69348 Sapper
JOHN METHVEN
Royal Engineers
and
1867976 Lance Corporal
JOHN METHVEN
Royal Engineers
NOTE: Please be sure to review ADDENDUM NO. 1 for
this man to see additional information and corrections to the original
narrative.
by
Lieutenant
Colonel Edward De Santis, MSCE, P.E., MInstRE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(March 2022)
INTRODUCTION
In 2007 the author purchased a medal group that consisted of the British War Medal and Victory Medal named to 69348 Sapper J. Methven, R.E. and the Haynes Medal from the School of Military Engineering named to 1867976 Sapper J. Methven, R.E. for being the Best Man in Field Works in 126 Party, in “A” Company, of the Royal Engineers Training Battalion. The first two medals were issued to a Sapper Methven for his service in the Great War of 1914-1918, while the Haynes Medal was issued to a man who enlisted and was in recruit training after the Great War ended. The dealer who sold these medals perhaps acquired them together from the Methven family as a “father and son” group or he may just have noticed the identical naming on the pair and the Haynes Medal that he had in his stock and assumed that there was a connection between the two men. Just how the medals got together in one group is not known. During the course of this research no familial connection was uncovered between the two men.
The life and military service of each man will be covered in separate
sections of this narrative. 69348
John Methven’s story comes primarily from medal rolls and the chronology and
war diary of the unit in which he served. 1867976
John Methven’s story was derived primarily from his Royal Engineers Tracer
Cards.
69348 Sapper
John Methven, Royal Engineers
The
138th Army Troops Company
Sapper Methven’s story starts with his military service records, as no information was uncovered regarding his family information or early life. His regimental number, 69348, was the key to discovering the unit in which he served. A study of casualties on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site found three men with regimental number in the 69XXX series who died while serving in the 138th Army Troops Company of the Royal Engineers. Royal Engineers medal rolls listed 13 men with numbers in this series who received the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Finally, the war diary of the 138th Army Troops Company lists 21 men with numbers in this series. Of the 37 men encountered with the 69XXX regimental number, 19 (or 51%) were either senior or junior non-commissioned officers, indicating that they had probably been with the company since its formation. Based on this information the author concluded that the 69XXX series of regimental number was assigned to the 138th Army Troops Company upon its formation and that Sapper John Methven was a man with the original contingent of this company.
As the Royal Engineers expanded for service in the Great War of
1914-1918, in addition to divisional field companies, each Corps was organized
with two or more Army Troops (A.T.) companies.
The A.T. companies were first produced by converting the four regular
fortress companies already in France – the 20th , 25th ,
31st and 42nd, and the two Special Reserve siege companies
of the Royal Anglesey and Royal Monmouthshire Engineers (which each formed two
A.T. Companies), and ten Territorial fortress companies.
In the spring of 1915 eighteen new companies, numbered from 132 to 149,
were raised and trained at Buxton in Derbyshire.
Initially they were called Fortress Companies, but in August of 1915 they
were renamed Army Troops Companies. The
138th Company was one of these new Fortress Company of the
Territorial Force.[1]
Service
in France and Flanders
On 8 August 1915 while at Buxton, the 138th (Fortress) Company was alerted for deployment to France and proceeded to Southampton, arriving there on 9 August. The company sailed immediately and was at Le Havre on 10 August. The company began the march inland, arriving at La Buissičre on 12 August and at Annequin in the Pas-de-Calais on the 13th where it came under the control of British I Corps.[2] At the time of its arrival in France the 138th (Fortress) Company was under the command of Captain John Palgrave Heathcote Ouchterlony, R.E.[3]
Figure 1. Major John
Palgrave Heathcote Ouchterlony, DSO,
R.E.
(Photograph courtesy of De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 1914-1919)
On 17 August 1915 while the company was at Annequin, it was re-designated the 138th Army Troops Company. Ten days later (27 August), while still under the control of British I Corps, the company moved to Mazingarbe.[4] Sapper John Methven joined the company on 6 September 1915 at Mazingarbe.[5]
The 138th Army Troops Company would remain in the Pas-de-Calais sector of France supporting various Corps in the rear area until the summer of 1917 when it moved into Belgium to take part in the Battle of Pilckem, near Ypres.
