (a fictitious company created by the British government to reduce German access to Danube shipping), potential demolition targets in Turkey in the event of Axis occupation, and possible future actions of the Turkish government; letters by Taylor relating to SOE operations in Hungary, the Hungary Section in London, the deployment of an operative with expert knowledge of Hungary, named ‘Hindle’, and negotiations with OSS (Office of Strategic Services, the US counterpart to SOE) over possible co-operation in the Middle East.