HC Deb 11 May 1964 vol 695 cc12-3W
42. Sir J. Smyth

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now announce the name of the professional historian commissioned by Her Majesty's Government to write the account of the Special Operations Executive in France; and what is the probable date of publication of the book.

Mr. P. Thomas

The author of the draft history of Special Operations Executive in France is Mr. M. R. D. Foot, formerly a lecturer in history at Oxford.

Now that Her Majesty's Government have decided in principle that it would be desirable for this work to be published, those who bore a significant share of responsibility for the operations in question must be given an opportunity to read the draft history and to offer comments to the author in order to ensure that the work is as accurate and objective as possible. This will inevitably take some time, and it is not possible therefore to indicate at present a probable date of publication.

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