Figure 2. The Great War
Medal Index Card of 69348 Sapper John Methven, R.E.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com)
The
Work of the 138th Army Troops Company
The 138th Company worked in Corps rear areas primarily on water supply, corps defence lines, observation posts for artillery, gun positions for heavy artillery, trench tramways, road-screening, corps engineer dumps and workshops and erection of hangars for the Royal Flying Corps. Army Troops Companies were smaller than divisional field companies. They were established with three officers and 139 other ranks, but they were provided with mechanical transport which was an advantage they had over the divisional companies.[6]
Although the company worked primarily in the rear area, it was not immune from battle casualties as will be seen in the next section describing the chronology of the company. In fact, the company suffered 14 Other Ranks casualties during the war, the details of which are included in Appendix No. 1. This was a casualty rate of approximately 10 percent of its authorized strength. No officer casualties were found during this research project except for Major Ouchterlony, who was killed in action while serving with another unit.
Chronology of Service of the 138th
Army Troops Company[7]
The following is a chronological outline of the service of the company in France and Flanders. It includes the locations of the company headquarters on certain dates, the campaigns and battles in which it participated and the casualties it suffered during its time in the theater of war. Sapper Methven’s presence in the battles listed can only be assumed. There may have been times when he was not present in the unit, such as times when he was in hospital or granted leave. It must be stated here that his name does not appear anywhere in the unit war diary. Although the diary pages are difficult to read, a careful study of them by the author found no specific mention of Methven.
25 September – 5 October 1915: The company was under British IV Corps control during the Battle of Loos.
1 February 1916: Company at Lozinghem.
13 March 1916: Company at Gouy-Servins. During this period the company war diary shows many admissions to hospital for various ailments. During most of 1916 the company worked on rear area projects with sections located at various locations throughout the Lozinghem area.
10 January 1917: The company war diary lists the first casualty of the war stating that 80865 Driver William Powell was “found dead.” No explanation is given for his death.[8]
2 March 1917: Company at Avesnes Les Bapaume.
3-17 May 1917: The company took part in the Battle of Bullecourt with I ANZAC Corps.
June 1917: The company suffered many casualties wounded in action, probably associated with the Bullecourt action.
15 July 1917: 69451 Corporal Charles John Jackson, killed in action. His death was not entered in the company war diary until 21 July.
31 July – 2 August 1917: The company was engaged in the Battle of Pilckem with British XIX Corps.
16-18 August 1917: The company took part in the Battle of Langemarck with British XIX Corps.
21 August 1917: The death of 51500 Lance Corporal Thomas Percey Horton was recorded in the war diary, probably as a result of the action at Langemarck. Horton was killed in action.
6 September 1917: The death of 93055 Sapper Manus Devine was listed in the war diary as killed in action.[9]
20-25 September 1917: The company took part in the Battle of Menin Road with British V Corps.
26 September – 3 October 1917: The company was engaged in the Battle of Polygon Wood with II ANZAC Corps.
4 October 1917: The company took part in the Battle of Broodseinde with II ANZAC Corps.
6 October 1917: Lance Corporal Ernest Goodhead, killed in action.[10]
7 October 1917: The company was engaged in the Battle of Poelcappelle with II ANZAC Corps.
12 October 1917: The company took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele with II ANZAC Corps.
26 October – 10 November 1917: The company was involved in the Second Battle of Passchendaele with the Canadian Corps. The company headquarters at this time was at Dixmude. This battle cost the company many wounded in action along with the following fatalities:
143747 Sapper Edmund Spencer Smith, died of wounds, 28 October.[11]
69338 Sapper Hugh Whitehill, killed in action 28 October.
146575 Sapper Leonard Charles Russell, died of wounds, 28 October.
97373 Sapper Christopher
George Baker, died of wounds, 30 October.[12]
12 April 1918:
Company at Brandock.
