Hello, I am trying to find any Vets (unlikely) or if anybody knew someone who served in Force 399, Balkan Air force which had US, British, Russian and Polish pilots. Or any mentioned below. My grandad was a Royal Army medical corps Airborne medic he served in the BEF, ME, CMF. From September 38 Till September 1945. He joined HQ SO (M) then SOE Force 399 to jump in to the Balkans and work with the J.A.N.L then with the Italian, Greek Partisans, No 1 Special Force and 2nd independent parachute brigade. MY Nan said they were missing a few times but the former Yugoslavia was the worst 2-3 months hiding in caves with no radio use as SS were trying to find their position. I have his Ohms wounded missing or taken prisoner of war tag for his belongings with HQ SO(M) on it, unsure which op it's from. Also The British Military Mission to Jucoslav Army of National Liberation ops papers they were issued with in Bari. MY grandad died in 1948 aged 28 of tuberculosis which he contracted on ops in the caves. I found all these 70 years after his death in a hidden pouch in his leather document bag along with photos of him throughout the war with Partisans, his unit dressed in German desert uniforms arm in arm smiling,Ustashe currancy and movement orders. I've collected every book and logged every National Archives reference over the years so I am after the people enolved or people who knew them, hope your out there. I owe this to my grandad and his 2 brothers who gave their lives for the freedom of many nations. Thank you for reading this. OVER.
Welcome aboard. PM in a moment and try the other threads here via: "force 399" ww2talk.com site:ww2talk.com Have you read 'Eastern Approaches' by Fitzroy Maclean? There is a chapter or two on his time in Yugoslavia. Your profile refers to: It would help to add their full names and what you know about them openly here. Then others can help. You should apply for your grandfather's service record (as detailed on PM) and then display that as sometimes the writing, abbreviations etc defy easy understanding.
If you do not already have his official service record I would suggest obtaining it from the MOD - forms are here - Request records of deceased service personnel this should tell you what units he was with, when he was with them and where they were. Knowing this will allow you then to hopefully obtain the War Diaries for those units There is also The National Archives which has a number of files you may be interested in but you would need to look through them to - search is here - Search results: force 399 | The National Archives You could also use the same search page to check out the relevant files for the Military Mission in that area TD
Hi Any chance you could give us his name? 2nd Ind Para Bde were in Greece from 14 October 1944 to 29 January 1945. A small number of Special Forces including some from 4 Para Btn (part of 2nd Ind Para Bde) and under the command of Colonel Jellicoe were parachuted into Greece a month earlier to 'prepare the ground' and were supported by Greek Partisans. Jellicoe's forces harassed he Germans all the way to the boundary with Yugoslavia but never entered and were called back to Athens in late Nov to help counter the mounting ELAS insurgency. Hope this helps Gus
Hi mate my Grandads name was Cpl Dennis T Gaul 7264662 parent company R. A. M. C. I have the war diaries for 2nd independent parachute brigade for Dec and Jan but it doesn't mention any attachments to them, my grandad spent the latter part of the war working mainly with Partisans Forces in Yugoslavia under Force 399 then Italy and Greece and Austria. Haven't been on this site for a while. Cheers mate.
With wings so proudly displayed on the chest, denotes the fact that they are the best. Pest control in September.
Jedburgh in Judenburg? . Is this a field agent in luftwaffe uniform ?. Mmm HQSO(M), Force 399, No 1Special Force, Austria.Same pattern. The 4th September 1944 and Liberator KH151/S flown by Flight Officer Kleydor comes to mind but who knows.