Info wanted on airman with the SOE.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Seeking some information on an airman that was attached to the SOE.

Namely,
P/O. George Basil McBain - 71102 - RAFVR. He was attached to the SOE at some point in time.
Remembered on the Runnymede Memorial with date given as 1st May, 1945.
Some time ago on another forum it was reported that he had been murdered whilst at the Gross-Rosen Concentration Camp.
However on checking I find that this was not just one camp but was made up of many so called sub camps.

So what was his pre SOE service in the RAF ?
What was he involved in whilst on attachment to the SOE ?
Which camp was he in and how was it he was captured ?
If he was murdered, who by and are there any trial documents available ?

Many thanks
Alex

[alieneyes1]

Hi Alex,

He doesn't appear in the LG at all either under that name or the service number.

Doesn't answer your questions but may be of interest:

https://books.google.ca/books?id=0AY...%20RAF&f=false

Dave

[RSwank]

There is a little here. I take it to mean he was captured on landing.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_McBain


A quick google translate:

Mission in France
Definition of the mission: he is sent to France to join the MUSICIAN network. His code name is "Cecil".

He was parachuted March 2, 1944, by a flight that also brings the three members of the network LIONTAMER, that is to say: Maurice Lepage "Colin", the head of the network, David Finlayson "Guillaume", his radio operator, and the American Edmond Lesout "Tristan". All four are captured on landing.

George McBain was reportedly executed in Gross-Rosen in August-September 1944.

A little on the group leader Lepage.

https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.c...page-maurice-a

Page 151 and 152 on this next link explains why they were captured. It notes that McBain was to join "Archdeacon".

https://books.google.com/books?id=VP...lin%22&f=false

The McBain family has an interesting history and connection to Shanghai.

https://industrialhistoryhk.org/from...f-the-mcbains/

George's father, George Brown Sievwright McBain (Royal Naval Air Service) was killed in WWI and his mother raised George in Europe. George Basil attended private schools in Switzerland. This link has a photo and a little more: https://www.paulmccuebooks.com/p-o-george-mcbain


There are a couple of files that could be ordered:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/C8949580
http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ls/r/C16240051
(Elva Alysh McBain was his mother.)

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Thank you both for your replies, the links that you gave are very helpful and cover my enquiry.
The date of death however seems a little vague CWGC give May 1945 yet memorial has him grouped with the other SOE members as August/September 1944.

One link given Wikipedia if I got it right has at one point a [2] and when clicked gives a small box they has "Gold: 1st May 1945. But I have not found who/where in the page is "Gold". I assume that it refers to either a book or some reference document.
Any ideas ?

Thanks
Alex

[RSwank]

I don't think it is the French world for "Gold" but just the English word "Or". The reference is to the date of death.

It is either "August/September, 1944" Or May 1, 1945, according to SFRoH. (Special Forces Roll of Honor) which gives a date of May 1 on this page:

http://www.specialforcesroh.com/show...ghlight=McBain

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Found the following in a PDF,"infiltrations into France".

2nd March 1944
Operation : Musician 7/ Archdeacon 6.
Dropped near Valenciennes, France.
161 Sqn log -
SOE F3 Joes
Adolphe Rabinovitch aka Arnaud aka Bargee.
Romeo Sabourin aka Leonard aka Sorcerer.
George McBain aka Cecil aka Rhymer.

Executed in Concentration Camp on 30/07/1944.

161 Sqn Halifax - Pilot - P/O. Buchenan.

So has anyone 161 Sqn's ORB that might show which Halifax P/O Buchanan flew on the 1st -2nd or 2nd-3rd March 1944 ?

Thanks
Alex

[Bruce Dennis]

Hi Alex,
Was that an OSS file where you found McBain?


Bruce

[Col Bruggy]

Bruce,

Are you referring to "Infiltrations into France"? If so,

http://www.plan-sussex-1944.net/angl...nto_france.pdf

Col.

[Bruce Dennis]

Hi Col,
No, but that is an interesting PDF, thanks. I had in mind the OSS/CIA declassified wartime records which from time to time refer to British ops that were in an area where OSS also had business.


Bruce

[Alex Smart]

Hello Col and Bruce,
Yes that is the site I have and found Halifax pilot's name.
Alex