Inside the Nazi Ring: A Naval Attache in Sweden, 1940-1945 by H. M. Denham

H. M. Denham

A fascinating account of working in Sweden during World War II as the (British) naval attache.

During WWII, Sweden held a neutral stance and this required a constant give and take between various countries to keep this status.

As the British naval attache in Sweden during the war years, H.M. Denham provides rich detail about his life during this time.

Certainly there are many instances of just how odd it must have been to negotiate a shipment of steel and ore from Sweden to Britain. Sounds simple but then the Germans would object and a solution would need to be found.

Or the Germans wanted to use the Swedish railway network for troop movements into Norway. The Brits would then object and a solution would need to be hammered out.

A very confusing state of affairs but brilliantly explained by the author.

There were several stand out parts in this book for me not least the journey made by a Denham’s female colleague to Sweden via South Africa; a horrific journey that took six months.

There are plenty of vivid war experiences but it’s a strange book due to the fact the author was stationed in a neutral country – virtually untouched by the war – but made a huge contribution to the war effort.

Apart from the abrupt ending, this is a great book to read. I had very little idea of what went on in the Nordic countries in WWII and now I know a lot more.

I discovered a word I’d never come across before i.e. salthorse. Means to be an expert on nothing.

An easy read, minimal jargon, some maps, interesting, and educational.

Sapere Books provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn’t affect the quality and genuineness of the opinions I expressed above.