Young Australian teacher Bruce Dowding arrived in Paris in 1938, planning only to improve his understanding of French language and culture. Secret Agent, Unsung Hero draws on decades of research to reveal, for the first time, his coming of age as a leader in escape and evasion during World War II. Dowding helped exfiltrate hundreds of Allied servicemen from occupied France and paid the ultimate price. He was beheaded by the Nazis just after his 29th birthday in 1943.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1 Little Bruce
• Chapter 2 Ready for Anything
• Chapter 3 In Search of a Mission
• Chapter 4 Watershed
• Chapter 5 Gathering Roses
• Chapter 6 The Whirlpool
• Chapter 7 Duress and Deliverance
• Chapter 8 Convergence
• Chapter 9 Machinations in the South
• Chapter 10 Parcels from the North
• Chapter 11 Ghost Figures
• Chapter 12 One Small Marvel
• Chapter 13 A Licence to Deceive
• Chapter 14 Fault Lines
• Chapter 15 Confrontation
• Chapter 16 Night and Fog
• Chapter 17 Into the Abyss
• Chapter 18 Of Faith and Fury
• Chapter 19 Dénouement
• Chapter 20 The Trickle of Truth
• Epilogue: Finding Bruce by Peter Dowding
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Plates