Colin Gubbins: Difference between revisions
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'''Colin Gubbins''' (1896-1976) commanded [[Special Operations Executive]] (SOE), a [[Britain|British]] [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] and [[direct action (military)|direct action]] organization, during the [[Second World War]]. | '''Colin Gubbins''' (1896-1976) commanded [[Special Operations Executive]] (SOE), a [[Britain|British]] [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] and [[direct action (military)|direct action]] organization, during the [[Second World War]]. | ||
==Initial service== | |||
Commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1914, he finished the First World War as a highly decorated soldier. He then served with Gen. [[Edmund Ironside]] with British forces in the Russian Civil War. In 1920-1921, he had duty in [[Ireland]], in a [[counterinsurgency]] role. <ref>{{citation | |||
| url = http://books.google.com/books?id=g5c9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA6&lpg=PA6&dq=%22Colin+Gubbins%22+Artillery&source=bl&ots=lP9yQ-6Tku&sig=Yjavqv_zeaowBjYfriefTMtfeQ8&hl=en&ei=7vZ9S5umPJzk8Abdn9n8BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAgQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=%22Colin%20Gubbins%22%20Artillery&f=false | |||
| title = Undercover, the men and women of the Special Operations Executive | |||
| author = Patrick Howarth | publisher = Routledge | year = 1980 | |||
}}, pp. 4-8</ref> | |||
==Beginnings of WWII== | ==Beginnings of WWII== | ||
Just before the start of WWII, in August 1939, he was sent, as a [[major]], with a British assistance and observer mission to [[Poland]], as chief of staff of the British Military Mission, with the secret assignment of assisting the Poles and Czechs with the organization of anti-Nazi guerrilla forces. A week after the German invasion, he escaped to [[Romania]], and then, using false documents, returned home. He led special operations units to the Norwegian campaign, which ended before his raiders, which would have moved on fishing trawlers, could enter the action. | In 1938, he joined the War Office guerilla warfare research unit, first called GS(R) and them MI(R), with Major J.C.F. ("Joe") Holland and [[Peter Fleming]]. While he visited the German borders and Yugoslavia, his primary activity was writing "how-to" manuals for guerrillas. | ||
Just before the start of WWII in Europe, in August 1939, he was sent, as a [[major]], with a British assistance and observer mission to [[Poland]], as chief of staff of the British Military Mission, with the secret assignment of assisting the Poles and Czechs with the organization of anti-Nazi guerrilla forces. A week after the German invasion, he escaped to [[Romania]], and then, using false documents, returned home. He led special operations units to the Norwegian campaign, which ended before his raiders, which would have moved on fishing trawlers, could enter the action. | |||
==Auxiliary Units== | ==Auxiliary Units== | ||
He was then ordered to organized stay-behind guerilla units in Britain, the [[Auxiliary Units (WWII British)]]. | He was then ordered to organized stay-behind guerilla units in Britain, the [[Auxiliary Units (WWII British)]]. | ||
| Line 12: | Line 20: | ||
| publisher = The Free Library | year = 2008}}</ref> | | publisher = The Free Library | year = 2008}}</ref> | ||
==Special Operations Executive== | ==Special Operations Executive== | ||
Reporting to the Minister of Economic Warfare, initially [[Hugh Dalton]] and then [[Lord Selborne]], he | Reporting to the Minister of Economic Warfare, initially [[Hugh Dalton]] and then [[Lord Selborne]], he was involved with SOE from its birth to its demobilization, taking command in 1942.<ref>{{citation | ||
| url = http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/new_releases_feb2002_SOE_recs.pdf | | url = http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/new_releases_feb2002_SOE_recs.pdf | ||
| title = New Document Releases: Special Operations Executive Records Release | | title = New Document Releases: Special Operations Executive Records Release | ||
Revision as of 22:10, 18 February 2010
Colin Gubbins (1896-1976) commanded Special Operations Executive (SOE), a British guerrilla and direct action organization, during the Second World War.
Initial service
Commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1914, he finished the First World War as a highly decorated soldier. He then served with Gen. Edmund Ironside with British forces in the Russian Civil War. In 1920-1921, he had duty in Ireland, in a counterinsurgency role. [1]
Beginnings of WWII
In 1938, he joined the War Office guerilla warfare research unit, first called GS(R) and them MI(R), with Major J.C.F. ("Joe") Holland and Peter Fleming. While he visited the German borders and Yugoslavia, his primary activity was writing "how-to" manuals for guerrillas.
Just before the start of WWII in Europe, in August 1939, he was sent, as a major, with a British assistance and observer mission to Poland, as chief of staff of the British Military Mission, with the secret assignment of assisting the Poles and Czechs with the organization of anti-Nazi guerrilla forces. A week after the German invasion, he escaped to Romania, and then, using false documents, returned home. He led special operations units to the Norwegian campaign, which ended before his raiders, which would have moved on fishing trawlers, could enter the action.
Auxiliary Units
He was then ordered to organized stay-behind guerilla units in Britain, the Auxiliary Units (WWII British). [2]
Special Operations Executive
Reporting to the Minister of Economic Warfare, initially Hugh Dalton and then Lord Selborne, he was involved with SOE from its birth to its demobilization, taking command in 1942.[3]
References
- ↑ Patrick Howarth (1980), Undercover, the men and women of the Special Operations Executive, Routledge, pp. 4-8
- ↑ Stephen Budiansky (2008), Churchill's secret army: Britain's last resort against a Nazi invasion was a guerrilla force trained to carry out suicidal missions of terror and sabotage, The Free Library
- ↑ New Document Releases: Special Operations Executive Records Release, United Kingdom National Archives, 8 February 2002