Earl Jellicoe and Special Boat Section 'Operation Hawthorn': A 'shambles' in Sardinia, 1943: a small archive

The distinguished wartime career of George Patrick John Rushworth Jellicoe (1918-2007), 2nd Earl Jellicoe, is well described in Loma Almonds' 'A British Achilles' (2006). However Jellicoe, who commanded the Special Boat Section from 1943 to the end of the war, was not always blessed with success. The present collection of eighteen documents constitutes Jellicoe's own file on what Almonds describes as a 'shambles': an attempted series of sabotage attacks on six Sardinian airfields in the run-up to the allied invasion of Sicily. It contains the original 'First Outline Plan', distributed to only eighteen individuals before the start of the operation, a corrected draft copy of a report made by Jellicoe within days of his return, a document detailing 'Lessons Learnt Planning and Mounting', transcripts of reports from the submarine and aircraft that carried the operatives, lists of equipment, plans, and 'Points to be remembered'. The final three documents, while not relating directly to Hawthorn, concern SBS operations in Italy around the same time.The background of the documents is as follows. In June 1943, as Almonds explains, Jellicoe was 'asked to develop a plan for a July SBS attack on the German and Italian airfields in Sardinia, called Operation HAWTHORN. [...] During the outbound journey in the Royal Navy submarine, it became clear that about half of the ten or so men were unwell. Their training area on the Algerian coast had been malarial and they had indeed contracted malaria. [...] The fit half of the party were therefore put ashore while the rest turned back, including Verney and Imbert-Terry [...] [whose] small party of five were [sic] dropped by parachute on Sardinia on 7 July. They landed safely and made a forced night-march on airfields before lying up under cover the next day [...] [They] carried out a successful raid. After destroying a number of aircraft, bomb dumps and stores depots, they then had to cross the north-west part of Sardinia southwards to rendezvous with the other detachments. They never met up with the earlier party, none of whom made it. Though they must have got close, they were either captured or killed. | With Jellicoe on board, the submarine skirted the east coast of Sardinia and waited to pick up the returning men. [...] Gradually, it became clear that there was no one to take off. The four or five men never appeared. Jellicoe finally had to make the agonizing decision to give up the watch, not knowing whether swimmers were still in the water [...] Verney and Imbert-Terry were also missing - they escaped two months later at the time of the Italian Armistice and marched south until they reached the Allies.' See also Gavin Mortimer, 'The SBS in World War II' (2013).The collection derives from the papers of the military historian Barrie Pitt (1918-2006). The seventeen items are in fair condition, with light signs of wear and age, in buff card folder with the following in manuscript on cover 'HAWTHORN | Military Documents of Sardinian op: | Brinkworth | Riverside 9128 | 37 Church Road | Barnes | S.W.13.' All items are typed, except Thirteen.ONE: 'OPERATION "HAWTHORN". | FIRST OUTLINE PLAN.' Facsimile signature at end of 'J. M. W. Martin | Col. | Special Forces.' 4pp., 8vo. Headed: 'MOST SECRET. | COPY No........... ['15' added in blue pencil] | 141F/8027/SF. | 14 June 43.' (The last page carries a list of the 'Distribution' of the eighteen copies, this one being designated one of four 'Spare'.) This item was circulated before the operation, and contains 28 numbered sections under 22 headings including 'Nature of Operation' ('Five parties (each 5-7 all ranks) will be landed from a S/M from nights D-10 to D-6 on the West coast of SARDINIA. They will proceed inland to destroy aircraft on selected SARDINIAN Aerodromes with torpedo bombers as first priority on night D-4/D-3. | Special arrangements will be made for withdrawing the parties. See para. 14.'), 'Intention' ('To destroy aircraft on selected SARDINIAN Aerodromes.'), 'Objectives', 'Forces Available', 