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View Full Version : SOE Manor - AKA Hotel B - July 2012



nelly
05-07-2012, 09:56 PM
This was one of those places that I had wanted to do for nearly two years,
right on my doorstep but very put off by the knowledge that their was a live in caretaker and a little story of the fate of the splorers who tried before us, nuff said ;)

Splored with Skeleton Key and Jayne Doe.

I normally mooch, but this time I crept, creeping almost cartoon like, knowing that every creaking floorboard or squeaky door might alert the caretaker who lived on the 3rd floor.

Walking down one of the corridors in the gloom actually reminded me of a film that I had seen a few years back.

Derelict Hotel?? Live in Caretaker?? I expected to turn the corner and see these two ;)

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/e2.jpg

Anyway, enough of the rambling, on with the history, grab yourself a coffee, this goes on a bit!!!

The History

Built circa 1719 by the mason Christopher Cass for a Mr Robert Chester who was a
director of The South Sea Company.


http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9630e.jpg

The Grade II listed building was passed down through the generations and across the family tree like any other country manor
and nothing interesting is documented there until the 20th century when the Special Operations Executive (SOE) set up a base there and in its final years was a hotel sitting in 80 acres with its own golf course

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/ext1.jpg

The rest of this report is extracts from an interview with one of the SOE workers (Stolen from the BBC)

In the early years of the war, I, a young R.E. officer, was given the job by SOE HQ in Baker Street, London,
of starting up and running a forgery unit, with the object of providing forged documents for our agents operating with the various underground Resistance movements in occupied Europe.

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9566e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9564e.jpg

"We occupied the cellars of this country house, while above ground and in the surrounding countryside, Polish officers and NCOs were being trained with German weapons and plastic explosive to become saboteurs ."

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9571e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9573e.jpg

"My staff originally consisted of just three Polish civilians, only one of whom spoke any English, who had probably been doing similar work in Poland before the war.
But with the recruitment of Sapper technicians from the RE Survey companies, a handwriting expert from New Scotland Yard,
an engraver from de la Rue the stamp and banknote printers and some additional machinery, we were able to get into production."

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9576e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9577e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9578e.jpg

"We fully realised that agents lives were at risk who used our documents, so every effort was made to ensure that the latter looked really authentic.
To this end, no expense was spared, and even if only a couple of hundred identity cards for a job were required, we would think nothing of having tons of special board or paper made.
We faithfully reproduced all the imperfections on the original document that we had obtained from our agents, and had, at times, to age certain documents artificially to make them look genuinely old."

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9580e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9583e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9586e.jpg

"Certainly we were able to forge practically anything our agents brought back; but the job had also to have a less serious side at times."

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9587e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9589e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9597e.jpg

"On one such occasion, the FANNYS at the adjoining Free French station had decided to throw a party, and we decided that for this, we would produce a couple of hundred copies of the then current five pound English banknote,
substituting Brigadier Gubbin's portrait and signature for that of the Governor of the Bank of England - as the banknote was only printed in black, this was easy to forge,
and during the course of the evening, we dropped the notes onto the dance floor from a balcony. The Brigadier was amused, but warned us to make sure none of them finished up in the hands of the Police!"

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9598e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9599e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9601e.jpg

"We had to smile too, when, on another occasion, some of the Polish would-be saboteurs were sent out on a demolition exercise, when they were supposed to blow up a spare bit of railway line that was lying near the main London-Cambridge line.
With somewhat misplaced zeal however, they fixed the explosive to the rails on the main line itself, and blew it up, causing the line to be out of commission for half a day.
Fortunately, no one was hurt, but our OC, a Ghurkha major, was none too pleased!"

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9606e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9607e.jpg

"In 1942, SOE HQ decided to experiment with the dropping of office-type printing machinery by parachute, in the hope that if this was successful,
these machines could be got to the Resistance to produce seditious literature on the spot and make things more difficult for the Germans."

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9617e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9618e.jpg

"So, one bright, sunny, summer day found a circle of officers, including a number of 'brass hats' from London, gathered in a circle round the intended dropping zone in the grounds"

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9620e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9621e.jpg

"I was one of those present, and standing next to me was a good looking young Scotsman dressed in a kilt; to our mutual surprise, we found that we had both been in the same class at Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow many years before the war, and before I and my family moved South.
I did remember his surname, Torrance, but before I could ask him to remind me what his Christian name was, the drop had taken place, and it was too late"

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9624e.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/nellyurbex2/SOE%20Manor/IMG_9627e.jpg

birdinanaviary
05-07-2012, 11:16 PM
Mint sauce nelly! Proper lovely staircase, very very niiiiice!

Well done :thumb

Clough
06-07-2012, 08:36 AM
Fuck yes, the caretaker on the third floor LOL top banana your one of my fave derpers caning shit like this and a lovely man too.

Mint sauce Sir, mint sauce :thumb

nelly
06-07-2012, 11:32 AM
Ah Mr Clough. You make me blush ;)

Thank you :)

mr beardy
06-07-2012, 11:42 AM
Lovely stuff ninja nelly derpbex

BadBatz
06-07-2012, 12:30 PM
MMMMM. Sweet, l; lovely to see somewhere new and to get such a good report!

boxerheaven
06-07-2012, 04:25 PM
love it love it love it nally :)

coops
06-07-2012, 05:53 PM
Mate your reports are always the dogs bollocks ...keep it up mate top work :thumb

BA
06-07-2012, 07:25 PM
Love the history youve put on and the shots are great :thumb
the decor in there is impressive.

mrtoby
09-07-2012, 03:11 PM
love it, good show

ROYALBOB
14-07-2012, 09:53 AM
Wowzer, you're finding some stunners latley fella

yorkietommo
14-07-2012, 11:13 AM
Firkin 'ell. Sweet as a nut fella. Epic staircase.

Lisajane79
15-07-2012, 07:59 PM
Gorgeous pics and great report! :clap