25-26 April 1918:
Company took part in the Battle of Kemmel with British II Corps.
29 April 1918: Company took part in the Battle of Scherpenberg with British II Corps.
16 May 1918: 17726 Sapper Sydney Concentine Smith, killed in action.[13]
41535 Lance Corporal Peter John Whittet, killed in action.[14]
24 August 1918: 86867 Driver William Chad, died.[15]
26 September 1918: 69341 Sergeant Jesse Colley, killed in action.[16]
28 September – 2 October 1918: Company engaged in the Battle of Ypres with British II Corps.
14-19 October 1918: Company engaged in the Battle of Courtrai with British II Corps.
29 April 1919: 69348 Sapper John Methven was transferred to the Class”Z” Reserve in the U.K..[17]
Following the Armistice on 11 November 1918 the 138th Army Troops Company suffered two additional fatalities. On 19 July 1919 155075 Lance Corporal W. Brand died in France. On 4 September 1919 606596 Pioneer W. McBride died. He also died in France. It appears that the 138th Army Troops Company was not immediately demobilized after the war. Although Methven returned to the U.K. in the spring of 1919 for demobilization, a portion of the company remained in France. Methven’s early demobilization was probably due to the fact that he was one of the original men in the company to go to France in April of 1915.
On 8 January 1920 Methven was awarded the 1914-15 Star for his service in the Great War. Shortly thereafter he received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.[18] No additional information is know about John Methven after his release from the Army.
Service Medals
As indicated above, 69348 Sapper John Methven received the 1914-15 Star for his service in France and Flanders with the 138th Army Troops Company. Unfortunately this medal was not in the group of medals purchased by the author. At some point the medal was separated from the British War Medal and Victory Medal, perhaps by a family member or perhaps by another collector. Its present whereabouts is unknown. The Methven medals in the author’s collection are shown in Figure 3 below. Both medals are named to Methven on their rims in impressed upper case lettering as follows:
69348 SPR. J. METHVEN. R.E.
Figure 3. The British War
Medal and Victory Medal of Sapper John Methven, R.E.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)
APPENDIX
NO. 1.
CASUALTIES OF THE 138TH ARMY TROOPS COMPANY
NOTE:
The table above is from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web
site.
Figure 4. A
group of Royal Engineers at work on a light railway line near Boesinghe, grouped
around a flat truck, 31 July - 2 August, Battle of Pilckem Ridge.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)
1867976
LANCE CORPORAL John
Methven, Royal Engineers
John Methven was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 19 April 1910.
He was the son of John Methven (1882-1965) and Janet Methven (1884-1940),
née Sime. John and Janet had
married in Edinburgh on 29 June 1906 and had two children before the birth of
their son John; William Sime Methven (1907-1909) and Margaret Scott Methven
(1908-1967). John and Janet Methven
had two more children after the birth of young John.
They were James Boswell Sime Methven (1913-1992) and Oliver Methven
(1920-1975).[19]
2. ENLISTMENT AND
TRAINING
Enlistment
John
Methven enlisted in the Royal Engineers on 1 May 1929 at the age of 19 for a
period of 6 years with the Colours and 6 years in the Army Reserve.
Following the approval of his attestation he was assigned Army Number
1867976 and was posted to “A” Company of the Royal Engineers Training
Battalion at Chatham, Kent.[20]
Training
At the time that Methven was posted to the R.E. Training Battalion, the battalion commander was Lieutenant Colonel O.H.B. Trenchard, R.E. and the officer commanding “A” Company was Captain Kenneth Macaulay Papworth, MC, R.E. Two other officers were serving in “A” Company at the time; Lieutenant W.J. Dynes, R.E.[21] and Lieutenant John Guise Cowley, R.E.[22]
Methven’s training began with the basics that were required for each man to learn to be a soldier. This involved military customs, the wearing of his uniform and insignia, military discipline and the use, care and maintenance of his weapon, the short, magazine Lee-Enfield rifle (SMLE). Following a period of basic training, Methven then received the training necessary to make him an engineer soldier. This involved such field engineering subjects as tunnelling, trench-building, camouflaging techniques, barbed-wire entanglements, construction and clearing of obstacles, bridging, explosives and demolitions, surveying and other skills necessary to support the infantry and artillery in the field.
