SAS & SOE operations - codenames

Discussion in 'SOE & OSS' started by Ravrick, Jul 28, 2010.

  1. Ravrick

    Ravrick Senior Member

    Hi,
    I have some pages of the RAF Operations Record Book for 299 Sqn for F/O JW Clifford, he took part in dropping personnel and equipement for several SAS/SOE operations, can anybody shed any light on the Codenames of these Operations?

    16.08.44 - Duty - "Haggard 3" SAS - 24 containers, 1 x pannier dropped
    27.08.44- Duty -"Donald 118" SOE - 23 containers and 3 "packages" dropped
    05.09.44 - Duty "Donald 22" SOE - 23 containers and 3 "packages"dropped
    11.09.44 - Duty "Ivor 3" SOE - 24 containers and 3 "packages" dropped
    15.09.44 - Duty "Pistol 2A" SAS - 12 troops and 2 panniers dropped
    18.09.44 - Duty Market D+1 - Successful glider release on LZ-"Z"
    19.09.44 - Duty Resupply - shot down all crew POW

    Cheers,
    Rick
     
  2. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

  3. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    "18.09.44 - Duty Market D+1 - Successful glider release on LZ-"Z"
    This would appear to refer to Operation Market Garden as to the nature of the misson:unsure:
     
  4. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

  5. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

  6. TomTAS

    TomTAS Very Senior Member

    Hi Tom,

    I need to get to Kew about this lot I have the WD number just need to get a copy and read that...

    Cheers
    Tom
     
  7. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    19.09.44 - Duty Resupply - shot down all crew POW




    Stirling IV EF267 No.229 Squadron crash landed at Wijchen following serious damage received while dropping supplies. The crew survived, but P/O. C A R. Bayne and his crew were taken prisoner.

    On the same day No.229 Squadron also lost Stirling IV EF319 - Kempenbererweg, Arnhem with the loss of 4 crew.
     
  8. Ravrick

    Ravrick Senior Member

    Very many thanks for the help Guys,
    much appreicated,
    Rick
     
  9. BobBill

    BobBill Junior Member

    I am trying to research my uncle's war exploits. He died at 20 on an SOE operation called "lemontree", coming down in the Zuider Zee/Isselmeer in Holland. He was pilot officer of a Halifax in 161 squadron flying out of Tempsford.

    I am new to all this. Can anyone help with with pointing me in the right directions to find out more about his service record and what operation lemontree was. Also, some of his crew are recorded as buried in Dutch graveyards, was the plane found during the work to reclaim the land or were some bodies found at the time? Does anyone know how I could find this out?
     
  10. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    I am assuming that your uncle was P/O R.G. Higgins.His aircraft was DG 405 MA-Y.

    According to W.R Chorley's Volume 3 B.C Losses of the Second World War 1943 the aircraft was associated with support for the St.Paul/Harrow and Catarrh agents.

    I cannot find any evidence that SOE Dutch agents were dropped that night and it would appear to me that the operation was a "container supply drop".

    The big problem at the time and the SOE Dutch Section were completely unaware of it, was that the Englandspiel was being played back by the Germans using captured SOE radios.This was achieved due to the penitration of the SOE Dutch Section operations in the field by the German Abwehr which intially was caused by lax security meaning that a succession of SOE Dutch Section operatives fell into Gernan hands as soon as they were out of their parachute harness.For these, many died a horrible sadistic death at Mathausen.( "Catarrh",whose real name was T. Taconis was one of those who lost their lives at Mathausen.)

    The events in Holland were to adversely affect the operations and losses of special duties squadrons in that the Abwehr, operating SOE radios were able to receive direct intelligence from London acting in the guise of Dutch resistance, on agents and arms to be dropped at named DZs.Not only that the Germans were aware of RAF special duty squadron movements in Holland and had "reception committees" awaiting the SOE Dutch Section agents and could deal with RAF aircraft according to their options.This might be to allow agents to drop on their DZ with the knowledge that the agents went immediately into the bag and then leave the Luftwaffe night fighters to deal with the aircraft.

    I would think the loss of your uncle's aircraft was, with little doubt, connected with the "Englandspiel".

    It has to be said when the game was eventually blown,it took a considerable amount of time for the two SOE Dutch Section escapees,Ubbink and Dourlein who escaped from German special custody in August 1943 to convince London of the situation in Holland.They arrived in Berne in November 1943,then in the UK in early February 1944 where they were imprisoned with the caution that they may be acting as German double agents.(German intelligence tried this avenue of doubt to deceive London) It was not until early spring in 1944 that London was convinced that an intelligence game was being played and they were the losers.

    In the meantime a flow of agents continued to be lost along with RAF aircraft and their crews.Certainly Harris was not happy about the rate of loss of aircrew and aircraft in these Dutch operations.
     
    Smudger Jnr likes this.
  11. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    BobBill,

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    A great reply by Harry.

    regards
    Tom
     
  12. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    Most of these codenames are listed in W MacKenzie's The secret history of the SOE". (Unfortunately this source is appr 4600 kmd away right now.)
     
  13. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Most of these codenames are listed in W MacKenzie's The secret history of the SOE". (Unfortunately this source is appr 4600 kmd away right now.)
    Storm.........see what I did;) I will have a look mine is about 30 metres away:D
     
  14. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    Storm.........see what I did;) I will have a look mine is about 30 metres away:D

    Good for you! Could I please load some of our current 48 deg C over to you too ?
     
  15. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    The Mackenzie...... S.O.E. book does not add anything to what Harrys excellent post offers.And Storm, that sounds just a wee little bit hot for my liking thanks all the same:D
     

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