Short Answer
Historical Context: The Need for Clandestine Landings
During the Second World War, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) required a reliable method for inserting agents into and extracting them from occupied Europe. While parachute drops (often referred to as ‘Joes’) were the primary method for delivering agents and stores [1], they were one-way trips. The need to retrieve agents, deliver specialized personnel, or transport high-value individuals required a different approach: the clandestine landing.
To meet this requirement, the Royal Air Force (RAF) established specialized units. Initially, No. 1419 (Special Duties) Flight was formed, utilizing aircraft that Bomber Command considered obsolete, specifically the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and the Westland Lysander [1]. This unit served as the nucleus for larger operations, eventually leading to the formation of No. 138 and No. 161 Squadrons. While No. 138 focused on large-scale drops, No. 161 Squadron specialized in the hazardous task of ferrying agents in and out of occupied territory via secret landing grounds [1].
The Westland Lysander: The Ideal Tool
The Westland Lysander was uniquely suited for these missions due to its short take-off and landing (STOL) capabilities. Its ability to operate from small, unprepared fields allowed the RAF to utilize makeshift grass airstrips hidden in the French countryside [2]. The aircraft featured a fixed ladder, which facilitated the rapid embarkation and disembarkation of passengers under the cover of darkness [2].
Operational Execution and the ‘Spitfire’ Site
Landing operations were typically conducted by moonlight to provide the pilot with enough visibility to locate the landing zone (LZ) while remaining concealed from German patrols. These operations were high-risk, requiring precise coordination between the aircrew and ground contacts.
The Vaucluse and Operation Tamise
One documented example of such a site was a makeshift landing strip codenamed “Spitfire”, located on a hidden plateau in the Vaucluse region, near the lavender fields of Sault [4]. This site was used to support the French Resistance and SOE operations in the Luberon valley [4].
In July 1944, the site was used for a secret operation codenamed Tamise. The operation involved a Lysander IIIA flying from a forward operating base on the island of Corsica [2]. The mission’s complexity was highlighted by the first attempt, which had to be abandoned due to electric storms, heavy cloud, flak, and the presence of a German night fighter [2]. On the second attempt, the aircraft successfully landed, allowing three passengers to disembark and three others to board for the return trip to Corsica [2].
Ground Support and Coordination
The success of these landings depended entirely on the ground infrastructure provided by the Resistance. In the case of the “Spitfire” site, the contact was an officer of the Service d’Atterrissages et Parachutages (SAP), codenamed “Archiduc” [2]. The SAP was responsible for selecting the terrain, marking the strip (often with torches or flashlights in a specific pattern), and ensuring the perimeter was secure from enemy detection [2][4].
Significance and Legacy
The clandestine landing grounds provided the SOE with a critical strategic advantage: the ability to extract compromised agents or bring in senior leadership for briefings. These operations represented a triumph of cooperation between the RAF, the SOE, and the French Resistance [4].
The legacy of these missions is preserved through memoirs, such as We Landed by Moonlight by Group Captain Hugh Verity, a Lysander pilot who documented these secret landings [2][4]. Additionally, the relationship between the RAF and France was commemorated post-war; notably, a “Special Duties” Westland Lysander was presented to France at the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris on January 26, 1946, as a symbol of this wartime partnership [3].
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