Target Corinth Canal : 1940-1944 by Platon Alexiades

Author:Platon Alexiades [Alexiades, Platon]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: HISTORY / Military / Naval
ISBN: 9781473859555
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2015-04-29T21:00:00+00:00

Kotsis later wrote of his part in the episode and that Cumberlege startled him with a resounding ‘Hullo!’ instead of the prearranged password. This was all the more disconcerting as two villagers happened to pass by at the time. Kotsis described Cumberlege as hatless, in summer white naval uniform, wearing a pistol and a pair of binoculars; he also made note of the golden earring in the right ear. To allay the fears of the two villagers, Kotsis had to tell them that Cumberlege was Italian and that he was searching for British soldiers believed to be hiding in the neighbourhood. They went away, although Kotsis feared they were not convinced. He was brought to their hideout in the bushes about 100 metres from the bridge and after dark they moved to the watermill owned by Nikolaos Manzaris.

They did not linger long and during the night they left for Tselevinia to join the other commandos. Kotsis stayed with them for six days in their tent located near Ermioni. The Greek was surprised to watch weather balloons being sent up twice a day. True, the area was fairly isolated but he feared that this would attract the attention of shepherds who might report them to the Italians. Every day he went down to Galatas to look for the caique of Doctor Tsakonas. It had been allocated for their needs and was to have been brought by Lieutenant Vassilios Zakynthinos, but it failed to show up. This vessel was especially sought because it had Italian papers and could transit the canal but Tsakonas kept on making outrageous demands for compensation and later the caique was reported to have temporarily lost its access to the waterway. Tsakonas had initially asked to be paid 100 sovereigns for the operation but then changed his mind and asked for 1,000 sovereigns, a considerable sum for the times. Tsakonas was suspected of a double game and is reported to have been ‘taken care of’ (i.e. liquidated) but the exact details of his fate are unknown.

Kotsis, one of the nine original members of THURGOLAND, spoke only a little French but somehow the operation was explained to him. He had not been informed that the commandos required a caique that had papers for Poros and Ermioni. He was sent back to Athens to arrange for the purchase of another boat. On 15 February Cumberlege reported to Cairo:

No.31 OF 15. PROGRESS REPORT. CONTD. AT NOON ON 4TH FEBRUARY I CONTACTED SPYRO KOTSIS. HE SPOKE NO ENGLISH AND PRACTICALLY NO FRENCH. HIS ONLY COMMUNICATION WITH REFERENCE TO THE MEETING WAS YOUR TELEGRAM N0.70 TO THURGOLAND. OUR CONVERSATIONS, THEREFORE, WERE SOMEWHAT LIMITED BUT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING ON ES SENTIAL DETAILS WAS REACHED. HE HAD NOT RECEIVED OUR MESSAGE REQUESTING THAT HIS BOAT SHOULD OBTAIN PAPERS FOR ERMIONE IN ADDITION TO POROS. HE HAD ARRANGED TO RENDEZVOUS AT THE BRIDGE WITH THE PARTY DETAILED TO CARRY OUT THE MAIN OPERATION BUT AS THEY HAD NOT MATERIALISED THE 9TH FEBRUARY HE RETURNED TO ATHENS TO RE-ARRANGE HIS BOAT’S PAPERS AND ENLIST AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING FRIEND.

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