Methven excelled in field engineering and was and was awarded the Haynes Medal for being the best man in field works in his party (No. 126). He also appears to have displayed a talent for surveying, as he left the School of Military Engineering with the Corps Trade of Surveyor (Ordnance), Class A III.[23]
Figure 5. Sir John Guise Cowley as a Lieutenant General.
(Image courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery)
3.
POSTINGS, ASSIGNMENTS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE
Royal
Engineers Survey Battalion (10 June 1930 - 31 January 1941)
Sapper Methven was posted to the Survey Battalion, R.E. on 10 June 1930 after completing his training at Chatham. Presumably he was posted to Southampton where the headquarters of the battalion was located. The commander of the Survey Battalion at that time was Colonel G.S.C. Cooke, DSO. Other officers of the battalion at Southampton included the following:
· Major Geoffrey Cheetam, DSO, MC, R.E. (Second in Command)[24]
· Captain H.A. Bazley, R.E. (Adjutant)[25]
· Captain T.E. Longfield, R.E.
· Captain D.R. Martin, R.E.
· Lieutenant R.H. Denniss, R.E.
· Captain (Quartermaster) G.T. Northover, R.E.
In July of 1934 Sapper Methven re-engaged to complete 21 years of service with the Colours and on 1 January 1938 he was appointed a Lance Corporal. It appears that during this time and up until the early years of World War 2 he continued to be posted to survey duties. His tracer card shows that as late as 2 September 1939 he was still serving in “Survey Units,” although the specific units were not specified. Unfortunately his tracer cards do not show subsequent promotions above the rank of Lance Corporal, promotions that he certainly must have received.
No.
8 Commando (1 February 1941 – 31 August 1941)[26]
On 1 February 1941 an interesting event occurred in Methven’s military
career. He was posted to No. 8
Commando. The Commando was formed in June 1940 primarily from members of
the Brigade of Guards. It was one of the units selected to be sent to the Middle
East as part of Layforce.[27]
Figure 6.
Colonel Robert Edward Laycock.[28]
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)
On
arrival in the Middle East No. 8 Commando became known as 'B' Battalion in an
attempt at deception, not wanting the Axis forces to know there was a commando
formation in the theatre of war. The commando participated in the Battle of
Crete and in North Africa around Tobruk before being disbanded in late 1941.
After this, many of its personnel went on to serve in other commando units
formed in the area, including the Special Air Service.
Raised in June 1940 No. 8 Commando was formed mainly from volunteers from London District, and included men from the Household Cavalry, Foot Guards, Somerset Light Infantry, Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery and the Royal Marines. In October 1940, as part of a reorganization of the Commando formations, the unit was amalgamated with No. 3 Commando into a single special service battalion known as the 4th Special Service Battalion. As a part of this organisation, the unit’s name was changed to 'B' Special Service Company.
In January 1941 the special service battalion organisation was disbanded and the commando designation was readopted. As a result, No. 8 (Guards) Commando was split from No. 3 Commando and raised back up to battalion strength. Methven appears to have joined the unit shortly after this. He may have been chosen to join the Commando because of his expertise in field works (or maybe surveying).
Initially, training was fairly rudimentary and consisted mainly of "forced marches and heavy pressure"; however, more training in operating with assault landing craft was undertaken later on and No. 8 Commando moved up to the small seaside town of Largs, on the coast in Ayrshire, Scotland where they were billeted by the townspeople and remained for about a month. The next move was to the town of Lamlash, on the island of Arran. Shortly after arriving there, the unit was disbanded and most of the men were "returned to unit" because their performance during training had not been up to standard.
