Despite German occupation, some form of resistance group or groups emerged in most if not all European countries during World War Two. While initially these patriots or partisans offered only passive resistance, some armed resistance was carried out using either captured weapons or those left behind by the pre-occupation national forces. However, stocks were generally limited and insufficient to support the major behind the lines operations needed to assist the re-occupation of Europe by conventional forces.
As the planning for Operation Overlord got underway, it became clear that the various resistance groups could become a useful adjunct to allied operations by frustrating the movement of enemy reinforcements during the early stages of the invasion. However, to be a credible force, the resistance effort needed coordination and re-supply. While the former was a key task for agents “Joeys and Janes”, and the three man multinational French, US and British, “Jedburgh” teams the latter task of equipping the resistance fell to the RAF and USAAF. Immediately following the Dunkirk evacuation, the British had set up the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to conduct sabotage, raiding, subversive activity and patriot resistance on the continent. This activity was supported by RAF Special Operation s squadrons which were by the middle of the war based at Tempsford between Sandy and St Neots.
At this stage a mixed force of 22 Lysanders, Halifax and Stirling bombers and other types were being regularly sent from Tempsford into Europe to either parachute supplies and equipment or to actually land on rudimentary landing grounds. On occasions, the aircraft recovered with either returning agents or evading downed aircrew. Common loads were radios, small arms, explosives, ammunition, bicycles, first aid equipment, petrol, rations, money and uniforms.
However, as the war progressed, on odd occasions loads such as mules, small artillery pieces and even jeeps were supplied by air.
As it became clear that D-Day would necessitate the expansion of these activities, the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) joined the programme and the USAAF sought to develop a special operations unit modelled on the British operation. The scale of the task was daunting, for example immediately prior to D-Day the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) needing arming and resupply numbered some 160 000.
Colonel Heflin was tasked with turning surplus anti-submarine warfare B-24 Liberator crews and their aircraft into a capable night supply dropping force. The burgeoning “Carpetbaggers” arrived at Alconbury in late 1943 and began training under the wing of the 482nd BG (Pathfinders). Their aircraft were painted black overall and the belly ball turret was removed to make way for a 44in “Joey” hole through which agents could be dropped. Some aircraft also had the nose gun turret removed and observation windows installed.
The initial two Bomb Squadrons assigned to the task also undertook operational training sorties with the RAF at Tempsford and flew their first operational sortie on the night of 4/5 January 1944. In March they became the 801st Bomb Group (Heavy) (Provisional) and were based at Harrington, near Kettering.
Between January 1944 and April 1945, the 801st dropped some 4 000 tons of supplies to the continent. The sorties were very successful and had a loss rate of just 1 aircraft in 75 missions. The air drop operation peaked in July 1944 by which time the unit had some 44 aircraft, including Dakotas, and 4 680 containers, 2 909 packages and 62 agents were delivered on 28 near consecutive nights.
Supply requirements were radioed through to London who then determined the delivery date and time and passed packing instructions to the depot at Holme Fen south of Peterborough. The packing station was supplied by rail and generally packed around 240 tons of supplies a day. The squadron was informed of the mission, Holme Fen delivered the pre-packed containers to Harrington the day before the mission and the resistance was informed of the drop by coded message transmitted by the BBC. As a diversion for the supply drop, the “Carpetbagger” aircraft usually make a “Nickel” leaflet drop at a target some 50 to 60 miles from the supply dropping zone (DZ). Such drops were usually of 6 to 10 bundles of some 4000 leaflets each. The transit to the continent was generally flown at 7 000ft, dropping to 1 000 ft on the run in, with agents dropped at 800 feet and containers at 400ft. The “Carpetbaggers” navigated to the DZ with the aid of either “Rebecca” or “Eureka" and some times “S” phone radio communication where possible with the ground party.
USAF/Reynolds
In Mid 44 the “Carpetbaggers” trained a number of B-17 crews to undertake container dropping as a secondary task in preparation for three mass drops to resistance forces in France, these were Operations “Zebra”, “Cadillac” and “Buck”. In addition to drops in France, supplies were delivered to the Balkans, Denmark, Norway and to Norwegian forces operating from Northern Sweden.
Another unusual task to fall to the “Carpetbaggers” was that of flying gas station. Post D-Day, two B-24s were converted to carry fuel tanks in their bomb bays and additional tanks in the fuselage. In all some 2000 gals could be transported in addition to the aircrafts own fuel. These aircraft then flew to forward airstrips where they parked and acted as mobile gas stations for tactical aircraft such as P-51 Mustangs. In this way, 822 791 gallons of aviation fuel were delivered to forward airstrips on the continent.
