Jedburgh Operations: Support To The French Resistance In Eastern Brittany From June-September 1944

Major Ralph D. Nichols

• Publisher: Lucknow Books
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781786254146
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

Specially trained teams, known as Jedburghs, were inserted into France in conjunction with Operation "Overlord, " to help liberate it from German occupation. The Jedburghs were three-man allied teams, comprised of two commissioned officers, (at least one French) and a non-commissioned officer in charge of the radio (wireless telegraphy). All Jedburghs were volunteers. They received highly specialized training in guerrilla warfare. Jedburghs served in harm's way, deep behind enemy lines. They were subordinate to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), and its commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Their covert mission in Operation "Overlord" helped pave the way for the liberation of France, and ultimately resulted in a campaign to free Europe from Nazi rule.This study explores the origins, purpose, training and missions of the Jedburghs. I will examine the actual operations of seven Jedburgh teams in Eastern Brittany. Their actions and effectiveness will be compared with operations of other Jedburgh teams.

CHAPTER ONE—ORIGINS

Introduction

This study will recount and evaluate the operations of seven Jedburgh teams operating in Eastern Brittany during the summer of 1944. This has become possible with recent declassification of records. Who were these Jedburghs? They were three-man special operations teams from the United Kingdom, United States, France and several other allied nations. They worked directly with resistance groups as part of a covert war employed by the Western allies. All Jedburghs were volunteers. The teams deployed in Eastern Brittany were specially trained to conduct guerrilla warfare with the French resistance, in support of the Allied invasion of France.{1}

The Special Operations Executive (SOE), was responsible for clandestine warfare operations for Great Britain’s War Office. Its American counterpart in London, Special Operations (SO) branch of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), jointly developed Jedburgh objectives. These included: advising and assisting local partisan forces in order to synchronize resistance efforts with theater headquarters, and to arrange for the resupply of arms, munitions, and equipment to sustain partisan war efforts.{2} Jedburgh teams would establish contact with French resistance groups, providing them with the necessary leadership, communications, supplies and linking them with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF).{3} During covert operations, Jedburghs would maintain communications with Special Forces Headquarters (SFHQ), an allied organization under the command of the SHAEF. This communications link helped coordinate the Supreme Allied Commander’s (General Eisenhower) intent and desires to French resistance leaders.{4}

Jedburgh Concept

In the spring of 1942, when the Allies began preparing for an invasion of Europe, Great Britain’s SOE planning section developed the concept of specially trained teams—later to be named “Jedburghs.” The Chief of Staff, Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC), devised phased taskings for Jedburghs to execute during their covert support to French partisans. In phase one, SOE would organize resistance forces and direct attacks on enemy rail and signal communications. In phase two it would provide guides for British ground forces, and organize raiding parties, which would penetrate German lines.{5}

By June 1942 joint coordination began between the British SOE and its American partner, Special Operations (SO) branch of the OSS. They formed a unified headquarters in London, which helped facilitate communications between the allies in support for Operation “Overlord”—the Allied invasion of Europe. The SO and SOE agreed to form a combined organization to support and direct resistance groups in German occupied countries. The OSS, commanded by General William J. “Wild Bill” Donovan, had identified the need for the Special Operations (SO) Branch in the summer of 1941 {6}

On 6 July 1942, Major General C. McV. Gubbins, Military Deputy to the SOE, initially described the concept of the covert operations in support of Operation “Overlord,” stating:

“A project is under consideration for dropping behind enemy lines, in cooperation with an Allied invasion of the Continent, small parties of officers and men to raise and arm the civilian population to carry out guerilla activities against the enemy’s lines of communication. These men are to be recruited and trained by SOE. It is requested that “Jumpers” or some other appropriate code name be allotted to this personnel.”{7}

On the following day, the code name “Jedburghs” was ascribed to the project.{8}

SOE went on to develop a role for the Jedburghs to support a planned Allied invasion of Europe in the summer of 1943. On 22 July 1942 SOE decided that 70 Jedburgh teams would be required for the covert operation. An equal amount of teams (35 each) would be required from the British and the Americans. SOE departments held meetings during the summer of 1942 to evaluate the Jedburgh program, facilities and equipment required for training and deployment. In August 1942, the British Chiefs of Staff narrowed the focus of the Jedburgh role in covert operations. They decided that Jedburgh teams would not provide guides and labor parties for conventional forces, in effect eliminating phase two of the original concept. In December 1942, it was decided that Jedburghs would wear military uniforms. Additionally, one of the two officers in each team was to be of the nationality of the country to which the team would deploy. Jedburgh teams were to be dropped in secure areas, where they would be met by SOE agents. Jedburgh teams would not be used to help tactical plans of conventional ground forces. This was due to the fact that Jedburgh teams would be inserted too late to help these forces. In many cases, 72 hours or more would elapse between the time a commander approved a task and when a team could infiltrate and begin operations. SOE agreed to test the concepts during Exercise “Spartan”—a general headquarters exercise to take place from 3-11 March 1943.{9}

