Bob Maloubier

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A veteran interview with

Bob Maloubier was a world renowned saboteur and weapons trainer in the SOE. He provides a fantastic account of his service.

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About Bob Maloubier

In firstly describing his earlier life, Bob recalls growing up in Paris and joining the special detachment force at the beginning of the Second World War. He then recalls arriving in England to undergo specialised training, and from this point onwards was made a saboteur.

Bob remembers his first jump, and the speed at which saboteurs would have to seek, report and destroy enemy objectives. Operating in small teams of five to six individuals, he recalls the importance of discretion and trust among his network. As a member of the SOE, Bob was required to have a forged identity and resultantly, landed himself in troubled situations with the enemy.

He recalls one particular incident on Christmas Day 1943 where, having missed the enforced curfew in Paris, he was taken by the German patrol. In an attempt to escape, he was shot in the lung and as a result, thought he had died. It was a slow recovery as not only did he have to remain in hiding from the enemy, but could only receive medical attention once he had returned to England in February.

In the rest of his interview Bob discusses D-Day, the allied liberation, his post-war experiences in Asia, and the dive school he established in North Africa where he trained frogmen. Bob’s account provides a series of exciting, moving and fascinating stories of his experience in the SOE both during, and after, the Second World War.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox
Reviewed by:
Evie Painter

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

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