Birch-Jones, Sonia: my Special Operations Executive recollections (November 25, 1982)

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ABSTRACT: Mrs. Sonia Birch-Jones Special Operations Executive, Force 136 Birch-Jones_S_0038_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born on Sept. 23, 1921 in Pontypridd, Wales. Early in the war Mrs. Birch-Jones was a cipher officer in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force married to a R.A.F. officer named Houlston (spelling approximate). After his death she obtained her release from the Service late in 1942 (spring 1943? See transcript of tape, p. 9). In order to achieve a complete change, she applied for an overseas job and was sent to the Ministry of Economic Warfare. In 1943 (possibly Sept., p. 15, not March as on p. 3) she joined the Ministry at Baker Street in London and was confirmed after two weeks of close surveillance. Signed a two year employment contract to remain where sent anywhere in the world. All the young women were of the twenty-one- to twenty-five-year age group and motivated by a desire to serve their country. A period of training followed and in 1944 they left by troopship for India as part of a secretive Force 136. Their group of seven were the only women aboard and passed themselves off as Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes or Entertainments National Service Association personnel. Aboard ship Sonia Houlston (sic?) met a British naval officer, seconded to the Indian Navy, named Charles Croucher whom she married two days after arriving in Bombay, India. This caused an uproar and nearly her dismissal from Force 136, but, due to a shortage of staff, she was retained. Began as a secretary in the Siam section of the organization. Sent by train to Calcutta to a cantonment, formerly a very high class bordello, complete with servant for each four bedroom bungalow where they were securely housed. Their operations centre was in one of the better residential districts of the city, a short taxi-ride away. She found secretarial work to be dull and, when the opportunity arose, transferred to the cipher section, also with a pressing shortage of trained staff. Describes some of the agents in Siam, Burma, Indonesia, and their work; also life with the agents who returned to Calcutta on leave and some of the styles they affected, e.g. foppish British officers, etc. They felt they were a very special group who sometimes had to suffer the gibes as layabouts offered by fighting troops on leave, and, for security reasons, were unable to respond. Birch-Jones_S_0038_02.mp3 (Side 2) Speaks of the women radio operators who knew the agents in the field, having met them as a matter of policy before a three-week or longer "tour" in enemy territory. A strong rapport was thus formed, which was essential. Comments on "typex", the use of decoding drums, and some of the mental operations required in quickly deciphering coded messages. There were always three women on duty, day and night, to receive messages from overseas, as well as their agents in the field. Later they were joined by some Americans (O.S.S.) who had an alarming lack of security consciousness. Mrs. Birch-Jones comments on the total freedom (in the modern sense) that she enjoyed in the service and as a member of Force 136. Treated by men as absolute equals, an experience that has supported her relationship with men ever since (see p. 29, ff.). Living a closely guarded existence, sometimes under considerable pressure, sharing with three other women, could cause tensions to arise, but, on the whole, both hard work and play kept life on an even keel. Within a week of the end of the war, Force 136 was packing to move to Saigon. Sonia Birch-Jones did not go, but returned to her husband after some incident, not explained, at "Chiticalm" (sic). The end of the war meant a considerable letdown: returning to be a housewife took months of adjustment. Married life was not all that attractive, especially after returning to England. Comments on male/female relationships, the stigma (in those days) of divorce, etc.

Interviewer: Stafford, David A. T.

An interview/narrative of Sonia Birch-Jones's experiences during World War II. Mrs. Birch-Jones served with Special Operations Executive, Force 136. Interview took place on November 25, 1982.

Interviewee: Birch-Jones, Sonia, b. 1921

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Part of the David A. T. Stafford collection of interviews.
  • Also available as typewritten transcript (41 p.) in Special Collections.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 2 sound recordings (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 54.75844, -2.69531
  • 39.76, -98.5
Additional physical characteristics
  • One original sound cassette (ca. 90 min.) : 2 track, mono. in Special Collections.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • BJS_038
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • May 22, 2007
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
Rights
  • This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
DOI

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