MI (R) - Military Intelligence (Research) was the War Office Department that was one of the founding components of SOE. Colin Gubbins then a Major had been recruited by Jo Holland the Department Head, later went on to be involved in the Independent Companies which were transmuted into the Commandos, the Auxiliary Units (Britain's Resistance Organization) and then later still to head SOE. MI(R) fielded a number of missions around the world. These included:- No 13 Mission - Norway via Stockholm No 19 Mission - The Belgian Congo - 1940 No 101 Mission - Abyssinia (Ethiopia) - This was also known as the Sandford Mission No 102 Mission - Sienussi Arabs in Libya No 103 Mission - British Communities in the Americas No 104 Mission - to Australia No 105 Mission - Canary Islands No 106 Mission - To Aden No 107 Mission - to Kenya It will be noted that 102, and 103 Missions were similar to the STS at Camp X and the Ramat David school in Palestine. A Polico-Military course was instituted at Cambridge University, the inaugural course was attended by 40 officers it ran from 15th January to 9th March 1940 Peter Kemp, Andrew Croft, Malcolm Munthe, George Musgrave, Peter Fleming, and Mike Calvert were early MI(R) officers.
Hi I have not looked at the detailed file as yet (WO106/4993) The Mission was commanded by Col J C A Pollock. I will copy the file when next at Kew
M107 - does anyone know of any files in the TNA or other sources regarding this mission. I have some information from the TNA and I have some of Colonel Brocklehurst's papers (he led the Mission and I have some papers from my grandfather Major ENE Erskine who was the political officer. I am trying to write it up so any sources welcome.
Just seen this, Unfortunately, I don't have a good source for this but there are several online articles that suggest Peter Fleming made a reconnaissance trip to Norway in April 1940 after joining MI (R), I wonder if Mission number 13 might be related to this (simply going on possible association of similar time and place)? I believe the source for these articles is a biography of Peter Fleming, although have never tracked down a copy. BR, SH
Crispin, Welcome aboard. Jedburgh is our resident expert in these matters, he is not a regular visitor, so I have sent him a Private Message (PM) that you are here. PM can only be sent after you have done x5 posts.
Peter Kemp is mentioned in Post 1 and I did a thread on him: Major Peter Kemp, SOE: The man just liked fighting — a true war lover He appears in about ten other threads here.
