Operation Jedburgh: D-Day and America's First Shadow War, by Colin Beavan

Operation Jedburgh: D-Day and America's First Shadow War

In the fall of 1943, while the Allies fought in Italy and the Far East, Allied spy chiefs issued an international call for volunteers for “hazardous duty.” Up to 75 percent casualties were expected, and the assignment was so secret that it would be months before the volunteers would hear the name of the mission they had signed up for—Operation Jedburgh. For week after week, the international group of daredevil soldiers suffered grueling physical and shadow warfare training without ever knowing what dangers awaited them.

Finally, on February 24, 1944, a buzz went through the corridors of their training base in England, Milton Hall. One of the spy chiefs from London headquarters, British Brigadier Mockler-Ferryman, was to make a speech in the Milton Hall ballroom. The Jeds, as they were called, were finally going to get their briefing.

The ballroom was full before the Brigadier arrived. Around three-hundred Jeds, comprised of close to a hundred each of Frenchmen, Britons and Americans, along with a smattering of Belgians and Dutchmen, sat in the audience. When Mockler-Ferryman finally strolled to the front of the room and began to speak, not even the more loudmouthed of the Americans had to be told to quiet down.

As you can all see, Mockler-Ferryman began, a number of nations are represented here. Your unit, known as Operation Jedburgh, has been comprised of an international group because you will be operating behind-the-lines in enemy-occupied territories, where language skills and familiarity with the country are important. The overwhelming majority of you will be parachuting into France, but some of you will be infiltrated into Holland or Belgium.

In each of these countries of northwestern Europe, Mockler-Ferryman went on to explain, many thousands of men have run away from the cities, towns and villages to escape the Germans. Most of you will be dropped to such maquis groups, as they are known, who have taken to the forests and the mountains and become part of the Resistance.

You will form teams of three, Mockler-Ferryman continued. Once inserted behind the lines, each team will link up with its district’s various Resistance and maquis groups. You will use your radios to call for drops of arms and supplies, instruct your maquisards in the use of their weapons, and then lead them in the action against the Germans.

That action might include anything from destroying a bridge before the enemy can use it, or protecting a tunnel for the advancing Allies. You might just as likely be ordered to lead your Resistance fighters in harassing action against the movement of German divisions on their way to the battlefield.

You should expect to remain in enemy territory for a matter of months, Mockler-Ferryman said. Should the Germans break up your Resistance group, or should conditions become too dangerous for your continued operation, you may attempt to contact other groups for assistance, to take cover at one of the Resistance “hides” until you are overrun by regular forces, or withdraw from France by a clandestine escape route across the Alps and into Switzerland or over the Pyrenees and into Spain.

Mockler-Ferryman had only one other surprise in line for the Jeds in the Milton Hall ballroom. Unlike the many clandestine agents already operating in France in civilian clothes to maintain their cover, he said, you will be dropped and expected to operate in full uniform. The appearance of uniformed officers among the maquis will give them a tremendous uplift in morale and help convince them to make the transition from secretive mischief making to open attacks on the Germans.

You should feel pleased that your uniforms may also provide you with a measure of protection and better treatment if you are captured, Mockler-Ferryman added. But then again, they might also make your capture more likely. With this last not-so-heartening tidbit, the briefing was over.

“Any questions?” Mockler-Ferryman asked.

“Yes, sir,” one of the Jeds piped up. “How many Germans are there in France?”

“Not many over half a million,” came the weary answer.

A tense silence followed. “Oh, that’s all?” shouted one of the brash Americans at the back, and all of the Jeds, even the most austere of the French, laughed hilariously.