Dear all, I have a particular question for the ones who know a lot about RN auxiliary yachts during WW2. I am Dutch and my grand uncle served as an agent in SOE during 1941-1945. Unfortunately he was caught by the Gestapo five weeks after landing on 29. March 1942 in occupied Holland and perished at KZ Mauthausen aged 26 on 21. April 1945.
Having said that I am investigating his life on behalf of my family and for this went into great detail. He was trained as an agent in silent killing but also toggling and 'boating' (learning how to land in an occupied country by sea) at Arisaig, Scotland where SOE had en establishment in Arisaig House; a hunting lodge. At Tarbet Bay, near Mallaig, SOE had a special small harbour and house (STS=Special Training School 23B) at Swordlands and a boat squad consisting of several small boats, dinghies and folbots, but also the two auxilary yachts Orca and Risor (46,5 ft.). Risor I tracked down and now has been refurbished and is still sailing in Norway. Orca remains a mystery to me. I have nothing more on it than the following scrap of paper from the National Archives in Kew:
Part dealing with Para-Naval training. from a Syllabus on SOE Paramilitary Training in Arisaig.[1]
I hope that someone may know more about the Orca. I did find a yacht called Orca on internet which was built in 1910 but that doesn't say much, does it?
Thanks for thinking with me and have a nice weekend! Joost
Having said that I am investigating his life on behalf of my family and for this went into great detail. He was trained as an agent in silent killing but also toggling and 'boating' (learning how to land in an occupied country by sea) at Arisaig, Scotland where SOE had en establishment in Arisaig House; a hunting lodge. At Tarbet Bay, near Mallaig, SOE had a special small harbour and house (STS=Special Training School 23B) at Swordlands and a boat squad consisting of several small boats, dinghies and folbots, but also the two auxilary yachts Orca and Risor (46,5 ft.). Risor I tracked down and now has been refurbished and is still sailing in Norway. Orca remains a mystery to me. I have nothing more on it than the following scrap of paper from the National Archives in Kew:
Part dealing with Para-Naval training. from a Syllabus on SOE Paramilitary Training in Arisaig.[1]
[1] From TNA in Kew. HS8/435. History of the Training Section of SOE. 1940 - 1945.I hope that someone may know more about the Orca. I did find a yacht called Orca on internet which was built in 1910 but that doesn't say much, does it?
Thanks for thinking with me and have a nice weekend! Joost
