Talk:Francis Suttill

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I have made additions and corrections to this article about my father using information that I have found through original research. I now realise that I should not put information from original research into an article on Wikipedia until that research has been published. I therefore intend to remove the new material for the time being but I will not do so until next month to give anyone who is interested a chance to comment on my proposed action. Francisjsuttill (talk) 17:03, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Arrival in France.

My father was parachuted into France on the night of 1/2 October 1942 near La Ferte-sous-Jouarre (Seine-et-Marne) with Jean Amps (CHEMIST) his designated deputy. They dropped blind, i.e. not to a reception team. This is confirmed in a report by the pilot describing the drop in file AIR 20/8452 in The National Archives at Kew. I make this clear because most books state that he was dropped near Vendome (Loir-et-Cher). I have found references in SOE files suggesting that Vendome would have been his drop point if he had been dropped in July or August 1942. This clearly changed but Vendome as his drop point was recorded in error by Col Boxshall (Chronology of SOE Operations, 1960 - copy in IWM) and then repeated by Proessor Foot in the official history.

Visit to London and return to France.

Professor Foot originally also wrote that my father returned to London in May 1943 and parachuted back to France on 12 June. This is also incorrect. He was picked up by Lysander from a field Azay-sur-Cher (Indre-et-Loire) on the night of 14/15 May 1943. He parachuted back to a reception near Chaumont-sur-Tharonne (Loir-et-Cher) with fellow agent France Antelme on the night of 20/21 May 1943. This is confirmed by the pilot's report on file AIR 20/8476. It should also be noted that he did not meet Churchill during this visit as some writers have claimed. Churchill left Scotland on 5 May for the Washington Conference which started on 12 May 1943 - see www.queenmary.com. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Francisjsuttill (talk • contribs) 10:37, 15 September 2010 (UTC)

Parachute Operations.

Air Ministry files reveal that there were 68 Physician parachute operations of which 54 were successful. Details of all of the 29 successful operations up to the end of May 1943 are given in these files but for June the files containing such detail for 21 operations flown by 138 Squadron are lost.

The Air Ministry files are in The National Archives and those used are the Pilots’ Reports on each operation in AIR 20/8452 & AIR 20/8476 for 138 Squadron and AIR 20/8498 for 161 Squadron.

