Massingham Mission

The Massingham Mission operated from a base at Sidi Ferruch on the coast 17 miles west of Algiers. It managed all SOE operations into southern Europe and had a training element as well conducting operations. This included sea operations starting in Corsica under the control of Commander Gerry Holdsworth. Major Andrew Croft was also involved in running supplies to Corsica. The SOE complement were joined by Americans from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the modern Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). However, many of the former Auxiliary Units men found themselves with relatively little to do as General de Gaulle was determined to see French primacy over operations from and to French territory and restricted many of their plans. They had been due to train men released from detention camps in the recently liberated French colonies, ready for being dropped into mainland Europe, but this was not permitted.