In the Shadows by Michael Ashcroft reveals much, but necessarily not too much, of the deeds of the quite extraordinary men and women of the Intelligence Corps, which is one of the smallest and most secretive though vital elements of the British Army.

Wellington realized, (and  the Duke of Marlborough before him, and probably Caesar before him etc.),  that intelligence was essential once he arrived in the Pennisular: he must have information, information, information about the geography of the area and the enemy, and  so set about using those he trusted to source what he needed.

So, what happened during the twentieth century, and up to and including today, to source desperately needed intelligence?

Michael Ashcroft supplies answers with In the Shadows, by shining a light on the British Army’s Intelligence Corps which was only formally constituted in July 1940 but which operated well before that.

In the Shadows includes stories of and  from just some of the courageous, innovative characters who have operated in secret since the first World War to the present day, as they determined to uncover ever present threats. The tools they used were/are surveillance at home and overseas, developing contacts,  interrogating during conflicts – in fact using and seemingly inventing skills various. Add to this the sometimes necessity of going into the lion’s den to achieve their ends and you are getting the picture.

What struck me reading the stories was the loneliness – who to trust in the field, indeed can you trust anyone? It reminded me of a discussion I had with a former SOE agent during WW2, one who was captured, and whose fingernails had not regrown, though some do.’ Lonely’, she said. ‘I was very lonely.’

Add to loneliness  the determination to see a mission through, as is Ascroft reveals in In the Shadows, is apparent, and the sheer courage and endurance of spirit when one knew discovery and capture was the end of all things. All of it unsung, all secret, and – I come back to it – so often alone.

Ashcroft uses the recollections and experiences of those who have served, to create a gripping, revealing and relentlessly tense, though accessible, exploration of this most vital unsung secret Intelligence Corps, without which we would go blindly forward.

Read it, and thank  these extraordinary selfless people.

In the Shadows by Michael Ashcroft hb £25 Biteback Publishing