SBS Algiers 1942

The SBS with the Generals

The previous page was: "SBS Rhodes 1942"

SBS Algiers; one night in October 1942 Captain G.B. Courtney, Lieutenant R.P. Livingstone and Lieutenant J.P. Foot all belonging to the Special Boats Section, were cruising off the coast of French North Africa in submarine P.219, (H.M.S. Seraph) with Commander J. Jewell, R.N., the captain.

They had with them five members of the United States of America's General Staff: Major-General Mark Clark, Brigadier-General Lemnitzer, Colonel Holmes, Colonel Hamblen of the United States Army, and Captain Wright of the United States Navy. A highly valuable cargo indeed!

The SBS's orders were to put these officers safely ashore at a spot where a white light would be burning. They had to carry out a feat which was by no means easy, of launching collapsible rubber boats from the deck of the submarine. Only in such craft as these could a landing be made.

On seeing the light at about 21:00 hours, the three officers of the Special Boats Section, each with a passenger, wearing civilian clothes; and carrying their American uniforms in haversacks, went ashore, the American's performing their full share of the necessary paddling, and in doing so discovered new and unused muscles.

SBS Rhodes 1942

Special passengers indeed

These are the words of Lieutenant Livingstone; "stopping at intervals to scan with our glasses the silent shore, seemingly empty in the bright moonlight, we slipped quietly through the calming water while the signal light shone high above us, now the only sign of any human activity to be seen."

"We touched the beach amid the soft wash of ripples, leapt out, with the unease of all special boatmen on an open shore, prepared to get the boat up into the dark shadows among the bushes at the bottom of the bluff, when a man appeared out of the trees to our left. The Colonel recognized him as an old friend."

"The General held a brief conference with the shore party and decided that we must stay over the day and come off the next night. Captain Courtney got in touch with the submarine by radio, and gave them the news. After this everyone lent a hand to carry the boats and kit up to the house."

"Carrying our dripping canoes, we stumbled up a steep ravine. There was a momentary alarm as we noticed a silent figure looking down on us, it was a friendly picket watching the main road. We came out to an open patch in front of a house, passed through some green gates and found ourselves in a courtyard of a villa."

The black cobwebby pit

"We found somewhere large enough to store the boats, then we adjourned to a small, brightly lit room where glasses of whisky were forced upon us. It gave us a chance to take stock of our fellow conspirators, while introductions in a mixture of languages were made. The French were clearly on edge, but if the Americans were, they did not show it."

"After resting we were awakened by the caretaker of the house with cups of splendid coffee and rolls of rye bread. The Generals had already been up two hours and were at work conferring in the courtyard.

We had been told not to show ourselves, so we were in no hurry to get up. The sun was shining brightly outside, but we could not even open the shutters."

"The French were very uneasy, it was decided that we should leave as soon as it was dark at about 20:00 hours. All of the important people had left and the conference was over. A strong northerly breeze had sprung up and there was more surf than we cared for."

"A nervous little Frenchman came rushing up with news that the police were arriving. Our first thoughts were to make a dash for it, but second thoughts prevailed. We were then ordered into the wine cellar, which was empty. We descended a crumbling ladder into a black cobwebby pit, leaving the caretaker to cope with police."

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With the trap door closed

"We were anxious to avoid fighting if possible, because it would have given the game away and would have involved us in slaughtering a lot of half-armed and comparatively innocent gendarmes in order to cover the general's retreat...However, knowing that money talks, we had come liberally supplied...between us we had enough to corrupt every policeman in North Africa."

"With the trap door closed, barrels were rolled on top and dust was scattered over the boards which percolated through and made us all want to sneeze, but we knew we dare not. we sat cramped in the dark damp cellar for two hours, listening to whistles and carefree shouts of the people above us."

"At one point General Clark could be heard tinkering with his carbine, clicking the mechanism back and forth, muttering "How does this thing work?" This was far from reassuring to those on either side of him, as we knew it was loaded; someone whispered fiercely, "For heaven's sake put it down!" in a tone no one should use to a general."

"Eventually we heard movement above us; we cocked our guns should we need then to fight our way out; but it turned out to be our friends. They told us that we had tree hours in which to make our getaway. We hauled out the boats and everyone lent a hand to hurry them down to the shore."

Thunderous surf was unattractive

"The Surf was curling thunderously over the steep beach in the most unattractive way. The submarine appeared, accurately on the prearranged bearing, the General and I prepared to make the first attempt. We floated the boat , waist deep, waited for a lull in the underflow tearing at our legs, and at a favourable moment made a dash for it."

"It took several attempts, paddling furiously we surmounted by the skin of our teeth a series of waves, twice we swerved, then we were through, rising and falling on the smoother waves beyond. Evidently the shore party had to work like Trojans to get everybody away but they succeeded." "Out on the open water we could make out the conning-tower of the submarine whilst watching headlights moving on the coast road."

"One by one we came alongside, handed up our kit and scrambled out on to the casing...As I scrambled up the conning-tower I looked towards the shore. The advancing headlights from Algiers were now stationary in front of the house...The police had turned up after all."

Enter the Rangers and Commandos

"Next Morning a Catalina sea-plane came out from Gibraltar, settling down on the sea close to the submarine. We ferried the Generals and their luggage across to her, leaving them with mutually cordial farewells, and the promise of future meetings."

On 8th November 1942, a large force of British and American troops under the supreme command of Lieutenant-General Dwight Eisenhower of the United States Army, began to land at eleven points in French North Africa, from Casablanca on the West to Algiers on the east.

Most of the men had not seen a shot fired in anger before. They came from the vast expanses of America, free men fighting for freedom.

But what was of the more immediate value, were the highly equipped forces that were stiffened by a number of tough Ranger Battalions, and two British Commando Units, No.1 and No.6 Army Commandos.

The next link below will be: "SBS Burma"

SBS Algiers SBS Burma

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