Highland home where allied World War 2 spies hid out up for sale

Daily Record

a day ago

Inverlair Lodge once housed members of The Special Operations Executive (SOE), an elite force set up to wreak havoc behind enemy lines in Europe.
A secluded Highland property which helped hide Allied spies during World War 2 has been put up for sale.
Inverlair Lodge once housed members of The Special Operations Executive (SOE), an elite force set up to wreak havoc behind enemy lines in Europe.
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However, some agents who were unable to perform their duties on the field, were kept safe at Inverlair Lodge because of the dangerous secrets they knew about the Allied war effort.
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Dubbed a 'retirement home for spies', the agents lived in the Highland retreat, around 20 miles from Fort William, which was surrounded by British soldiers.
The historic property which boasts 30 acres of land is now on the market for offers over £1.35million.
Estate agents Galbraith have listed the 18th century house, near Tulloch, nestled amongst a stunning scenic backdrop.
The home has six-bedrooms and also includes a separate two-bedroom cottage. It has four reception rooms, garages, kennels and general stores.
According to the BBC, Inverlair housed foreign nationals who were part of the SOE during the war.
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The agents were supervised by British soldiers, were handed a range of tasks to complete including mending boots and salvaging scrap metal.
During WW2 it was known as No. 6 Special Workshop School.
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In interviews with the Imperial War Museum, external, Dundee-born Alfred Fyffe told how he was put in charge of Inverlair for 30 months.
Mr Fyfffe told how residents, who included Italians and Dutch, were not supervised but not kept under armed guard.
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They were even allowed out occasionally to visit Fort William.
He said the residents, who included Italians and Dutch, were supervised but not kept under armed guard and were even allowed to make trips into Fort William.
The story of Inverlair Lodge and similar SOE properties is said to have inspired the plot to 1960s drama, The Prisoner.
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Winston Churchill was a major backer of the the SOE and the iconic war-time prime minister famously ordered its agents to 'set Europe ablaze'.
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Guy Ritchie's 2024 action-comedy film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare took inspiration from the SOE.
The secret force was disbanded after the war and Inverlair Lodge fell into disrepair after it was vacated. It was restored in the 1970s.
The listing from Galbraith reads: "There are historical records of the land at Inverlair going back to the early 13th century, but Inverlair Lodge as we know it today was built in three stages from the early until the late 1800s and was formerly the shooting lodge for Lord Abinger of Inverlochy Castle.
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"The property was requisitioned during WW2 and, because of its relative isolation, became a facility for the Special Operations Executive who operated during the war in espionage and intelligence gathering.
"The SOE was disbanded after the war and Inverlair fell into disrepair until it was renovated in the 1970s by new owners and then, as only the second family ever to have lived there, the sellers bought the house in 2008."