In February 1941, with an establishment of 38 officers and 502 other ranks, they embarked for the Middle East. Along with No. 7, No. 11 (Scottish), No. 50 and No. 52 Commandos they became part of Layforce and were redesignated 'B' Battalion. Methven appears to have been with the unit at this time. ‘B’ Battalion did not take part in the unsuccessful raid on Bardia, but on 27 May 1941, after a previously unsuccessful landing attempt two days earlier, a detachment landed on Crete with 'A' Battalion (No. 7 Commando) and 'D' Battalion (Nos. 50 and 52 Commandos) in an effort to stem the tide of the German attack on the island long enough for the garrison to be evacuated.
Throughout a period of five days from 27 to 31 May No. 8 Commando fought a series of rearguard actions around Sphakia, before they too were evacuated. By that time, however, there were few vessels left and as a consequence many of the unit's men were left behind and subsequently captured. Of the 800 men from Layforce that were sent to Crete, only about 200 escaped. Methven appears to have been one of the men who escaped as no record has been found of his being captured.
Following the evacuation from Crete, a detachment from No. 8 (Guards) Commando consisting of five officers and 70 other ranks was sent to Tobruk, which was at the time was under siege. In June the Allies launched Operation Battleaxe, an attempt to relieve the garrison. Within this situation it was decided that the commandos in Tobruk could be used to carry out raids against the positions facing them. In the middle of the month the detachment from No. 8 (Guards) Commando began carrying out patrols in an effort to become familiar with the terrain and to practice moving at night. It was then decided that they would carry out a raid on an Italian position that was dominating the forward areas of the Indian 18th Cavalry. The position, which was known as the Twin Pimples, consisted of two small hills that sat close together and from where the Italians were able to observe the Allied lines. It was to be a raid that was typical of what the men had been trained for, but which they had rarely been able to conduct since arriving in the Middle East.
On the night of 17/18 July the detachment attacked the Italian position. It proved to be highly successful, being well-planned and executed. Using the cover of darkness and a carefully laid deception plan, the commandos managed to sneak up behind the Italians position on the hills, and move thorough the forward defensive pits unchallenged. In the end they advanced to within 30 yards of the headquarters before they were challenged, and when they finally were, the force rushed the Italian defenders with sub machine guns and grenades and quickly overwhelmed them. They then withdrew from the position and returned to the garrison holding Tobruk just before the Italians could call down an artillery barrage. They suffered five casualties in the raid, one of whom later died of his wounds.
Soon afterwards the Tobruk raid No. 8 (Guards) Commando was disbanded. Its parent formation, Layforce, suffering from the losses suffered in the early raids and the evacuation from Crete, and stymied by lack of resources, changing strategic needs and a lack of enthusiasm for their employment by parts of the British high command, became ineffective and was itself disbanded in August. Shortly after this, upon the insistence of Sir Winston Churchill, the Middle East Commando was raised from the remnants of Layforce and some of No. 8 (Guards) Commando's personnel transferred this unit, while others, including David Stirling, Randolph Churchill, George Jellicoe and Roger Courtney went on to become part of other special forces units such as the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Section or the Long Range Desert Group.
No.
3 Commando and Wales (1 September 1941 – 23 February 1942)[29]
Methven’s tracer card shows that he transferred to No. 3 Commando on 1 September 1941. On 27 December 1941, the Commandos carried out a raid in Norway, on the port of Vaagso and the island of Maaloy known as Operation Archery. However, Methven did not participate in this raid. He was posted to the Survey Training Centre at Wynnstay Hall, Ruabon, near Wrexham, Wales on 24 November 1941. Just why he was relieved from Commando duty and returned to survey duties at this time is not known. This posting may have been an interim assignment and a subterfuge to prepare him for his true posting with the Special Operations Executive (SOE)[30]
London,
Scotland and India (24 February 1942 – 1946)
On 24 February 1942, presumably after a period of training, Methven was posted to the London District Transfer Camp in preparation for posting to India. On 19 March 1942 he was in Greenock, Scotland where he embarked for India, arriving in Bombay on 22 May 1942. Upon arrival in India he joined the 14th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment until his discharge from the ranks on 23 September 1942. After his discharge he transferred to the Officer Candidate Training Unit, India from which he presumably received a commission in the Indian Army. His tracer card is very cryptic regarding his postings during this period as he probably was working for the SOE at the time. His time with the SOE appears to have ended in 1946, but he may not have left the Army until 1950 when his period of engagement ended.
