Commander F.T. Peters VC headed spy school

sammcbride

New Member
I am a great-nephew of Capt. Frederic Thornton Peters, VC, DSO, DSC and bar, DSC (U.S.), RN, who was a Canadian with a remarkable record of valour serving in the Royal Navy in both world wars. After earning a bar to his Distinguished Service Cross for sinking U-boats in 1940 he was assigned as commander of a SOE spy school at Brickendonbury Hall, Hertford. While there he did some of the planning for the November 1942 attack on Oran harbour for which he won the Victoria Cross. Ironically, the only information I have on his time with SOE is from the Soviet spy Kim Philby, who trained under Commander Peters at the school along with fellow Soviet spy Guy Burgess and wrote favorably about Peters in his book "My Secret Life". I want to get more information on Peters' SOE service from records in the archives. I would appreciate any advice anyone has about what specific records to ask for. I live in Canada so I will probably hire a researcher in the London area.
 
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