'Movement Schedule', 'Landing Points', 'Air Plan' and 'Intercommunication'. This item was reproduced as Appendix A to Item Two below.TWO: 'Report on Operation 'HAWTHORN' | by Major LORD JELLICOE, D.S.O., O.C. S.B.S. 1 S.A.S. Regt.' Headed 'MOST SECRET'. At end 'O.C., | Special Boat Squadron, | 1 S.A.S. Regt.' 4pp., 8vo. Draft typescript, with autograph emendations and additions in pencil by Jellicoe. Undated, but clearly produced shortly after the operation. A detailed report, divided into 22 sections (augmented in autograph from 20 sections), describing the object and circumstances of the operation, and naming those involved. Among the autograph additions is a note regarding a signal seen from Jellicoe's submarine: 'Neither Capt Courtney nor Major Jellicoe saw these signals as they were not on the bridge at the time'. Among the 'Conclusions' on the final page is the following autograph addition: 'Capture may have been due to numerous hazards but from the high incidence of malaria amongst troops stationed at PHILIPEVILLE Camp it is more than possible that the efficiency of the attacking parties may have been reduced after landing by one or more members of each or any party developing it.' The last section reads: 'In my view, for these reasons and because I am convinced that any party will have moved well clear of the compromised area, I feel that any further attempts at recovery are at this moment unjustified.'THREE: 'Operation "HAWTHORN." | Lessons Learnt Planning and Mounting.' 4pp., 8vo. On pink paper. Headed 'BIGOT. MOST SECRET. | 141F/8027/IF. | 27 June '43'. In 25 numbered sections under headings: 'Outline Plan', 'Detailed Plan', 'Security', 'Factors', 'Notes on Outline Planning', 'Air', 'Intelligence', 'Notes on Detailed Planning', 'Signals', 'Rehearsals', 'Notes for Force Comd.', 'Lessons from Exercise Rehearsals', 'Passage Out' and 'Admin: Points'. With autograph emendations in pencil by Jellicoe.FOUR: Carbon copy of letter from 'Major' [Jellicoe] to Lt Col. W. Stirling, 4 October 1943, headed 'Operation HAWTHORN.' The letter begins: 'Is it possible, now Sardinia is captured, to find out any information from Italian Staff officers or captured documents with reference to the personnel who took part in this operation and whether any success was achieved.' After suggesting a number of figures who might 'give information about this' he writes that he is 'constantly receiving enquiries as to whether there is any news of Verney, Cochran, Thompson, Inverterry or any of the other officers who took part in this operation'. He ends by asking 'whether any news was heard of Major Appleyard's plane'.FIVE: Typed 'ENCLOSURE No I To H.M.S. SEVERNS No 881/sec of 4th July 1943'. Headed and stamped 'MOST SECRET'. 4pp., 8vo. Includes 'HEALTH AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCEY [sic] OF TROOPS ON PASSAGE', 1p., 8vo; and 'Enclosure No. 1 to H.M.S. "SEVERN'S" Secret Report.', 1p., 8vo. The first two pages reproduce journal reports from HMS Severn for the three days 29 June to 1 July [1943]. The entry for 29 June begins: 'In the afternoon of the 29th H.M.S. Severn stood inshore in the vicinity of Cape Pecora to carry out recconaissance [sic] of beach A2 in accordance with operation Hawthorn, it having been decided in view of intelligence and photographic recconaisaince [sic] that A1 was not practible. [sic]'SIX: 'Appx "B" to report on Operation HAWTHORN. | ENCLOSURE No 1 to H.M.S. SEVERNS No 881/sec of 4th July 1943'. 2pp., 8vo. Headed: 'MOST SECRET | Appx "B" to report on Operation HAWTHORN.' A retyped version of Item Five, lacking the final page ('Enclosure No. 1 to H.M.S. "SEVERN'S" Secret Report.').SEVEN: 'SORTIE REPORT' ('Date Night 8/9 July | Captain F/Lt Ruttledge') of the aircraft that dropped by parachute six men taking part in the operation. 1p., 8vo. Headed: 'MOST SECRET | Appx "C" to report on Operation HAWTHORN'.EIGHT: 'Suggested scale of equipment.' 