CZ parachutists

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4
ASSAULT SECTION SECTION PARA FINISHING SECTION SECTION MEN Part 3: The Preparation and Training of „Men for Special Operations“ The major part, capturing the preparation and training of Czechoslovak parachutists – with the focus on Assault Training in Scotland Between 1940-1945, the Czechoslovak Military Intelligence Service active on British territory, in co-operation with its British partners, organised 31 airborne operations tasked with „special“ missions into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, Slovakia, France and northern Italy. It comprised intelligence, demolition, assassination, organizational and courier missions, the most famous of them being the successful assassination of the Acting Reich’s Protector Reinhard Heydrich on 27.5.1942. It was planned and carried out by Josef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš, parachutists from Anthropoid Group. Yet, they were not the only ones. The Czechoslovak military in exile sent 91 young men in total into European theatres of war and a further 17 men waited in vain to be sent on their operations until the final days of the war. A list of Czechoslovak airborne operations 1st Wave 1941-1942: Operations BENJAMIN, PERCENTAGE, ANTHROPOID, SILVER A, SILVER B, ZINC, OUT DISTANCE, BIOSCOP, BIVOUAC, STEEL, INTRASITIVE a TIN. 2nd Wave 1942-1943: Operations ANTIMONY, IRIDIUM a BRONSE. 3rd Wave 1943 – 1945: OperationsCALCIUM, BARIUM, SULPHUR, CHALK, CLAY, CARBON, POTASH, SPELTER, GLUCINIUM, MANGANESE, WOLFRAM, TUNGSTEN, PLATINUM – PEWTER, BAUXITE, DESTROYER, SILICA and others, which were, however, never carried out. The training of the majority of young men, who were then sent to fight in the Protectorate, followed a training plan prepared by SOE. It was based on multi-level training which was to assist in the selection of suitable participants for the special operation itself. The first stage of training – the Preliminary Course – focused upon identifying the qualities of participants in stressful situations. Some national sections, such as the Czechoslovak Section, relied instead upon the selection of suitable volunteers from the ranks of their army in exile and personal references from commanding officers. The second stage of training – the Paramilitary Course – consisted of two parts. Generally, a four week Assault Course took place on secret locations in north-western Scotland in buildings which the British Army had requisitioned from their owners in return for a promise to maintain the land and the real estate for the duration of the war. SOE allocated special schools for Czechoslovaks near Loch Morar – namely, a hunting lodge Traigh House and Camusdarrach and Garramor Farms, known as STS 25 (Special Training School 25). The Assault Course focused upon vigorous physical training; work with explosives; the martial arts, including silent killing; shooting skills and the basics of radio-communication. Each group usually consisted of about 20 secret skills candidates and training had been entirely planned by SOE officers.

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

ASSAULT SECTION SECTION PARA FINISHING SECTION SECTION MEN

Part 3: The Preparation and Training of „Men for Special Operations“

The major part, capturing the preparation and training of Czechoslovak parachutists – with the focus on Assault Training in Scotland

One essential component of training was close combat – it centred upon the skill of silent killing. Young men from Central Europe were taught the martial arts of masters from the Far-East. The main aim was to eliminate an enemy without drawing any attention to oneself.

Between 1940-1945, the Czechoslovak Military Intelligence Service active on British territory, in co-operation with its British partners, organised 31 airborne operations tasked with „special“ missions into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, Slovakia, France and northern Italy. It comprised intelligence, demolition, assassination, organizational and courier missions, the most famous of them being the successful assassination of the Acting Reich’s Protector Reinhard Heydrich on 27.5.1942. It was planned and carried out by Josef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš, parachutists from Anthropoid Group. Yet, they were not the only ones. The Czechoslovak military in exile sent 91 young men in total into European theatres of war and a further 17 men waited in vain to be sent on their operations until the final days of the war.

A list of Czechoslovak airborne operations

BENJAMIN, PERCENTAGE, ANTHROPOID, SILVER A, SILVER B, ZINC, OUT DISTANCE, BIOSCOP, BIVOUAC, STEEL, INTRASITIVE a TIN.

ANTIMONY, IRIDIUM a BRONSE.

CALCIUM, BARIUM, SULPHUR, CHALK, CLAY, CARBON, POTASH, SPELTER, GLUCINIUM, MANGANESE, WOLFRAM, TUNGSTEN, PLATINUM – PEWTER, BAUXITE, DESTROYER, SILICA

The training of the majority of young men, who were then sent to fight in the Protectorate, followed a training plan prepared by SOE. It was based on multi-level training which was to assist in the selection of suitable participants for the special operation itself. The first stage of training – the Preliminary Course – focused upon identifying the qualities of participants in stressful situations. Some national sections, such as the Czechoslovak Section, relied instead upon the selection of suitable volunteers from the ranks of their army in exile and personal references from commanding officers.

The second stage of training – the Paramilitary Course – consisted of two parts. Generally, a four week Assault Course took place on secret locations in north-western Scotland in buildings which the British Army had requisitioned from their owners in return for a promise to maintain the land and the real estate for the duration of the war. SOE allocated special schools for Czechoslovaks near Loch Morar – namely, a hunting lodge Traigh House and Camusdarrach and Garramor Farms, known as STS 25 (Special Training School 25).

The Assault Course focused upon vigorous physical training; work with explosives; the martial arts, including silent killing; shooting skills and the basics of radio-communication. Each group usually consisted of about 20 secret skills candidates and training had been entirely planned by SOE officers.