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Airey Neave
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Saturday at M.I.9: The Classic Account of the WW2 Allied Escape Organisation Kindle Edition

by Airey Neave (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 208 ratings
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The author of Flames of Calais details life in the top-secret department of Britain’s War Office during World War II in this military memoir.

Airey Neave, who in the last two years of the war was the chief organizer at M.I.9, gives his inside story of the underground escape lines in occupied North-West Europe, which returned over 4,000 Allied servicemen to Britain during the Second World War. He describes how the escape lines began in the first dark days of German occupation and how, until the end of the war, thousands of ordinary men and women made their own contribution to the Allied victory by hiding and feeding men and guiding them to safety.

Neave was the first British POW to make a “home run” from Colditz Castle. On his return, he joined M.I.9 adopting the code name “Saturday.” He also served with the Nuremburg War Crimes Tribunal. Tragically Airey Neave’s life was cut short by the IRA who assassinated him in 1979 when he was one of Margaret Thatcher’s closest political allies.

Praise for Saturday at M.I.9

“There isn’t a page in the book which isn’t exciting in incident, wise in judgment, and absorbing through its human involvement.” —The Times Literary Supplement (UK)
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  1. Print length
    423 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Pen & Sword Military
  5. Publication date
    April 30, 2010
  6. File size
    13321 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"There isn't a page in the book which isn't exciting in incident, wise in judgment, and absorbing through its human involvement."
The Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

Airey Neave is a former soldier and politician.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KIXWJIA
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Military; Illustrated edition (April 30, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 30, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 13321 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 423 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 208 ratings

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Airey Neave

Airey Neave

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
208 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

T.A.L. Dozer
5.0 out of 5 stars Allied Underground & Escape Lines
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2012
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Allied Underground & Escape Lines

`Saturday at MI9: The Classic Account of the WWII Escape Organisation" by Airey Neave picks up where he left off in his book " They Have Their Exits: The Best-Selling Escape Memoirs of World War Two ", which is his story of escape and evasion from Colditz Castle in WWII. This book delves into Airey's participation of setting up various escape/evasion lines for downed aircrews and special forces operating behind enemy lines. The book predominantly talks about the organization and operational use of the Comet and O'Leary lines which were the most successful escape routes of WWII.

The Comet line a World War II resistance group in Belgium/France which helped Allied soldiers and airmen return to Britain. The line started in Brussels, where the men were fed, clothed and given false identity papers before being hidden in attics and cellars of "safe" houses. A network of people guided them south through occupied France into neutral Spain and home via British-controlled Gibraltar. A typical route was from Brussels or Lille to Paris and then via Tours, Bordeaux, Bayonne, over the Pyrenees to San Sebastián in Spain. From there evaders travelled to Bilbao, Madrid and Gibraltar.

There were three other main routes. The Pat line named after founder Pat O'Leary (a cover name forMajor-General Albert-Marie Edmond Guérisse) ran one of the biggest and best of the escape and evasion lines of World War II, from Paris to Toulouse via Limoges and then over the Pyrenees via Esterri d'Aneu to Barcelona. Another O'Leary line ran from Paris to Dijon, Lyons, Avignon to Marseille, then Nîmes, Perpignan and Barcelona. From Barcelona evaders were transported to Gibraltar. Another route from Paris (the Shelburne line) ran to Rennes and then St Brieuc in Brittany, where men were shipped to Dartmouth.

If you ever wondered how to set up an underground organization, or how one was operated you will find this book extremely interesting. This book gives an interesting insight into this dangerous world of the underground and the hazards faced by the brave men and women who operated these safe houses, transportation lines and logistical hubs. Overall I found this book to be a very good story and interesting piece of history.

CONTENTS:
-Maps
-Preface
Parts;
I. After Colditz
II. The O'Leary Line
III. The Comet Line
IV. Women Agents
V. Brittany
VI. Marathon
VII. Occupied Holland
VIII. Aftermath
-Acknowledgments
-Index
7 people found this helpful
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James
4.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Dunkirk
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2019
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The language is a bit dated of course, but the message is there. This was really the first effort of setting up groups to aid downed airmen and others caught behind enemy lines in their attempts to escape back to the allied powers. When MI 9 created here is still taught to aircrews. Classic stuff.
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Thomas A. Vallejos
5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting anecdotal account of helping Allied military personnel to escape to England during WWII
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2023
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Airey Neave was the first British POW to escape Colditz POW camp January 1942. Then he make to England with the help of the French Underground. For the rest of war Neave worked for MI-9 which had the purpose to help Allied POWs and evaders make it back to England. Neave gives an anecdotal account of how he and few dedicated officers working out of ROOM 900 plan and support the underground organizations that ran escape routes.

