Were Number 11 sqn Secret Agent droppers?

[Strutter15]

Hello all, I'm hoping that some of you knowledgeable Aerodromer's can help with this question. If memory serves me correctly, I seem to recall that whilst with number 11 sqn, Captain Albert Ball, VC flew at least 1 mission to drop a secret agent behind the lines.
I am currently reading a book about a WW2 SOE circuit organiser, Major Tony Brooks, whose father flew with number 11 squadron RFC, who also dropped off and retrieved secret agents from behind the lines. Were number 11 squadron sole specialists in this role, or could any squadron be called upon to drop agents behind the lines?
Many thanks in anticipation for any replies
Strutter15

[MikeMeech]

Originally Posted by Strutter15

Hello all, I'm hoping that some of you knowledgeable Aerodromer's can help with this question. If memory serves me correctly, I seem to recall that whilst with number 11 sqn, Captain Albert Ball, VC flew at least 1 mission to drop a secret agent behind the lines.
I am currently reading a book about a WW2 SOE circuit organiser, Major Tony Brooks, whose father flew with number 11 squadron RFC, who also dropped off and retrieved secret agents from behind the lines. Were number 11 squadron sole specialists in this role, or could any squadron be called upon to drop agents behind the lines?
Many thanks in anticipation for any replies
Strutter15

Hi

From 1914 to 1917 a number of squadrons undertook this task (Trenchard wasn't too keen on these operations allegedly),No. 6 Sqn. took part in September 1915 and No.60 Sqn. was involved in August 1916 for example. However, as a footnote on p. 112 of WitA Vol. 4 states:

"The Special Duty Flight had been formed in April 1917 for night duties as ordered by General Head-quarters (Intelligence). The Flight was responsible, for among other tasks, the landing of agents in enemy territory."

This later became designated 'I' Flight I believe. For an overview of these operations there is Chapter 7 in 'Armour Against Fate - British Military Intelligence in the First World War' by Michael Occleshaw, is useful. It does mention agents being parachuted in as well as being air landed. Authors do tend to concentrate on 'failed' missions as they are more 'interesting' to the reader, however, Occleshaw does mention sources at the PRO (TNA):
AIR 1/675/21/13/1726, 'Agent Dropping by RFC' (May 1928).
AIR 1/2399/280/1, 'The use of Aircraft in Connection with Espionage'
AIR 1/163/15/136/1, A Short History of 'I' Flight RAF'
AIR 1/1997/204/273/245, 'Landing of Agent Over Line at Night Fitting of Parachutes DH4, 18 October 1918-10 November 1918'

The ever useful TSTB II by Trevor Henshaw mentions aircraft lost on these missions and there is a little bit of information in Chapter 1 of 'Airborne Espionage' by David Oliver.

I hope that is of use.

Mike

[Strutter15]

Hi Mike, and many thanks for your reply. I never realised that agents were air dropped or landed by aircraft in WW1 until (IMSMC), I read of Captain Albert Ball's mission to take an agent behind the lines, and of Douglas BROOKS similar exploits whilst flying with No 11 Sqn RFC. Thanks for your explanation regarding the subject. Strutter15

[await]

I have taken down some notes regarding spy-dropping missions, or "special missions," as the French called them. Unfortunately, I have nothing to add regarding 11 Squadron, but I can share what notes I have here, in case someone is interested:

SPY-DROPPING

Frank T. Courtney. The Eighth Sea, pp. 60- 61. A section titled "The Mystery Passenger," concerning Courtney's period flying Morane Parasols in 3 Squadron. It is described how flight commander Captain Cruikshank dropped off a spy behind enemy lines. He returned with bullet holes in his plane. It was later learned that the spy had been executed.

In Kings of the Air, Ian Sumner discusses Georges Guynemer flying "special missions". He writes: "On 23 September 1915 a group of a dozen planes took part in a coordinated operation to land agents. 'Special mission,' noted Georges Guynemer (MS/N/SPA 3) in his logbook. '3.00 am. 3,000 metres.' That morning all twelve pilots returned safely, but just six weeks earlier Eugène Mô (MS 12) had met a different fate . . ." He was captured and shot. Sumner records that Guynemer was glad to end flying "special missions," which he described as "a filthy job," adding: "I swore I would never do it again."

On p. 27 of the English translation, French Aviation During the First World War, by Jules Ferry, there is a section labelled "Special Missions," with a list of examples of spy missions flown in 1915. Leaving out all the particulars, they are as follows:

April 20, 1915: Sergent René Bodin of Escadrille MS 12 dropped off André Bord with some pigeons. The pigeons returned with information concerning the German HQ at Mézières to assist bombing missions. The spy succeeded in escaping to Holland.

Here are more listed:

June 1915. Sergent Jules Védrines (MS 3). Two missions.
July 19, 1915. Adjudant Jean Navarre (MS 12)
September 8, 1915. Lieutenant Richard (MS 3)
September 25, 1915. Sergent Georges Guynemer (MS 3)
September 26, 1915. Sergent Jules Védrines (MS 3)

Ferry mentions two other pilots who flew such missions: Adjudant Paolacci of MS 38 and a pilot by the name of Billard who flew with Esc. C 4.

On p. 32 of Jean Navarre: France's Sentinel of Verdun, Jim Wilberg states that Jean Navarre was awarded the Légion d'Honneur on July 19, 1915 in recognition of three spy dropping missions. These were undertaken in April (near Vervin), May (near Rethel) and July (near Chimay, Belgium) of 1915.

Chapter 35 of the translation of René Fonck's memoir (Ace of Aces) is titled "Special Missions." Fonck said that he never flew such a mission, but described Jules Védrines as a "specialist" in that area.

In War Over the Trenches, E.R. Hooton discusses spy missions on pp. 74-76. He states: "France's Jules Charles Toussaint of MS 3 received a Légion d'Honneur for flying seven missions from March 1915 onwards as well as three daylight retrievals." He also mentions a pilot of N 62 flying such a mission in a Sopwith 1½-Strutter on April 5, 1917. The plane was damaged and had to be burned, and the spy—who had pigeons and a signal lamp—was captured and executed.

Re the British effort, he records:
"An alternative way of delivering agents was demonstrated on 8/9 March 1917 by Lieutenant William Reed of No. 19 Squadron [when he] dropped an agent from a Spad S7 'by Guardian Angel parachute.'

and

"Despite Trenchard's opposition a Special Duty Flight with six BE2 and BE12 (one for parachuting agents) and 30 men was created in late April 1917 under Captain John Woodhouse as a dedicated special operations unit. During the first half of May three agents were landed and there were three or four sorties a month during July and August with mixed results. On 9/10 August Woodhouse returned with his passenger after a six-hour mission plagued by searchlights while a BE 12 was lost after becoming trapped in mud after landing an agent."

On pages 100-101 of his classic Sagittarius Rising, Cecil Lewis describes watching a mysterious civilian "in a tattered old mac and cap" climbing into a BE2c. Borrowing an exclamation from Lewis Carroll's Alice, he remarks:

"Curiouser and curiouser! For to fly a civilian in those days was absolutely forbidden. The machine turned and took off, to disappear high up towards the lines. It was only that evening I learned the mysterious 2c was picking up a spy and had flown him over the lines, landed him at a prearranged place in Hunland, and returned safely."