I have tried as far as possible to let Peulevé tell his own story, corroborating his memoirs with information from recently released SOE files at the National Archives, along with numerous other documentary sources, interviews and conversations with his family. Untangling actual events from the tales of derring-do that surround Peulevé's reputation proved to be a real challenge: references to his missions in France have often relied on half-truths that have established themselves over the years, and some incidents recorded elsewhere have consequently been omitted.
While I have attempted to present Harry's involvement with SOE as fully as possible, it was beyond the scope of this book to offer more than a brief overview of the organization's broader activities in France; similarly, I have concentrated only on presenting the relevant details concerning the French Resistance in the Corrèze, Dordogne, Cote d'Azur and other areas where Harry operated. Those looking for more wide-ranging accounts on these subjects should refer to the bibliography and particularly to Foot's SOE in France, which even after forty years remains an indispensable source.
The names of SOE circuits are given in capitals throughout the text; agents’ code names have been italicized.