Dear Raphael,
Having checked my limited number of records pertaining to the Anglo Hellenic Schooner Squadron (AHSS), the only vessel that seems nearest to your description is LS4, the Natalie (Kalimnos43), a 10 ton operational caique which was taken over by the AHSS on April 12, 1943 and later dissapered on passage to cyprus from Haifa August 8, 1943.
Robert's e-mail address is
rgjhall@tiscal.co.uk I know he's quite busy right now and may take sometime to answer you. Hope the above helps
Kind Regards
Paul
Hi Raphael,
Realise that this is a reply many years after you first posted. But hope may be of some use
The Levant Fishing Patrol is different to the Levant Schooner Flotilla (which then was renamed as the Anglo Hellenic Schooner Flotilla). LFP came under the command of SOE, the Middle Eastern branch being known as MO4 and Force 133, and was the para-naval section. I believe they operated out of Beirut and Haifa, whilst the overall MO4/SOE command was in Cairo
The LSF was under the command of the Royal Navy and was formed around 1943 by Adrian Seligman, using a number of the caiques from MO4/LFP
In many ways, they were very similar and did very similar work. However they were two distinct units, and I think there was quite a bit if internal rivalry!
LSF was used very much for the transporting of LRDG and SBS patrols onto the Greek Islands, the LRDG setting up coast watching patrols (a direct move on from the road watching patrols they had first performed in the North African deserts), the SBS operating in a raiding capacity. This duty was also, and latterly the exclusive domain, of the Greek Sacred Squadron
Often they worked out of neutral Turkish waters, hiding up in many of the small secluded bays and then foraying out by night to complete the various missions. They would hide their boats under camouflage nets up against the rocks of the Islands
MO4 para-naval section had been formed significantly earlier, around 1941 with the evacuation of British troops from Kalamata, mainly back to Crete, before the German invasion. Various soldiers and sailors with pre-war knowledge of sailing were enrolled into SOE and given the task of amphibious operations within the Aegean and Ionian seas
These were of a more clandestine undercover nature than putting ashore forces for specific raids. They supported the SOE operations within the Islands. They landed stores and agents, took off prisoners and stranded allied forces, often had Greek members who were landed and gathered intelligence from the local populations, information which was transmitted back to HQ in Cairo. Robert Haggar was a signaller involved in this work
Amongst thenames within MO4 para-naval were Mike Cumberlege, Stanley Beckinsale, and Kenneth McKenzie. Not much is known about these. Mike Cumberlege was involved with evacuations from both mainland Greece and then subsequently Crete. He was then involved in several attempts to block the Corinth canal. This resulted in him being caught and later executed by the Germans
Stanley Beckinsale also was involved in the evacuation of Crete. He also then operated in the Greek Islands as he is mentioned in several of the books about the LSF (especially in relation to their raid on Santorini)
Other famous clandestine skippers who worked with both MO4 para-military and the LSF are John Campbell and also Brian Coleman
They used a variety of craft, from old British Trawlers to Greek caiques. Some of the names are HMS Porcupine, HMS Hedgehog, Armadillo, and the Escampadour, and Conjugal II
I hope that is of some interest
I would be delighted to hear more from you. I am very interested myself with all of the undercover naval operations, characters, and boats from this period operating within the Aegean and the Adriatic
Best wishes
Adrian
