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Auction: 15003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 69

A Superb 1972 'Foreign Service' O.B.E., 1944 Special Operations Executive (SOE) Saboteur's M.M. Group of Ten to Captain L.P. Fernandez, Who Trained Countless Agents, Including Violette Szabó, G.C., Before Parachuting in to Join Major Francis Cammaerts' Jockey Circuit in Occupied France. Working With the Maquis and Italian Partisans During The Summer of 1944, Fernandez Executed a Series of Crippling Operations on The Germans, In and Around the French-Italian Border. After the War He Was Engaged By The Foreign Service For Intelligence Work Throughout Africa and the Middle East. In 1958 Fernandez Was Employed as Military Advisor for the Film Carve Her Name With Pride, In Which Virginia McKenna Portrayed Violette Szabó
a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Civil Division, Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt
b) Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2584928 W.O. Cl.2. L.P. Fernandez. A.P.T.C.)
c) 1939-1945 Star
d) Africa Star
e) Italy Star
f) France and Germany Star
g) Defence and War Medals
h) Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., with 'Territorial' scroll suspension (Lt. L.P. Fernandez. M.M. Gen. List.)
i) France, Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, reverse dated '1939-1940', light contact marks overall, very fine, mounted for wear, with Royal Mint case of issue for the O.B.E.; two Identity Passes complete with photographs from his time in the Foreign Service after the War; and several photographic images (lot)

O.B.E. London Gazette 1.1.1972 Leslie Percival Fernandez, lately H.M. Consul, Algeciras.

M.M. London Gazette 21.6.1945 2584928 WO2. L.P. Fernandez, A.P.T.C.
The Recommendation, dated 3.3.1945, states: 'C.S.M. Fernandez was dropped by parachute into S.E. France behind enemy lines in July 1944 and was sent to Col De Larche on Franco-Italian frontier with instructions to prevent the movement of German materials over the pass. It became clear in the middle of July that German attacks along the frontier were directed against this road, and the Italian partisans were forced to retreat leaving the greater part of their material behind. By the end of August the very weak detachment of the French Forces of the Interior in the area were faced with a considerable German force, and the local commander ordered a withdrawal. C.S.M. Fernandez, however, remaining behind almost alone, carried out a series of well-planned demolitions, frequently under enemy fire, and always under the immediate threat of being surrounded by German patrols. His action made it impossible for the Germans to cross the frontier except on foot, and did much to raise the morale of the French Forces of the Interior. From 20th August to 10th September the success of these actions prevented the Germans from advancing against the exposed right flank of the American Army, who, owing to the rapidity of their progress, were unable to leave garrisons in such important towns as Digne and Sisteron. For his coolness under enemy fire, and his great courage and devotion to duty in most adverse circumstances, it is recommended that this Warrant Officer be awarded the Military Medal.'

Captain Leslie Percival Fernandez, O.B.E., M.C. (1918-2009) was born in Bristol. He was educated at Plymouth College and read Modern Languages at Exeter University. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War Fernandez enlisted in the Royal Signals. He transferred, given his physical prowess, to the Army Physical Training Corps.

Training The Best
Fernandez served at the Commando Training Centre in Iceland, and in 1941, was assigned to train agents in the newly formed Special Operations Executive (SOE). As a Staff Sergeant Instructor he was part of the permanent staff assigned to No. 17 Special Training School. Fernandez's main role was 'to provide the physical training element - on a one to one basis - in a programme designed to equip agents for operations in occupied Europe... They were taught field craft, the art of concealment, obstacle-crossing, and escape and evasion techniques. After pre-parachute training, Fernandez accompanied trainees to Ringway airfield, where the basic parachute course was conducted by RAF instructors.
He also taught close combat skills, including unarmed combat. Instruction in the art of silent killing with a knife or garotte was given, but with the caveat that agents should attack enemy soldiers only as a last resort.
"You would not expect well-brought-up girls to creep up behind someone and slit his throat," Fernandez said, "but if they were grappled, there were one or two nasty tricks that the Shanghai Police taught us that we handed on."
Women, in his judgement, were not commando material; they did not have the physique. But, no less important when it came to survival, he thought they had great mental stamina and excelled at slipping into a role and "living" a cover story.' (Obituary refers)
Amongst the most notable operatives that Fernandez trained was Violette Szabó. She carried out a series of successful missions in 1944, before she was captured by the Germans, and then tortured and executed by the Gestapo. After the war she was posthumously awarded the George Cross. In 1958 Fernandez was employed as Military Adviser to the film Carve Her Name With Pride, which told the story of Violette Szabó, played by Virginia McKenna. Fernandez taught the actress how to fire a Sten gun as part of a crash course in SOE tactics.