Figure
7. Emblem of the S.O.E.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)
4.
MEDALS, AWARDS AND
DECORATIONS
Based on his service during World War 2 John Methven may have been
awarded numerous campaign medals and perhaps some decorations as well.
Without his military service papers it is not possible to know just which
medals, awards and decorations he did receive.
Further research may be done in this regard by attempting to find copies
of his papers. As mentioned in the
introduction to this work the author did acquire the Haynes Medal that he was
awarded while at the School of Military Engineering.
The Captain A.E. Haynes, R.E. Medal was awarded to recruits to
recognize Haynes service and to commemorate his death.
Haynes was killed in action while serving with the Mashonaland Field
Force in 1896. The Haynes Medal was
awarded to the Sapper in each batch of recruits in the Royal Engineers, best
qualified in Field Works, after going through the recruits’ course in that
subject. Nomination for the award
was made by the Officer Commanding the Royal Engineers Training Battalion at the
School of Military Engineering in Chatham, Kent.
The first medals were awarded in 1902.
The medal is bronze and weighs 3 ounces.
It is 2.2 inches in diameter and has a thickness of 0.15 inch.
It is engraved on the rim in upper case letters to the recipient.
Methven’s medal is named as follows:
1867976
SAPR J. METHVEN BEST
MAN FD WORKS 126 PARTY “A” COY R.E.
Figure 7.
The Haynes Medal Awarded to 1867976 Sapper John Methven, R.E.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)
5.
POST SERVICE LIFE
No information was found regarding John Methven’s post service life except that he died in December of 1979 at the Selkirk Cottage Hospital in the Scottish Borders region.
Wife
John Methven married Helen Inglis (- 1979) – birth and marriage dates
unknown. Helen died in Selkirk
Cottage Hospital on 23 June 1979. It
does not appear that John and Helen had any children.
Grand Parents
John Methven was the grandson of William Methven (1855-1917) and his wife Charlotte Oliver (1855-1913).. William was born in Abernethy, Perthshire on 7 August 1855. Charlotte Oliver was born in Newbattle, Midlothian on 25 March 1855. William and Charlotte were married in Edinburgh on 15 October 1880.
William died at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh on 17 May 1917. Charlotte had predeceased her husband when she also died in Edinburgh on 25 August 1913.
Parents
John Methven’s father, John, was born in Windygates, Fife on 15
September 1882. His mother, Janet
Sime, was born in Edinburgh in 1882. John
and Janet were married in Edinburgh on 29 June 1906.
Janet died in Edinburgh in 1940 and John Methven died in Edinburgh in
1964.
Siblings
William Sime Methven was born in Edinburgh in 1907 and died there as a 2-year old infant.
Margaret Scott Methven was born in Edinburgh on 3 August 1908. She married George Gibb Fairley in Edinburgh on 25 January 1936 and they had three children. Margaret died in Edinburgh on 15 January 1967.
James Boswell Sime Methven (1913-1992) was born in Edinburgh on 28 June 1913. He died on 17 March 1992.
Oliver Methven (1920-1975) was born at Dairy and Gorgie, Midlothian on 5 January 1920. He died at Haymarket, Midlothian on 9 November 1975.