Neave’s book is a limited source due to post-WWII secrecy restrictions. Still it’s an exciting read.
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Nancy Jane
3.0 out of 5 stars Inside information of an astonishing survival activity
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2018
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The history of this “inside department” was new to me. It was a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters who came and went in different situations. It seemed easier to just keep reading without having the whole picture. The last part became very interesting and cohesive with continuous characters and timeline events. The bravery of so many people was a story that needed to be told.
One person found this helpful
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JAROUS
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2020
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Airey Neave knows what he is talking about. And I like his English, it is rich and juicy. We are going to the Basque country in May and I want to see some place on the escape route of the Comet line he is writing about.
One person found this helpful
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Thomas E. Simmons
4.0 out of 5 stars sacrifice and dedication to freedom
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2019
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True heroes little known by the generations of today or yesterday.
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The Old Fisherman
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful story of heroes of World War II long forgotten
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2019
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After reading many books about World War II, I have heard snatches of stories about how downed Airmen sometimes made it back to their own lines. This book really explains what happened why it happened and how it happened. Anyone interested in the history of World War II in-depth should read this book.
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dean
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative.
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2016
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It was very encouraging to hear about the daring sacrifices made by the men and women who risked their lives to aid the cause of freedom. They deserve all the recognition they can get. I only wish that all those who gave aid were known and could be honored. Leave does a great job of explaining the important role of the civilian soldiers during World War 2.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

MacCool
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good book!
Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2017
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This was my first ebook I read very interesting I am going to look for more like this book. The only thing I did not like in the book, were all the foot notes.
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Andrew J
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic and Gripping Account
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2017
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So many books are billed as "gripping" or similar exaggerations and so often fail to live up to the description. I can positively guarantee that this book REALLY is gripping and certainly the sort of book you just cannot put down once you start reading it; in fact it cannot be praised too highly.

It recounts the story of the resistance in France and the low countries supported by Room 900 of the SOE (Special Operations Executive) in London organised by Airey Neave (Code named Saturday), hence the title. For many this will be a familiar subject as it was the basis for the highly impressive "Secret Army" series from the BBC in the late 1970s (available on DVD - get it whilst you can) - although the real stories are much more meaningful.

It is a story of courage and heroism under great adversity telling the story of how allied airmen were returned to the UK after being shot down over occupied territory during WW2 Written in a totally.non-emotional style which suits so well the narrative of the subject material. There would probably be many writers who would sensationalize the contents which would not server the subject.

The book recounts great triumphs as well as disasters, and unpleasant aspects of war such as, death, betrayal, torture (by the Germans) and living in the shadow of the fear of being caught for being involved in helping the allied cause. How the resistance workers lived under such pressure we can only wonder and be moved and impressed by the contents of the book. In many ways this book should be required reading and certainly for those who have a interest in WW2.

It is one of the best books I have read, certainly this year and probably longer. It was so gripping that managed to read it in 4 days which is quite an achievement for me as my time for reading is limited (apart from school holidays).

As final thought. The author, Airey Neave, had a distinguished war, escaping from Colditz in 1942 and working tirelessly for follow soldiers who found themselves in occupied territory. Neave served his country to the best of his ability, both during and after the war, particularly as a Conservative member of Parliament for Abingdon. He was murdered by the IRA outside the House of Commons in March 1979; the irony surely that Neave who had survived the Nazis should fall victim to terrorists from inside his own country.

Buy the book today!
.
5 people found this helpful
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David Austin
4.0 out of 5 stars A pithy account of a real-world hero who escaped Colditz ad went on to help many others escape wartime Europe.
Reviewed in Australia on August 5, 2014
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For those interested in the covert world of WW2 this puts another piece of the puzzle together. Airey Neave's own story and eventual murder whilst advising Margaret Thatcher puts a personal flavour into the story. You might also like "A man called Intrepid" by William Stevenson who provides a wonderful overview of the covert operations from the highest level. One of the great pleasures of reading a book by a truly intelligent author is the way it seems to lift one's own capacity to think.
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Avid Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book written by a famous war hero
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2014
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What can you say about Airey Neave? He escaped from Colditz and then helped to run MI9, assisting the French escape lines to return prisoners of war (airmen, mostly) to Britain. Reading this book was like lifting a veil from a hidden turbulent time in history. The tales of courage of ordinary French, Belgian and Dutch people sheltering runaway British prisoners and smuggling them out of the occupied countries - these are tales to tell our children and our grandchildren. There were catastrophes and triumphs aplenty, Gestapo tortures and deaths. Many of the escape line organisers and helpers were young women. Many gave their lives to the cause. Airey Neave himself was later assassinated in London by the IRA. God knows why they chose to kill him. The guys was a hero. His work helped to rid Europe - the world - of the Nazi scourge. An excellent book.
2 people found this helpful
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Pedro07
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating accounting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2024
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One of the most honest and detailed accounts of escape and evasion out of occupied Europe. Aired Neave always rememberd not forgotten.
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