2pp., 8vo. Long list of 'Arms', 'Clothing and Equipment' and other items, under the headings 'Individual' and 'Extra Equipment distributed among Patrol' (with 'when necessary' added in ink to last heading). Contains an interesting range of items, from 'M1 Carbine + 1 spare magazine' and '2 Grenades (1 of which may be smoke.)' to 'Toilet Paper' and 'Soluble Coffee'. Headed in manuscript 'Appendix D', and probably the original of an item transcribed for Jellicoe's report (see Items Nine and Ten below).NINE: 'Suggested Scale of Equipment.' Three copies (top copy and two carbons) of a document of 2pp., 8vo. Headed: 'MOST SECRET. | Appx "D" to report on Operation HAWTHORN.' Reproducing the whole of Item Eight above, with the addition of two headings 'Boat equipment must include' and 'Suggested Ration Scale (approx 1 lb per man per day)'. Three of the six pages have autograph additions. One page has an autograph list of 14 items, including 8 'Medical', under the heading 'ADD'. Another page has two notes in blue pencil, the first of which reads 'Scale A carried by each member of attacking patrol except Parachutists who carried items marked X2 saved using containers'.TEN: 'A Possible Suggested Scale of Equipment. | S/M. Operation for Detachment to be Ashore 7-14 days in Warm Climate.' 3pp., 12mo. Incorporating the manuscript items under 'ADD' in Item Nine, and thus of later date to it. Similar in layout to Item Fourteen, and probably distributed with it.ELEVEN: 'Points to be remembered'. 2pp., 8vo. Headed 'SECRET & CONFIDENTIAL'. In pencil at head of second page: 'for 58X | stencils in Duplicating Room.' 32 points, listed under six headings: 'On Submarine', 'Disembarkation', 'Approach March', 'Attack', 'Return' and 'Embarkation'. Last point under second heading reads: 'Boats and stores to be hidden well apart and camouflage considered from point of view of daylight.' One point, simply reading 'Abandon stragglers' has the following added by Jellicoe in autograph: 'if compromising return of party.' A seventh heading, added in pencil by Jellicoe, has been deleted: 'W/T | Check for minimum possibility of enemy being able to reproduce procedure of party captured.'TWELVE: 'Points to be remembered". 2pp., 8vo. Headed 'MOST SECRET | Appx "E" to Report on Operation HAWTHORN | SECRET & CONFIDENTIAL'. Reproducing the text of Item Eleven, but without the autograph addition of the seventh section.THIRTEEN: 'Detailed Plan. | Johnforce operation order No 1' ('Appx B. | Most Secret'). Autograph Manuscript by 'O.C.' (i.e. Jellicoe). A corrected early draft of what would become Item One. 2pp., 8vo. FOURTEEN: Typed-up version of Item Thirteen. 3pp., 12mo. Similar in layout to Item Ten, and probably distributed with it.FIFTEEN: 'PAGE XI. | APPENDIX J TO "TRIDENT" REPORT OF PATROL FOR PERIOD 31st MARCH to 18th APRIL. | REPORT OF CAPTAIN G. B. COURTNEY, S.B.S. ON LANDING OPERATION.' 2pp., 8vo. Both pages stamped 'SECRET'. Undated. Facsimile signature at end of '(G. B. COURTNEY), | CAPTAIN. | SPECIAL BOAT SECTION, | SPECIAL SERVICE BRIGADE.' Reproducing journal entries for an operation at 'the mouth of the TRAVO river' on 5 to 7 April [Year?], together with 'Points of Interest'.SIXTEEN: 'REPORT - SHORE OPERATION | To: Captain G. B. H. Fawkes R.N., | Commanding VIII Submarine Flotilla | From: Captain R. P. Livingstone, | No. 2 Special Boat Section.' 3pp., 8vo. Dated at end from 'HMS URSULA | 9.12.42.' Both leaves stamped 'MOST SECRET'. Begins: '[...] Sergeant S. WEATHERALL, S.B.S., and I went ashore on 30.11.42 intending (1) to block the Coastal Railway at LAIGUEGLIA by derailing a train in the tunnel there. (2) To do such incidental damage as opportunity might offer. (3) To obtain as much information as possible about local conditions for future operations.' Includes 'APPENDIX | Observations on the Coastal Railway along the Italian Riviera between San Remo and Genoa.', under headings: 'The Line', 'Trains', 'Sentries' and 'Coast Road'. The appendix ends: 'N.B. These notes are the result of a limited amount of observation, and are not intended to be taken as authoritative.'SEVENTEEN: 'PLANNING OF SUBMARINE OPERATIONS'. 2pp., 8vo. Undated. Under eight headings, from 'COMMAND' to 'INTELLIGENCE'. SEVENTEEN: Page of longer document, headed 'Rations - Wts. of.' With table giving 'Contents of "Compo" Pack', and section on 'New "Compo" Pack'. 1p., 8vo. Undated.