Massingham Mission

The Massingham Mission operated from a base at Sidi Ferruch on the coast 17 miles west of Algiers. The personnel stayed in villas at the Club des Pins, a pre-war coastal result. 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.

Massingham was also known as Inter Services Signal Unit 6 (ISSU 6)

There was a detachment of FANY, starting with five coders and five personal assistants who left the UK on 22 Dec 1942. Mary McVean, cousin of General Gubbins, was one of the women in this party. By the time it closed down, 115 FANY had served with Massingham. Similarly to Auxiliary Units ATS personnel, all those sent were promoted to the rank of at least Cadet Ensign, allowing them to mix with officers. The seaside location meant there was a risk of attack from a German submarine landing force. While the men were instructed to always carry revolvers, the women only received a spring loaded cosh.

Lieutenant Colonel J W Munn, a Royal Artillery officer who had previously headed the SOE training section was the initial commander of the base. In January 1943 Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Dodds-Parker was appointed to take over the expanding base.

They worked closely with RAF and USAAF personnel at nearby Bilda airfield. There was a small parachute training school as well as parachute packing for equipment containers.

Over time other groups joined the operation. The arrival of French personnel was logical as they were dropping into occupied France. The addition of 50 Spaniards was more surprising. They were communists who had escaped the Civil War in Spain, but had been detained under the Vichy regime. They were very happy to join the fight against fascism and packed containers, serviced vehicles and provided guards for the beaches. Italians joined after the Armistice that brought Italy to the Allies. 

At the time of the Normandy invasion in June 1944, 20 Jedburgh Teams arrived to be dropped into the south of France.

The totals for operations from Massingham are remarkable. 599 agents were dropped, 1916 operations carrying 2000 tons of stores to France. There were 96 wireless networks run from Massingham, though not all simultaneously.