The 29 successful parachute operations delivering 195 containers up to the end of May 1943 are:- ·To a DZ near Etrepagny (Eure) - Physician 1 – 4 containers on 17/18 November 1942 ·To a DZ between the chateaux Eporce & la Renaudiere (Sarthe) – Physician 7 – 4 containers on 15/16 February 1943 BBC message – La baleine aime les eaux froids Physician 11 – 4 containers on 14/15 March 1943 Physician 19 – 5 containers on 12/13 April 1943 ·To a DZ near Flavacourt (Oise) – Physician 8 – 3 containers on 26/27 February 1943 BBC message – Marcel et Jeanne se rencontrrent ce soir ·To a DZ between Contres & Pontlevoy (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 12 – 5 containers on 11/12 April 1943 Two agents were also dropped – TINKER/Cowburn & INNKEEPER/Barrett BBC message – Les petits cochon seront farcis Physician 13 – 5 containers on 15/16 April 1943 ·To a DZ near Chaumont-sur-Tharonne (Loir-et-Cher) Physician 17 – 5 containers on 11/12 April 1943 BBC message – Marcel souhait bonjour a Marcel Two agents were dropped here on 20/21 May – Suttill & Antelme Physician 31 – 12 containers on 21/22 May 1943 ·To a DZ near Bois-Jerome-Saint-Ouen (Eure) – Physician 20 – 5 containers on 11/12 April 1943 Physician 25 – 10containers on 15/16 May 1943 ·To a DZ near Origny-en-Thiearche (Aisne) – Physician 18 – 5 containers on 13/14 April 1943 Physician 30 – 10 containers on 21/22 May 1943 ·To a DZ near Trie-Chateau (Oise) – Physician 10 – 5 containers on 14/15 April 1943 ·To a DZ near Neufles-Saint-Martin (Eure) – Physician 15 – 5 containers on 14/15 April 1943 BBC message – Tabac 6 francs, Place Blanche ·To a DZ south of Chaumont-sur-Loire (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 21 – 5 containers on 15/16 April 1943 BBC message – Il y a des lunettes a la suite Physician 28 – 10 containers on 14/15 May 1943 BBC message – Les cornichons sont marines ·To a DZ near Lalandelle (Oise) – Physician 14 – 5 containers on 20/21 April 1943 Physician 23 – 10 containers on 13/14 May 1943 Physician 24 – 9 containers on 17/18 May 1943 ·To a DZ north of Courmemin (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 35 – 10 containers on 13/14 May 1943 BBC message – La surprise est au fond de la boite ·To a DZ near Neuvy (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 36 – 4 containers on 13/14 May 1943 BBC message – Quatre gangsters assis sur l’herbe ·To a DZ near Falaise (Calvados) – Physician 9 – 5 containers on 13/14 May 1943 BBC message – Le serpent chauve devient zazou ·To a DZ in the grounds of the chateau de l’Hermitiere (Orne) – Physician 27 – 5 containers on 13/14 May 1943 ·To a DZ near Neuf-Marche (Seine-Maritime) – Physician 22 – 10 containers on 15/16 May 1943 BBC message – Ote-toi de la que je m’y mette ·To a DZ near Mareuil (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 34 – 10 containers on 15/16 May 1943 (The DZ is actually in Indre-et-Loire) ·To a DZ near Meung-sur-Loire (Loiret) – Physician 37 – 5 containers on 18/18 May 1943 BBC message – Les genets ardennais sont fleuris ·To a DZ near Muno in the Belgian Ardennes – Physician 29 – 10 containers on 21/22 May 1943 BBC message – Nous irons chercher les oeufs de Paques ·To a DZ near Theillay (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 33 – 10 containers on 23/24 May 1943 BBC message – N’oubliez pas l’Alsace

The 7 unsuccessful operations were to DZs in Aisne, Aube, Eure, Haute-Marne, Loir-et Cher and Oise.

The only June operations for which the Air Ministry files give details are:- ·To a DZ near Bazemont (Yvelines) – One agent was dropped here on 12/13 June 1943 – WATCHMAKER/Cohen Physician 60 (2nd) – 10 containers on 16/17 June 1943 Physician 67 – 10 containers on 21/22 June 1943 An agent was also dropped - DENTIST/Connerade BBC message –Le commisaire devient agent de change ·To a DZ near Selles-sur-Cher (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 55 – 5 containers on 15/16 June 1943 Two agents were also dropped – ARCHDEACON/Pickersgill & PLUMBER/Macalister ·To the DZ south of Chaumont-sur-Loire (Loir-et-Cher) – Physician 49 – 10 containers on 17/18 June 1943 An agent was also dropped – LINKMAN/Raynaud BBC message – Mon vieux Julien, quelle aventure

As well as the 35 containers from the 4 operations mentioned above, another 160 (or 170) containers were successfully dropped in 20 (or 21) operations whose dates are known but whose locations are still being researched. (The doubt about one operation arises from the fact that the aircraft was shot down and there are conflicting reports as to whether this happened before or after completing the operation.)

Parachute reception teams were established in 14 French departements – Aisne, Ardennes, Aube, Calvados, Eure, Haute-Marne, Loir-et-Cher, Loire-Atlantique, Loiret, Oise, Orne, Sarthe, Seine-Maritime and Yvelines and one in the Belgian Ardennes.

I have added this information in the hope that others may be able to give me information about the location of the missing June operations.

Francisjsuttill (talk) 10:49, 6 October 2010 (UTC)