BRITISH WWII SECRET AEGEAN SPECIAL BOAT SERVICE DOCUMENTS

A large-format typed discussion paper with the impressed Royal Coat of Arms, headed ‘SECRET AND PERSONAL’ dated ‘14th June 1944’. It is a proposal to have a small local Greek caique fitted with torpedo tubes and extra weaponry for operations in the Aegean Sea, written by the famous Small Boat Commander in the Aegean Sea, Alexander McCloud. The discussion paper is two pages long. Coupled with this, there is a handwritten operation order written by McCloud, four pages long, giving the orders for raiding operations by the Caiques of the Small Boat Squadron. Alexander McCloud, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve DSC, born 1920, died Aix-en-Provence, France, age 75. He took part in the defence and evacuation of Crete; he was involved in a number of naval undertakings, including the Red Sea patrol, mounted with schooners and American PT boats arriving in 1942. McCloud became the 1st Lieutenant on an MTB 264; one of its operations was to land special operations personnel and rescue others from the German-occupied Crete. Lots of further operations in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea. In 1943, the Levant Schooner Flotilla was formed by Adrian Seligman, with McCloud as one of the founding members, operating Greek- or Turkish built Caiques, they infiltrated the Aegean Islands held by the Germans, Landing parties and Commandos and SOE personnel.  McCloud won the DSC, helping to evacuate British troops from the Island of Cos in October 43. An exceptional man, fluent in German, French, Greek and Swedish.

Ref; 91404