14 Commando

Hi,
Reading about the 14 Commando,it would appear that from late Jan 1943, a troop was in training for Operation Pullover.
The operation was cancelled on 25 Feb 1943.
Does any one know what the purpose of the operation was.
The reason for asking is intriguingly the troop spent time at RAF Tempford to carry out final practice in parachuting jumping.
Was this going to be airborne ?
Regards
Graham

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 03/08/2013 01:12:38

Graham,

Tempsford is near where I live and I knew that it was a covert base which was used to carry SOE secret agents etc. and 'insert' them into enemy occupied territory.

The Air Ministry selected this isolated spot in the heart of the Bedfordshire countryside and designed it specifically to look as if it was a disused airfield. For all intents and purposes the locals considered it an ordinary airfield except for the fact that the flights were only a few days every month - on either side of the moon period.

This was a Special Duties Base and not a Parachute Training Centre as such - although there must have been a certain amount of training done there as the secret agents would have been kept away from the usual traing bases.

that No14 Cdo were sent there for training is very interesting.

Link to a Tempsford website:
http://www.tempsford.20m.com/home.html

Nick

Re reading the events leading up to the OP PULLOVER training.

8 Jan 1943 - Lt Col WEDDERBURN from London to RINGWAY,Cheshire to visit No 2 troop who were attending a course at the Parachute Trg School - end training Jan 11,1943.

29 Jan 1943 to RAF Tempford for final training until 6 Feb 1943.

6 Feb 1943 from RAF Tempford to Isle of Wight for final demolition training under Capt Holmes SS Bde,they were accommodated in R.M. barracks.

10 Feb 1943 from I o W,back to RAF TEMPFORD,13 Feb 1943 party flown from Tempford to KINLOSS Scotland,which was to be the base for the operation.

14 Feb 1943 - ORs briefed on the operation

25 Feb 1943, Operation Pullover cancelled. - operational party granted leave until 12 Mar 1943.

Graham