Research into the events that took place in the small Bedfordshire villages of Everton, Tempsford and nearby towns and villages during the Second World War has shed light onto an area of local history that, until recently, many people knew little about. They weren’t meant to.

This is an account of a deadly serious business, secret operations, intrigue and suspense. It is an account of drama, excitement and danger. Pilots were sent from what was called Tempsford Airfield into the battlegrounds of Europe, North Africa and the Far East on some of the most important, daring and historic missions of the war. Secret agents were sent from here on missions of the greatest importance including sabotage and assassination and many of them stayed in some of the large country mansions like Hasells Hall, Woodbury Hall, Old Woodbury, Tetworth Hall and Tempsford Hall.

Drawing on records of those involved with the operations, their personal recollections as well as official deposits in the Public Record Offices at Kew and Bedford and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum at Hendon, north London, Bernard O’Connor presents the intriguing story of an important chapter in Bedfordshire’s local history and of an airfield with significant international importance.