Doing One’s Duty

Andrew was recruited into the British Secret Intelligence Service in 1939 for his linguistic talents and other qualities suitable for working in the service.After returning from his first main mission inside enemy territory in April 1940, he is instructed to join one of the ’small ships’ in the evacuation of BEF soldiers out of Dunkirk. During the same trip, he is required to obtain vital information from the retreating French battalions that were holding off the German advance into Dunkirk.Almost immediately after getting back to London, Andrew joins the crew of a British battle cruiser off the Shetlands that is on its way to Tromsô in northern Norway. The objective of this mission is to persuade the King of Norway and its cabinet to accept exile in London rather than fight against the vastly superior Nazi war machine. A number of possible life-threatening incidents occur before Andrew successfully returns to London with the Norwegians in mid-June 1940.By this time, the French government is on the point of signing an armistice with Germany and General de Gaulle has escaped to join his ally, Winston Churchill, in London. Andrew is closely involved in helping to set up de Gaulle’s broadcasts from the BBC and protect him from anti-de Gaulle protesters.This story is a most fascinating sequel to the first novel, Monique. The use of actual events and characters in a fictitious manner should enhance its appeal.