Former MI6 boss unveils memorial at Cambridgeshire 'spy centre' to Britain's Second World War heroes

A towering memorial to the men and women who worked as spies during the Second World War has been unveiled in the place where they made their final mission plans.

Farm Hall in Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire was used by MI6 to prepare agents before sending them to occupied Europe to gather information to fight the Nazis.

The Obelisk was officially unveiled by Sir Richard Dearlove, a former MI6 boss who was head of the spy agency at the turn of this century.

He said he thought it was the only public memorial to the spies of the Second World War in the UK.

Sir Richard said: "There is one more memorial that commemorates the agents who gave their lives during World War Two working for the various operations of British intelligence.

"But it's in a secret enclave and therefore not accessible to the public.

"I was trying to rack my brains and... as far as I can recall this is the only other one," he added.

The picturesque surroundings of Farm Hall provided a perfect place for spies to prepare, far away from prying eyes.

Their stories form a crucial part of a new book, Godmanchester at War by historian Roger Leivers, who attended the memorial's unveiling.

He said: "From 1942 onwards this place was a spy centre with agents moving through and going on to various places in Europe.

"We should never forget that it's a vital part of the operation. Some didn't come back, some did. Some had terrible tales of bad luck, some are just pure heroes.

"They're not British but they're pure heroes," he added.

Profits from Mr Leivers' book are going to charity, including helping those caught up in the current conflict in Ukraine.

The spies came from all over Europe and were airlifted back to their own countries or taken by boat.

Among them was Jeannette Guyot, a French resistance operative who became one of the most decorated women of the Second World War.

Ms Guyot successfully spied on the SS and the Gestapo working with the Allies.

She survived the war and died in 2016 at the age of 97.

Agents were trained at Hall Farm and sent to Europe to complete their missions.

"They jumped out of small planes or were landed in distant bits of the French countryside," Sir Richard said.

"And if they got it wrong, if they couldn't pass as who they purported to be or they had something in their possession which betrayed their role, they were shot. It was a simple as that," he added.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know