RAF and the SOE by John Grehan

Author:John Grehan [Grehan, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, Aviation, World War II
ISBN: 9781473894150
Google: dI4TDgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Published: 2016-10-30T22:10:50+00:00

Chapter 10

Reception Committees

Throughout the whole period the development of Resistance depended to a very considerable extent on the efficiency of Air Supply as a channel of communication. In Western Europe the difficulty of delivering stores by Sea in the face of the increasing German surveillance of the Coastal areas served to put the emphasis still further on supply by Air. This in itself involved a developed organisation in the field, at S.O.E. Headquarters, and in the R.A.F.

In general, the ideal organisation of Resistance as S.O.E. saw it involved the setting up of small independent clandestine groups, each one separated from its neighbour so that security should not be endangered, and with the emphasis all the time on the establishment of small bands of entirely reliable men rather than the collection of large conglomerations of amateurs and enthusiasts.

The conditions in different countries, however, had obviously to be taken into consideration by S.O.E.; and these varied considerably. In Poland, for example, where a long history of underground warfare had already given the people intensive experience of the methods of conducting such a campaign, the English had little to teach and a great deal to learn, and S.O.E. confined itself mainly to supplying the already existing and well organised underground armies in Poland. In France, two separate types of Resistance Organisation grew up: the one inspired by, and owing its military allegiance to, General de Gaulle, the other a British-controlled network of small S.O.E.-type circuits headed by British officers. In the Balkans and Italy where considerable national movements were already in operation, S.O.E.’s task was to send political and military liaison Missions to make contact with the various leaders. In Scandinavia, Holland and Denmark, various types of indigenous Resistance movements grew up, and to these S.O.E. sent technical instructions on such subjects as weapons, explosives, and sabotage, and liaison officers to co-ordinate their activities and also brought leaders to England for instruction.

Whatever type of underground armies developed in a country, the organisation of an efficient system for ordering and receiving supplies by air was clearly a task of the very first importance, since only by this means could the resistants hope to collect sufficient equipment and reinforcements. The training of both agents and aircrews in Reception Committee procedure was obviously essential if air supply was to be carried out efficiently, and in 1943 a special “Reception Committee” School was established by S.O.E. in which Organisers learnt the principles of reception procedure including selection of grounds, lights, disposal of stores and S-phone and Rebecca/Eureka drill. It was perhaps unfortunate that such a school was not established earlier both in England and in the Mediterranean since there is little doubt that its effect on the ratio of success of air operations was considerable. Training for pick-up operations was particularly intensive: for these agents who it might be expected, would later need to lay on such operations, a special week’s course was organised. During this period agents were taught the particular problems faced by the Lysander

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