SOE staff personnel fielded eleven Jedburgh tears during Exercise “Spartan.” The exercise simulated an Allied breakout from the initial invasion bridgehead area. During the exercise, Jedburgh teams helped the British Second Army advance. The 8th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers trained as local resistance groups. SOE personnel inserted individual agents behind “enemy” lines. They also deployed SOE staff officers at army and corps headquarters. Captain Franklin O. Canfield represented the SO branch during Exercise “Spartan.”{10} SOE and SO personnel successfully accomplished their missions. Primary missions included: blowing up five targets, preventing three demolitions, cutting two enemy lines of communications and attacking an enemy headquarters. Secondary missions that followed consisted of guerrilla attacks against small enemy detachments, and targeting enemy staff officers. Agents in the field communicated with SOE staff officers at army and corps headquarters by way of an SOE radio station in Scotland. After the exercise, SOE decided that Jedburgh teams should be parachuted in at night, at a distance of at least 40 miles behind enemy lines in order to prevent detection. Jedburghs would conduct guerrilla warfare against enemy lines of communications.{11}

The Jedburghs served as a SOE and SO “strategic reserve.” In this role, they could be directed by the allied commander to handle military situations behind enemy lines. SHAEF and its major subordinate commands would now be able to synchronize their conventional forces in the initial stages of Operation “Overlord” with the presence of Jedburgh teams working with partisan groups in France.{12}

With the lessons learned compiled from Exercise “Spartan,” SOE and SO concurrently developed position papers supporting the Jedburgh concept. These papers were submitted through their respective chains of command to seek approval, support and personnel for the project. Lieutenant General Frederick E. Morgan, COSSAC, approved the SOE proposals on 19 July 1943. His report to the British Chiefs of Staff Committee concluded:

“I have discussed with SOE their proposals for establishing shortly before D-day:”

“a. Small SOE staffs and Signal Sections at Headquarters of Armies, and SOE representatives at Headquarters of Army Groups and of the Supreme Commander, for controlling resistance groups.”

“b. Reserve teams of personnel (JEDBURGHS) to be kept in this country for use after D-day, to provide, if necessary, suitable leadership and equipment for those resistance groups found to be in need of them.”

“I have agreed in principle to these proposals, and request that the Chiefs of Staff instruct the War Office to prepare the detailed establishments and arrange at the appropriate time, for the transfer of SOE of any personnel necessary.”{13}

General Morgan’s request was approved by the British Chiefs of Staff Committee on 21 July 1943.{14}

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Jacob L. Devers, the European Theater Commander, United States Army (ETOUSA), approved the SO proposal submitted from the OSS on 24 August 1943. He also authorized the recruitment of Jedburgh personnel. SOE and SO both agreed to provide personnel to fill 35 American Jedburgh teams, with 15 more teams to be held in reserve. It was also agreed that the Free French would supply a third man for each Jedburgh team.{15}

The British SOE and American SO branch of the OSS had now jointly agreed on an organization whose mission would be to conduct guerilla warfare directed against enemy lines of communication. The Jedburgh teams would assist local partisan groups to help prosecute this covert mission. So far, all of this was just a good idea on paper, another concept. Personnel would have to be recruited and trained. Just how this was to be accomplished would prove to be a monumental, ground-breaking task. More questions than answers arose during this time period that presented challenges that had to be overcome in a short per...

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• ABSTRACT
• PREFACE
• LIST OF FIGURES
• CHAPTER ONE-ORIGINS
• CHAPTER TWO-JEDBURGH DOCTRINE
• CHAPTER THREE-TEAM FREDERICK
• CHAPTER FOUR-TEAM GEORGE I
• CHAPTER FIVE-TEAM FELIX
• CHAPTER SIX-TEAMS GAVIN AND GUY
• CHAPTER SEVEN-TEAM GERALD
• CHAPTER EIGHT-TEAM DANIEL
• CHAPTER NINE-CONCLUSION
• GLOSSARY
• BIBLIOGRAPHY