Operation Amsterdam

Discussion in '1940' started by yasushicho, Sep 26, 2011.

  1. yasushicho

    yasushicho Junior Member

    Hello, Having recently watched the film 'Operation Amsterdam' (About the evacuation of Industrial Diamonds from Holland on the 13th May 1940) I was interested to learn more details and having searched the internet and a few forums have struggled to find much about the operation itself only about the film.
    I was wondering if there would be any documents on it. I understand that there was nothing official before hand because of the speed in which it was put together but would there not be an official report on it created afterwards? Being a newcomer to searching documents I'm struggling to understand where (if they even exist) might be? Any help or information would be greatly appreciated!
    Many Thanks!
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Forum member Roy Martin is doing some research into this if I remember correctly - I think there is already a thread or two running in the 1940 section about it.

    If you can't find it drop Roy Martin a message about it.
     
  3. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    One of the British officers involved Major Coombe-Tennant of the Welsh Guards was later taken POW near Dunkirk, he later made a 'Home-Run' from Germany before becoming a Jedburgh with SOE, he later served with SAARF. Post war he served with the Welsh Guards in Palestine later becoming SIS Chief of Station in Baghdad. He the became a monk at Downside Abbey. Played a good jazz piano and was a first rate cricketer!
     
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  4. yasushicho

    yasushicho Junior Member

    Many thanks for the replies so far, Major Coombe-Tennant certainly seemed to have had a very varied and interesting life! May I ask how you know it was him that was on the operation? I'm really struggling to find anything written about the operation apart from the book and film. The book is helpful but does not disclose the Major's real name. I'm also at a loss to find anything about the girl called Anna who helped them that day. Her surname or what she did after that day?
     
  5. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    Many thanks for the replies so far, Major Coombe-Tennant certainly seemed to have had a very varied and interesting life! May I ask how you know it was him that was on the operation? I'm really struggling to find anything written about the operation apart from the book and film. The book is helpful but does not disclose the Major's real name. I'm also at a loss to find anything about the girl called Anna who helped them that day. Her surname or what she did after that day?

    Hello,
    I think that this is a slightly different operation, I attach a chapter from my forthcoming book that includes the evacuation of diamonds from the Antwerp Diamond Bank. There the Major involved was a Major Golding - if this is really the one you are looking for I can put you in touch with a gentleman who has written about the journey across France etc.

    Roy
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Gooseman

    Gooseman Senior Member

    Very interesting.

    I have never heard of the 'Operation Amsterdam'. I must say that it sounds like a novel rather than a historical affair. There was a large scale commando raid organised into Amsterdam by a combined navy and Royal (Kent) Engineers party. That was launched via Ymuiden. The party was shuttled over to Ymuiden by a destroyer and chartered a ship up to the canal into Amsterdam, where crude tanks and strategic chemicals were destroyed on May the 13th 1940. It had nothing to do with diamonds though. And I wouldn't see why both operations wouldn't have been combined if a diamonds operation was indeed launched on Amsterdam. The interesting book on the XD Operations - as the Kent Engineers operations in 1940-1941 were called - doesn't mention a word on Amsterdam diamonds. I would be much interested though, should factual material pop-up! I have noticed one or two Dutchies browsing the net for the novel of the affaire, so it did do its good, this poster about 'the Operation Amsterdam'. ;)
     

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