The Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO) was a

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Propaganda and Field Intelligence unit set up under the orders of the Allied Land Commander, General Sir

Thomas Blamey Field marshal (Australia), Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey, (24 January 1884 – 27 May 1951) was an Australian general of the First World War, First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to attain the rank of field marshal. Bl ...

, on 19 June 1942. FELO became one of four sections of the

Allied Intelligence Bureau The Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB) was a joint United States, Australian, Dutch and British intelligence and special operations agency during World War II. It was responsible for operating parties of spies and commandos behind Japanese lines in ...

(AIB) which was established on 6 July 1942 to control and co-ordinate the activities of various intelligence organisations that had been set up after the outbreak of war with Japan. Objectives Far Eastern Liaison Office was a

propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...

organisation and was given a non-descriptive cover name to protect its real intelligence purpose. Its objectives were: * 1. To lower the morale of the enemy forces and so impair their fighting efficiency. * 2. To mislead the enemy regarding our military intentions. * 3. To influence subject populations in enemy-occupied territories to impair the enemy's war effort and to assist Allied Forces. Methods While some activity was common to both the

Services Reconnaissance Department Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD), also known as Special Operations Australia (SOA) and previously known as Inter-Allied Services Department (ISD), was an Australian military intelligence and special reconnaissance unit, during World War II. ...

and FELO the general line of demarcation was that SRD was responsible for sabotage and physical operations while FELO was responsible for propaganda and misdirection. FELO's methods, utilised in the S.W.P.A, were: * Leaflets. Directed against enemy troops or to the inhabitants of enemy-occupied territories. * Front Line Broadcast Units. Small detachments equipped with a radio, gramophone and amplifier, forward deployed to project specially selected talks and music into nearby enemy held areas to 'keep his mind occupied and prevent him from obtaining proper periods of relaxation.' * Mobile Propaganda Units. These units worked with advanced forces with the objective of obtaining maximum native co-operation with Allied Troops. * Agents. Agents worked in enemy-occupied territory, either under control of a European officer or independently. * Misdirection. Use of rumours, leaflets, press and radio for the purpose of misleading the enemy as to military intentions. * Radio. Special broadcasts to inhabitants of occupied countries which were picked up and broadcast by field parties. * The collection of information and intelligence. Specifically to produce analysis that would be of use for psychological warfare purposes. Organisation In its initial stages FELO was under the control of AIB but in September 1942 operational control was transferred to the three Australian Chiefs-of-Staff and the Senior Officer, Netherlands Forces. It was agreed that FELO’s political activities would be controlled by the Minister for External Affairs through the Political Warfare Division of his Department. The personnel of FELO were formed from the Australian Services, and the

Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service (NEFIS) was a Dutch World War II-era intelligence and special operations unit operating mainly in the Japanese-occupied Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia). Soon after the evacuation from th ...

. The organisation, commanded by an executive with its headquarters located in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

with elements stationed in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, consisted of eight operational sections: *North Western Area *Radio *Research and Information *Leaflet *Japanese *Store Equipment Technical Research *Philippines *North Eastern Area Far from being deskbound professional influencers, FELO operatives performed some of the most hair-raising intelligence operations of the war. Personnel were heavily involved in field operations, often penetrating deep into Japanese-held territory in one or two man teams. FELO was commanded by CDR J.C.R. Proud RANVR. Notable operations Due to the difficulty of deconfliction with other AIB operations, FELO undertook several operations with the

towards the end of the war. *"O" Mission *"J" Mission, aka CRAB

References

NAA: A3269, T3/A - Report on Activities of Far Eastern Liaison Officer for Period June 1942 to September 1945

* Official History of Special Operations Australia Volume 1 - Organisation (Copy 1)
Australian War Memorial

NAA: A3269, B1/B - CRAB 'J' Mission
{{Aust SF Australian intelligence agencies Special forces of Australia Military history of Australia during World War II