Behind Enemy Lines

Behind Enemy Lines: The War Memoirs of Jedburgh Officer John Olmsted

Step into World War II through the memoir of OSS agent John Olmsted, a member of Jedburgh Team 'Dudley.' Parachuted into occupied Holland in September 1944, Olmsted and his comrades-Dutch officer Henk Brinkgreve and Irish radio operator John 'Bunny' Austin-were tasked with organizing resistance in Overijssel to support Operation Market Garden.
A Story of War and Survival

After the Allied defeat at Arnhem, the team found themselves stranded behind enemy lines. Collaborating closely with the Dutch Resistance, they faced immense challenges as they worked to evade capture and continue their mission. Olmsted's account culminates in his participation in Operation Pegasus 2, an ambitious escape effort where only 7 soldiers, including Olmsted, successfully crossed the Rhine to safety, while hundreds of trapped airborne soldiers attempted to evade capture.

Life in Occupied Holland

Written shortly after the war, Olmsted's observations provide a detailed personal diary of the fall of 1944 in the Netherlands. Through his writing, readers gain insight into the day-to-day efforts of the Resistance and the personal impact of war, including the loss of his teammates Brinkgreve and Austin, who were executed just before Liberation.
A Historical Perspective

In 1985, Olmsted entrusted his manuscript to historian Dr. Coen Hilbrink, whose family had sheltered him during the war. Hilbrink added context to Olmsted's writing, enriching the manuscript with historical annotations about the Overijssel Resistance and its broader significance during the war. This collaboration preserves Olmsted's account as both a personal memoir and a valuable historical document.

About the Author

Dr. Coen Hilbrink is a Dutch historian who was born in Almelo in 1944, during the German occupation. Tragically, shortly after his birth, his father and grandfather were executed by the Sicherheitsdienst. Hilbrink earned his doctorate in 1989 with a dissertation on the sociological backgrounds of the Resistance in eastern Overijssel during World War II. His expertise and personal connection to this period add depth to Behind Enemy Lines.

About the Jedburgh Teams

Operation Jedburgh was a World War II mission involving three-person teams from Allied forces, including the British SOE, American OSS, and the Free French. These teams were parachuted into occupied France, the Netherlands, and Belgium to support the Allied advance by working with local resistance groups. Their efforts included sabotage, guerrilla warfare, and leadership of resistance forces against German occupation. Team 'Dudley,' to which John Olmsted belonged, was one of these units.