HMS CICALA
Scores of missions were run out of the Dart – and a number went wrong, resulting in death or injury for the brave sailors taking part. The vast majority, however, were a great success and contributed hugely to the fight against the Germans One sailor, Alfred F. Harris, a
was Lieutenant-Commander Peter Williams, a man who seemed to have more than the normal amount of nerve and daring.
Williams was commander of MGB 502 and a senior officer in the 15th Flotilla – and he led by example. In a number of operations he
would leave at dusk, sail to the Brittany coast, before stealthily mooring up, rowing into a beach, dropping off agents or supplies, (at least once carrying the young Francois Mitterand to a perilous mission) and picking up ally pilots and returning them to Dartmouth before breakfast. He invented his own device to find the way back to his boat in the dark using the vessel’s sonar signature in complete silence. Williams also kept his nerve
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a number of times whilst under fire – not returning fire and continuing on his course in such a confident manner that German vessels actually stopped firing and assumed he was friendly!
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The boats sailing from Cicala - which was once declared ‘sunk’ by Lord Haw Haw in one of his infamous broadcasts – also made use of German call signs obtained after British codebreakers unlocked the Enigma Machine code. When hailed, the British MGBs and MTBs would reply with what they thought was the correct signal and then hope like hell the Germans didn’t come closer to investigate.
ONE
Tel: 01803 292229 Torquay Marina, Torquay, Devon TQ2 5EQ
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Seaman Gunner wrote a poem, Night Mission 1944, about his experiences sailing out of the Dart. It’s incredibly evocative. It begins:
“Sombre and Sleek she slipped through the water, Closing the Enemy Occupied Shore.
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Poised to evade the many that sought her, H.M. Motor Gun Boat was fighting her war.” Men, information, supplies and
armaments all passed to and from France – all these operations planned and run from the Hotel which still stands virtually unchanged to this day. Brave men sailed from this harbour, some never to return, sure in the knowledge that they were risking their lives for the good of their country – we are still grateful for their grit, nerve and sacrifice.•
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