Most Secret

It is narrated by a commander in the Royal Navy, and tells the story of four officers who launch a daring mission at the time when Britain stood alone against Germany after the fall of France.Genevieve had been used by Breton fishermen to escape to Britain at the start of the war and is discovered at Dittisham on the River Dart by Michael Rhodes and Oliver Boden, both junior naval officers based at Dartmouth, Devon.On a second expedition, Simon is landed on the French coast to undertake a reconnaissance trip to Douarnenez and he discovers the whole fishing fleet and patrol boats to be in port.On her third and final trip, codenamed 'Operation Blanket', the plan is to meet up with the fishing fleet under cover of darkness and transfer small arms which can be distributed among the local population.The son of a wealthy Yorkshire industrialist, his young wife – also his friend since childhood – has been killed early in the war when on a trip to London preparing for the birth of their first child.A shy and lonely young man, in peacetime he had been an industrial chemist and feels particularly bitter about the war, having been forced to have his dog put down when he joined up for naval officer training.She has had a sheltered upbringing with elderly aunts in Norwich and has no experience of men but gradually falls in love with Michael Rhodes, initially driving him to Honiton where he first sees a flame-thrower in action and gets the idea for having one fitted to Genevieve.
First edition (publ. Heinemann )
information classificationClassified information in the United KingdomTop SecretHeinemannNevil ShuteRoyal NavyGermanyfall of FranceFree Frenchflame throwerDouarnenezU-boatRoyal EngineersDittishamDartmouth, DevonRaumbootsmall armsMotor gunboatdestroyerreinforced concretetrawlersYorkshireair-raidcolour-blindnessindustrial chemistsmugglingSan FranciscoNorwichHonitonSecond World WarPied PiperRoyal Naval Volunteer ReserveDirectorate of Miscellaneous Weapons DevelopmentEnglish ChannelWhat Happened to the CorbettsFaded PageStephen MorrisMarazanSo DisdainedLonely RoadRuined CityAn Old CaptivityPastoralVinland the GoodThe Chequer BoardNo HighwayA Town Like AliceRound the BendThe Far CountryIn the WetRequiem for a WrenBeyond the Black StumpOn the BeachThe Rainbow and the RoseTrustee from the ToolroomThe Seafarers