Time To Put Things Into Practice - An Exhibition Of Field Craft
In January 1943 WO2 Fernandez joined Military Operations 1 in Algiers. It was from here that he prepared for a mission behind enemy lines into southern France and Italy. In Summer of the following year he joined Major Francis Cammaerts' Jockey Circuit in southern France. By this time Cammaerts' covert organisation of agents and maquisard numbered 10,000, and 'in July of that year it became clear that German attacks along the Franco-Italian frontier were directed against the road running through Col de Larche, and the Italian partisans were forced to retreat, leaving the greater part of their equipment behind. Fernandez was ordered... [to] prevent the movement of German equipment over the pass.
On July 5, after a fiver-hour flight in a US Air Force Liberator, he was dropped by parachute on to a plateau above Barcelonnette, north-east of Digne. He wore full protective equipment and had a large kitbag strapped to his leg which contained essential supplies.
The Drop Zone (DZ) reception committee had laid out the DZ marker, a large T-shaped bonfire. On landing, after two members of the Maquis helped him to bury his parachute, he was briefed by the mission commander, Major John Halsey, and moved to a safe house for the night.
After a few days reconnoitring the area, he organised regular supply drops of arms and explosives and met Cammaerts, the regional commander, who impressed upon him the importance of destroying the road over the Col de Larche.' (ibid)
By the end of August the weak detachment of the French Forces of the Interior in the area were faced with two German Divisions complete with air support. They were forced to retreat in the face of such overwhelming numbers, 'Fernandez, however, with the help of some partisans, set about filling a culvert under the road in the Col de Larche with explosives. It was a laborious task, but effective: the road was blown up and remained blocked for two years.
On one occasion, as his small group was approaching the summit of the Col, a party of 20 German soldiers was seen below, climbing up the other side of the valley. Fernandez engaged them with a Bren gun and after several prolonged bursts they withdrew, taking their wounded with them.
On another, he and some Maquis were meeting in an isolated farmhouse in the mountains when a lookout spotted a German staff car driving up the track towards them. The officer wanted a meal for himself and his men. In that remote spot, Fernandez said later, it was a million to one against such a thing happening. The Germans were killed and quickly buried and the car was dropped into a ravine.' (ibid)
Fernandez's activity in the area continued to be a thorn in the Germans' side. His knack of appearing to strike at will had a two-fold effect, one of utterly demoralising and frustrating the Germans, the other of giving the maquis and Italian partisans a much needed morale boost. His series of well-planned demolitions had made it impossible for the Germans to cross the frontier except by on foot. This was particularly felt during Operation Dragoon, when 'the US Army, because of the speed of its advance, was unable to leave garrisons in the important towns of Digne and Sisteron but, from August 20 to September 10, the success of Fernandez's sabotage operations in the Col de Lache area prevented the Germans from advancing against the Allies' exposed right flank.' (ibid)
Fernandez was commissioned into the Special Forces in December 1944. He was posted for service as British Liason Officer (BLO) working with the partisans in northern Italy. Early 'in 1945 the trapped German garrisons capitulated and Fernandez, as the senior Allied officer in the area, accepted their surrender at Digne.
Accompanied by a small number of armed partisans, he agreed terms with the German commandant and escorted the garrison to the nearest US Army unit several miles away. Fernandez said afterwards that, along with the commandant, he had led, with his pistol drawn, but found the trek hard on his feet because his shoes were falling apart. Behind him marched a column of German soldiers, still carrying their weapons, but without ammunition, flanked by the partisans.' (ibid)
Fernandez was appointed BLO with the 6th Airborne Division in the Baltic, before returning to the UK in August 1945. On the latter date he was appointed Staff Officer PT to the 1st Allied Airborne Group HQ, London. Fernandez retired from the Army in 1947, and made the natural progression for a man of his ability into the Foreign Service. He was engaged in intelligence work in Africa and the Middle East. His 'activities ensured that some members of the Gestapo who had escaped justice were subsequently brought to trial for war crimes.' (ibid)
Fernandez left the Service in 1974, and became a director of a shipping company. He retired in later life to Weybridge.

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Sold for
£18,000