HISTORY OF WWII INFILTRATIONS INTO FRANCE …

1 Tentative of HISTORY of In/Exfiltrations into /from FRANCE during wwii from 1940 to 1945 (Parachutes, Plane & Sea Landings) Pierre TILLET - HISTORY OF wwii INFILTRATIONS into FRANCE -rev101-31072020 Page 1 of 183 Forewords This tentative of HISTORY of civilians and military agents (BCRA, Commandos, JEDBURGHS, OSS, SAS, SIS, SOE, SUSSEX/OSSEX, Sussex/Brissex/SIS & PROUST) infiltrated or exfiltrated during the wwii into FRANCE , by parachute, by plane landings, by sea landings and/or by crossing on foot the Spanish border via the Pyr n es This document, which needs to be completed and corrected, has been prepared using the information available, not always reliable, on the following internet websites and books available: NB1: Highlighted in blue modifications/corrections made.

2 NB2: Highlighted in yellow more information needed. ONLY THE FRENCH VERSION MAKES REFERENCE This document, periodically revised, could be downloaded from: - The MM Park Museum website using this link: - The Plan Sussex website using this link: 1. M moire des Hommes - Portal opening access to the various databases of the Ministry of Armed French Forces: 2. National portal of French Archives: 3. National Archives of Pierrefitte sur Seine with a part of BCRA archives: - Cotes AG/3(2)/1 to AG/3(2)/605 (Microfilm 171 Mi 1 to 208) 4.

3 The following French SHD websites give the references of files related to networks, maquis and resistants (In French): (New SHD website needing to have a personal account) PF of Free French Fitting Forces Agents (FFC): Free French Fitting Forces Networks (FFC): French Internal Resistance (RIF): Free French Maquis (FFI) French Officers: Free French Fighting Networks & Agents (FFC): BCRA Agents Special Services: Tentative of HISTORY of In/Exfiltrations into /from FRANCE during wwii from 1940 to 1945 (Parachutes, Plane & Sea Landings) Pierre TILLET - HISTORY OF wwii INFILTRATIONS into FRANCE -rev101-31072020 Page 2 of 183 5.

4 The Ordre de la Lib ration website: The Order of the Liberation is FRANCE 's second national Order after the Legion of Honour, and was instituted by General De Gaulle, Leader of the "Fran ais Libres" - the Free French movement - with Edict No. 7, signed in Brazzaville on November 16th, 1940. 6. HISTORY of Carpetbaggers (USAAF) partly available on Thomas Ensminger s website addresses: I was informed that Thomas Ensminger passed away on the 03/05/2012. I like to underline the huge work performed as historian by Thomas to keep alive the memory the Carpetbaggers HISTORY and their famous B24D modified and painted in glossy black.

5 RIP Thomas. The USAAF Carpetbagger's mission was that of delivering supplies and agents to resistance groups in the enemy occupied Western European nations. Created in late 1943, their operations first flew from Tempsford, then Alconbury and finally out of Station 179, Harrington ( km West of Kettering in Northamptonshire). Flying at first as two squadrons, they were given Provisional status as a Bombardment Group (801st) in late March 1944 just before they moved to Harrington. In May of 1944 two more squadrons were added to the group.

6 In August of 1944, the group was redesignated as a formal group (492nd). Squadron designations were changed as well, becoming as follows for the duration of the war: - 36th BS changed to 856th BS - 406th BS changed to 858th BS - 788th BS changed to 859th BS - 850th BS changed to 857th BS Over five hundred members of the BCRA, Jedburghs, OSS, Proust, SAS, SIS, SOE and Sussex agents were inserted by the Carpetbaggers during the period of March 1944 through April of 1945. Most of mission reports of Carpetbaggers crews can be downloaded from the Thomas Ensminger s huge data bank ( ).

7 NB: The whole Carpetbaggers crew mission reports were kindly provided by Thomas Ensminger. There is a Carpetbaggers museum located near Harrington (Northamptonshire Great Britain): 7. HISTORY of the RAF squadrons: The two Bob Body s websites related to RAF 138 and 161 Squadrons on website addresses: There were two RAF No 138 and 161 Special Duties Squadrons based at Tempsford airfield ( km north east of Sandy, Bedfordshire). Both were involved in these highly secret operations, that ranged over all of enemy occupied Europe, dropping agents or supplies.

8 Losses were very high, with up to one aircraft per week being lost at some points during the war. Missions were concentrated on the "moon nights" of each month at the beginning, where a full moon allowed for better night vision for the pilots. Since 1943, location device Rebecca (Plane) / Eureka (DZ), ,was used whatever the weather. NB : Some mission reports of RAF 138, 161 and 1419 Sqn were kindly provided by Bob Body. NB2 : Steven Kippax kindly provided some archives (Air 40/2659 Air resources made available to SIS) concerning the 106 SIS pick-up operations carried out by RAF 161 Squadron.

9 NB3: Mail bags fastened to an horizontal cable located at 2 metre heigh were pickep up by Lysanders by means of hook during special night operations called MPU (Mail Pick Up) NB4: In December 1943, RAF 138 and 161 squadrons were joined by 214 and 617; in February 1944 by 90 and 149; in March by 75, 199, 295*, 296*, 297* and 298*; and in April by 570*, 644*, 190* and 299* in which month USAAF units also started Special Duties. Units marked* were part of 38 Group and operated in pairs:- 190+620, 196+299, 298+644, 295+570 and 296+297.

10 Tentative of HISTORY of In/Exfiltrations into /from FRANCE during wwii from 1940 to 1945 (Parachutes, Plane & Sea Landings) Pierre TILLET - HISTORY OF wwii INFILTRATIONS into FRANCE -rev101-31072020 Page 3 of 183 The Ron McKeon s website, taken over by Lee Miller in August 2015, describes the HISTORY of the RAF 624 Squadron operating from Blida (Algeria): Ron McKeon passed away on 25/07/2015. I like to underline the huge work performed by Ron to let us know the anonymous exploits of the RAF 624 Squadron crews.