On January 14th, 1942, Operation Postmaster was conducted by the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) and the Special Operations Executive (SOE). The objective was to board Italian and German ships in the harbor of Fernando Po (Bioko), West Africa and sail them to Lagos. The overall commanding Officer was 'Gus' March-Phillipps aboard the Maid Honour. Two tugs Vulcan and Nuneaton accompanied. I am trying to find out primary documented research probably available. A relative of one of the civilian's who was involved asked me to help researching the fact the civilians were to have received the Defence Medal as token of grtitude for their help. It is not sure the medals were ever actually presented, although documents I will show later, state the medals were send. I am trying to piece together a full and clear picture of the operation and any help is appriciated. I am specifically looking for awarding documents, recommendations and any other documents in relation to the operation. Off course links to the internet are welcome, but these I can find myself. Regarding to the decorations I know: March-Phillipps received the DSO Captain Geoffrey Appleyard received a bar to the Military Cross Captain Graham Hayes received the Military Cross SOE agent Richard Lippett the MBE SOE agent Leonard Guise also the MBE Private Anders Lassen received the Military Cross 18 civilians involved received the Defence Medal (see documents in follow up posts) Other military involved received none beceause they already qualified for campaign Stars and War Medals (see documents in follow up posts)
For information, two pages of an aticle from 1983 about Operation Postmaster with also mentioning of the Defence Medals.
Wilco, here's some files available at the National Archive regarding Operation Postmaster: Spain and Spanish territory: Fernando Po; Operation Postmaster Colonial Office and predecessors: Confidential General and Confidential Original Correspondence. Defence. Spain and Spanish territory: Fernando Po; Operation Postmaster. Collection: Records of the Colonial Office, Commonwealth and Foreign and Commonwealth Offices, Empire Marketing Board, and related bodies Date range: 01 January 1945 - 31 December 1949 Reference:CO 537/4286 POSTMASTER: personnel involved Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. POSTMASTER: personnel involved. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1942 - 31 December 1942 Reference:HS 3/91 Operation POSTMASTER: crew of SS Duchessa d'Aosta Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. Operation POSTMASTER: crew of SS Duchessa d'Aosta. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1942 - 31 December 1944 Reference:HS 3/90 POSTMASTER: summary of Maid Honour operations Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. POSTMASTER: summary of Maid Honour operations. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1942 - 31 December 1947 Reference:HS 3/88 POSTMASTER: report by head of West Africa mission Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. POSTMASTER: report by head of West Africa mission. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1942 - 31 December 1942 Reference:HS 3/92 POSTMASTER: report on operation Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. POSTMASTER: report on operation. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1941 - 31 December 1942 Reference:HS 3/89 Subjects:Africa, Middle East, Intelligence Browse by hierarchy | Browse by reference Operation POSTMASTER: removal of Italian merchant ship and 2 German vessels from harbour of Santa ... Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. Operation POSTMASTER: removal of Italian merchant ship and 2 German vessels from harbour of Santa Isabel, Fernando Po. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1941 - 31 December 1941 Reference:HS 3/86 POSTMASTER: recommendations for awards, decorations and promotions Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. POSTMASTER: recommendations for awards, decorations and promotions. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1942 - 31 December 1944 Reference:HS 3/93 Subjects:Africa, Middle East, Intelligence Browse by hierarchy | Browse by reference Operation POSTMASTER: removal of Italian merchant ship and 2 German vessels from harbour of Santa ... Special Operations Executive: Africa and Middle East Group: Registered Files. WEST AFRICA. Operation POSTMASTER: removal of Italian merchant ship and 2 German vessels from harbour of Santa Isabel, Fernando Po. Collection: Records of Special Operations Executive Date range: 01 January 1942 - 31 December 1942 Reference:HS 3/87 Operation Postmaster: redeployment of ships taken as prizes of war and payment of prize awards Admiralty: Record Office: Cases. ADMIRALTY (5). Operation Postmaster: redeployment of ships taken as prizes of war and payment of prize awards. Collection: Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies Date range: 01 January 1942 - 31 December 1950 Reference:ADM 116/5736
good day wilco Vermeer,jm,yesterday,04:03pm.reperation postmaster.a very interesting post,it has not had much publicity in published history,re,ww2,thank you for posting.bernard85
You're welcome. Am a bit busy woth other research at the moment, but will be updating this research in the future.
I recommend a look at Brian Lett's 'Ian Fleming and SOE's Operation Postmaster' that I suspect will save you a lot of time.
Already read it and interesting, but does not clear the research questions I have. Also it spoils my appetite in doing actual research.
Sorry to bring up an old thread. I have been researching this operation myself and would like a list of all the confirmed names of the Maid Honor crew. Brian Lett says the Maid Honor was not used for this operation, I have read conflicting reports about this.
Peter Kemp, a SOE officer, refers in his book 'No Colours or Crest' in Ch. 4 to meeting at the end of February 1942 two officers recruiting staff. The two being Major March-Phillipps and Captain Geoffrey Appleyard. The major had sailed a Brixham trawler 'Maid Honor', with a seven man crew, from Poole Harbour to Freetown at the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, They had carried out 'some brilliant coup-de-main operations along the African coast and the Major was awarded the DSO. There are two short pen portraits of the two officers. They went onto founding the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF); it had a short life (referred to on other threads). From pgs. 38-39 of 'Ten Years of War: The Peter Kemp Trilogy'. More details on the thread devoted to him: Major Peter Kemp, SOE: The man just liked fighting — a true war lover I wonder what were these operations were, apart from Operation Postmaster? I assume Vichy French colonies. Just curious. Appleyard is on Wiki and that refers to: The source is Gordon Brown's book 'Wartime Courage: Stories of Extraordinary Courage by Ordinary People in World War Two. Link: Geoffrey Appleyard - Wikipedia
This post in August 2011 by ThomasHarder adds another dimension and deserves IMHO to be added: It was his only post.
Thanks to another thread and the link below - this passage explains why raiding along the Vichy French African coast might be explained: From: Docs – E W S Africa 1930-1947–West Africa 1930 - 1947 These colonies changed allegiance in November 1942 to being Free French, i.e. after Operation Torch. See: Vichy France - Wikipedia
Hello - very late to the show - only in the past few days was I aware of this site/form and it's resources! The Sweetman mentioned in this SOE document is actually a cousin of mine, John Bryan Sweetman. Just before Christmas I took a trek to the National Archives in Kew as part of a process to go through records to establish what I can about that part of his service (no luck btw). Despite the problems with delays in getting hold of Army service records (currently running at delays of 18+ months) I've nevertheless, using a wide range of resources, managed to flesh out the basic framework of his basic military service. If you are still researching this aspect please feel free to contact me for further information. Best wishes, Raymond Sweetman