A one page I.S.9 “SITREP” (situation report) for November 12–13, 1943

The transcription and notes in this post are by Dr. Luigi Donfrancesco, nephew of I.S.9 agent Andrea Scattini.

Access to this document (from the British National Archives) was courtesy of researcher Brian Sims.

See additional reports at “I.S.9 Progress Reports for November 4–21, 1943,” “I.S.9 War Diary—November 17–20, 1943,” “I.S.9 Situation Report—November 3–4, 1943,” and “I.S.9 War Diary—December 16–29, 1943.”

This report is particularly interesting in that it contains lists of POWs rescued on these two dates, including several from P.G. 59.

Here are abbreviations that occur in this report:

AMGOT – Allied Military Government for Occupied Territory

Bde. – brigade
Bn – battalion
Capt. – captain
Cpl. – corporal
Dvr. – driver
Fd Arty – field artillery
Gp. – group
GT – most likely general technical
H.Q. – headquarters
Inf – infantry
L.A.A. – light anti-aircraft
LRDG – Long Range Desert Group
Maj. – major
NZEF – New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Para/Paratps – paratroops
Popski Patrol – British Special Forces Major Vladimir Peniakoff was nicknamed “Popski”
POW – prisoner(s) of war
Pte. – private
R.A. – Royal Army
Corps of Sigs – Royal Corps of Signals
RDLI – Royal Durban Light Infantry
Regt. – regiment
S.A. – South Africa
S.A.S. – Special Air Service
S/Sgt. – staff sergeant
Sgd. – signed
Sgt. – sergeant
Sqdn. – squadron
USAAF – United States Army Air Force

SITREP. [Situation Report] “A” FORCE HQ. TERMOLI.

NOVEMBER 12 [1943].

1830 – The following party arrived by road, having been landed from fishing schooner 10 miles up the coast from TERMOLI. They had embarked on the previous night at SILVI [north of Pescara].

Capt. Raymond LEE [COURAUD] 2 SAS (wounded in both shoulders and now in hospital)

[Note. This French Officer, naturalized British, was in the MS (MAS, Torpedo Motorboat) hit by enemy fire and sunk on November 2, with Augusto RUFFO “di Calabria” (older brother of Paula, Queen of Belgium) who lost his life, and USAAF Intelligence Captain Richard W. B. LEWIS, who survived and returned six weeks later to TERMOLI, on December 17, 1943.]

POW

Maj. J. GORDON – R. Corps of Sigs.

Dvr. J. D. JOHNSON – 187028 – 4 Bde. Service, S.A.

Dvr. W. P. QUINN – 2698 – 2 RDLI, S.A.

Cpl. W. L. DAVIDSON – 12016889 – 1 Div 18 GT (USA)

Sgt. E. R. KIMMONS – 14013189 – 9 Div 47 GT (USA)

Sgt. SCOTT – POW re-employed by “A” FORCE, 1 SAS.

3 ITALIANS evacuated by AMGOT.

NOVEMBER 13.

0800 – “HUGO” [Uguccione RANIERI “di Sorbello”] and agent landed by Capt. ROBB and the Senior member of the “RATLINE” arrived at TERMOLI in the fishing schooner MARIA which he had commandeered at S. BENEDETTO [San Benedetto del Tronto] and sailed on to TERMOLI with the following–

POW

S/Sgt. JOHNSON Clinton -14029713, 12th Bomb Gp. 83 Sqdn. USAAF. from Camp 59.

Sgt. MACLAREN C.D. – 2561191 – R. Corps of Sigs from Camp 70.

Sgt. HARVEY J.A. – 833419 – R.A. from Camp 70.

Sgt. SCHOLES Samuel – 6471852 – 2 Bn Paratps from Camp 70.

Pte. JENSON Roland – 4972936 – 1 Bn Sherwood Foresters from Camp 53.

Cpl. CRAW Merlyn – 37112 – NZEF. Taken POW with LRDG on POPSKI patrol Western Desert. From Camp 70.

Cpl. MORRIS Leonard – 2571012 – R. Corps of Sigs. From Camp 53.

Pte. FIELDS Clarence A. – 34089653 – 17 Fd Arty. USA. From Camp 59.

Sgt. TUGWELL Horace – 6140425 – East Surrey Regt. From Camp 59.

Sgt. WILLIS Albert – 5774137 – 2 Para Bn. From Camp 59.

Sgt. CHARD Thos. [Thomas] – 323546694 – 3 Bn 168 Inf Regt. USA. From Camp 59.

Pte. SOPER Thalweus – 1306995 – 16 Engineer Bn USA. From Camp 59.

Pte. DUPERREALT Wm. [William] – 6153240 – 3 Bn 26th Inf Regt. USA. From Camp 59.

Pte. NETTLES Rochester – 34059817 – 17 Fd Arty. USA. From Camp 59.

Gnr. GILMORE A. – 1761225 – 27 L.A.A. Regt. From Camp 53.

Pte. MAYBURY Rommel – 156763 – 2 S.A.S.

Pte. MAYBURY has been returned to his Unit and the POW evacuated to the Sub-Commission, BARI.

In addition to the above “HUGO” gave a lift to 7 ITALIANS who had been evacuated as refugees.

The skipper of the MARIA has been rewarded with 1000 lire per head in full settlement.

“HUGO” is returning on another expedition immediately.

Sgd. J. F. FILLINGHAM, Major G II (N).

In the Field, 13 Nov [19]43