This one is just a short blog to tie up the end of the Operation Ambassador story.
If you read my earlier blog about Operation Anger and Operation Ambassador you might be wondering why there was an attempt to rescue them on the 3rd of August when they became POWs on 28 July 1940. The earlier blog is here.
The answer to that question is that there was no way of getting a message out of the Guernsey other than if someone escaped or by the covert landings. Rumours abound on some forums that someone had a radio transmitter but this is simply untrue. All of the military equipment had been destroyed or removed prior to the arrival of the Germans.
Another Guernseyman Stanley Ferbrache volunteered to attempt to meet up with Mulholland and Martel and get them off of the island.
As with the previous raids he was landed at La Jaonnet Bay, this time having learnt of the issues with using other boats they used an MTB, on the 3rd of August.
Having met some of his family members he discovered that Mulholland and Martel had been left with no choice but to surrender the previous week. In order to avoid the mission being a waste of time he spent the next few days gathering intelligence on the German forces in the island.
He succeeded on leaving the island on 6th August. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for this mission.
Churchill is reputed to have said ‘Let there be no more silly fiascos like those perpetrated at Guernsey.’ As it turned out there were plenty more missions to the Channel Islands to come and they were much better organised. More of those to come in future blogs.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading the blog post.
I also co-host a podcast with Keith Pengelley in which we talk about the occupation of the Channel Islands month by month using first hand accounts, diaries and our research in the archives. You can find us on all the major podcast services. Just search “Islands at War” or visit our podcast page here.
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© Nick Le Huray
Great updates.
Many thanks
Hi Nick, great blog and I enjoy reading about the Island my father had to leave at the beginning of the war to join up. My grandfather remained here and was interred by the Germans in Laufen but survived to return after the war.
Many thanks Simon. Glad you are enjoying the blog.
I was amazed Martel got the MC…dressing up as a woman and surrendering sounds more whimp than hero stuff.
The philip I knew was a wet damp weasel of a man ..picked only by pomp and circumstance not by ability.
His unlce Gen, Sir philip martel was a pusshy turd
I don’t recall him dressing as a woman! Surrender was the only option in the circumstances. Otherwise many innocent people would have suffered.