There is now a new book out (2007) titled "The OSS in World War II Albania," by Peter Lucas (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. 978-0-7864-2967-7). The author is a journalist; there are no footnotes; the photographs are murky. But it has a good deal of information about a group not attended to by anybody and is worth reading even for SOE. Also I've put up my effort on: www.chimoon.com
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albania
- Thread starter Trissakia
- Start date
By Stephen E. Ambrose
By Mark Aston, Stuart Tootal
Hi there,
this is fascinating guys! I am also trying to find out about my fathers wartime actions (also in the Lovat Scouts). He would never talk to me about Greece, but would occasionally open up to my elder sister (10yrs older) at the end of a long day with a large scotch. According to his family something changed my dad in Greece and he became a different person after his experiences, much darker.
Apparently he became quite emotional (for him) and would talk about having to stand back & watch the retaliations by government soldiers onto villagers which harboured & helped the communist rebels. They weren't allowed to interfere but neither could they leave as they had their orders to remain with the greek "loyalists" & had to watch the atrocities. He became very bitter about the British Government & Prince Philips "lot".
He described being in Jasper as "the best time of my life" and indeed I learned to ski using the old ski equipment, (not fun when your ten & couldn't even reach the top of the ski at full stretch). I have photos in case anyone is interested?
this is fascinating guys! I am also trying to find out about my fathers wartime actions (also in the Lovat Scouts). He would never talk to me about Greece, but would occasionally open up to my elder sister (10yrs older) at the end of a long day with a large scotch. According to his family something changed my dad in Greece and he became a different person after his experiences, much darker.
Apparently he became quite emotional (for him) and would talk about having to stand back & watch the retaliations by government soldiers onto villagers which harboured & helped the communist rebels. They weren't allowed to interfere but neither could they leave as they had their orders to remain with the greek "loyalists" & had to watch the atrocities. He became very bitter about the British Government & Prince Philips "lot".
He described being in Jasper as "the best time of my life" and indeed I learned to ski using the old ski equipment, (not fun when your ten & couldn't even reach the top of the ski at full stretch). I have photos in case anyone is interested?
I am researching my spanish grandfather who was sas up till 1946, I don't think he has any involvement in Greece ( was a pow on crete and spent a year on the run there and spoke fluent greek and was eventually ex filtrated by soe ) he was 2nd sas under farran on tombola. anyway, there a lot of info on woodhouse before he went to Albania in beevors book on Crete. just as a side note. also I think the book forgotten voices of secret soldier by the imperial war museum has a balkan section
Riverdown,
You will see that I have posted much earlier on this messageboard some information about the Lovat Scouts. In my opinion, they ought to be included as a category on this site, but the moderator thought not. I think from what I know that they were one of the most highly trained and specialist units in the British Army, certainly they ought to be included alongside PPA.
All I know about Greece was that they were witness to a number of terrible atrocities (I heard about heads on spikes outside villages, and buckets full of eyeballs, gouging was apparently a particular favourite), and helped train the Nationalist forces, in particular the Greek Mountain Brigades and their Commando forces, alongside the SAS. Officially, British soldiers were not involved in fighting the Communists, but it is clear that specialist units like the SAS, SRS and Lovats were all involved in active duty after the end of the second war and during the communist insurgency. I also know that British military involvement in Communist insurgency in the Balkans at the end of the war went well beyond Greece: my relative was particularly emotional when he talked about having to kill the very people we had fought alongside, such as Tito's fighters. British forces were involved in Albania and Yugoslavia chasing communist insurgents beyond the Greek and Macedonian borders.
Of course, the files on these actions remain closed, well beyond most other files of the period, and those involved remain sworn to secrecy.
I would love to see
You will see that I have posted much earlier on this messageboard some information about the Lovat Scouts. In my opinion, they ought to be included as a category on this site, but the moderator thought not. I think from what I know that they were one of the most highly trained and specialist units in the British Army, certainly they ought to be included alongside PPA.
All I know about Greece was that they were witness to a number of terrible atrocities (I heard about heads on spikes outside villages, and buckets full of eyeballs, gouging was apparently a particular favourite), and helped train the Nationalist forces, in particular the Greek Mountain Brigades and their Commando forces, alongside the SAS. Officially, British soldiers were not involved in fighting the Communists, but it is clear that specialist units like the SAS, SRS and Lovats were all involved in active duty after the end of the second war and during the communist insurgency. I also know that British military involvement in Communist insurgency in the Balkans at the end of the war went well beyond Greece: my relative was particularly emotional when he talked about having to kill the very people we had fought alongside, such as Tito's fighters. British forces were involved in Albania and Yugoslavia chasing communist insurgents beyond the Greek and Macedonian borders.
Of course, the files on these actions remain closed, well beyond most other files of the period, and those involved remain sworn to secrecy.
I would love to see