ADDENDUM
NO. 1
The information contained in this addendum provides many changes to the
narrative of 1867976 Lance Corporal JOHN METHVEN, Royal Engineers,
which has been presented above. These
changes have come about by the acquisition of his S.O.E. Service records that
were obtained from the National Archive, re:
Special
Operations Executive: Personnel Files (PF Series): 1939-1946, Reference HS
9/1025/1, Subjects: Intelligence. Re:
John Methven –born 19.04.1911.
The
file essentially takes up where the narrative ended; that is, from 1942 to 1946.
Figure 8.
File Cover Letter
This
cover letter summarizes Methven’s postings from 24 June 1943 to 18 December
1945. The original typed document
did not include his name. It appears
that, for security reasons, he was assigned the number 12547 as an identifier.
His handwritten name in the center of the form was probably added by the
National Archives in order to properly identify the document and file it with
his other papers. In all entries on
the form he is identified as 12547 and not by name.
The
document verifies his place of birth as Edinburgh, but it shows his date of
birth as 19 April 1911 and not 1910 as previously thought.
The document was prepared while he was as an officer in the Indian Army
serving with the Rajput Regiment.
Most
of the entries are self-explanatory, although some of the abbreviations have not
been found in any list of military abbreviations during the World War 2 period.
On 24 June 1943 he was in the Primary Training Corps (P.T.C.), Indian
Army as was being considered for employment in the S.O.E.
From 30 June 1943 he was employed in the Marine Section in India until 1
July 1943 when it appears that his duties changed (the symbol B/B729 was
allotted?). On 30 March 1944 he
arrived in the U.K. from New Delhi and then on 18 September 1944 he proceeded to
Australia. An entry on the form
dated 21 November 1944 indicates that he had been posted to Force 136 with
effect from (w.e.f.) 10 April 1944.
Force 136 was a far eastern branch of the British World War II
intelligence organisation, the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.). Originally
set up in 1941 as the India Mission
with the cover name of GSI(k),
it absorbed what was left of S.O.E.'s Oriental Mission in April 1942. The man in
overall charge for the duration of its existence was Colin Mackenzie.
The organisation was established to encourage and supply indigenous
resistance movements in enemy-occupied territory, and occasionally mount
clandestine sabotage operations. Force 136 operated in the regions of the
South-East Asian Theatre of World War II which were occupied by Japan from 1941
to 1945: Burma, Malaya, China, Sumatra, Siam, and French Indochina (FIC).
Although the top command of Force 136 were British officers and civilians, most of those it trained and employed as agents were indigenous to the regions in which they operated. Burmese, Indians and Chinese were trained as agents for missions in Burma, for example. British and other European officers (Lieutenant Methven, for example) and NCOs went behind the lines to train resistance movements. Former colonial officials and men who had worked in these countries for various companies knew the local languages, the peoples and the land and so became invaluable to S.O.E. Most famous amongst these officers are Freddie Spencer Chapman in Malaya and Hugh Seagrim in Burma.
The last entry on this form made on 18 December 1945 shows that Methven was transferred to other units within the S.O.E.; that is, M.E.80 to M.E.100 and B/B(I) to B/B(A) Sections with effect from 26 October 1945. Just what these sections were have not been uncovered by the author. Much can be learned regarding the organization of the S.O.E. by referring to the following web site:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Operations_Executive#Subsidiary_branches
The next document in Methven’s S.O.E. file is his S.O.E. RECORD OF SERVICE. The entries on the form in script were presumably made by Methven.
Section I.- PERSONAL PARTICULARS
|
FULL NAME |
JOHN METHVEN. |
|
PERMANENT
ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER |
10. Springwell
Place Edinburgh |
|
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH |
19.4.11. Edinburgh |
|
NATIONALITY: (a)
At birth (b)
Present |
Scottish |
|
EDUCATION: (a)
Schools (b)
Universities Subjects
read Degrees
taken |
Tynecastle High Grade School Edinburgh |
|
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATION |
Presbyterian |
|
MARRIED OR SINGLE |
M. |
|
PARTICULARS
OF WIFE OR HUSBAND: (a)
Maiden name of wife or full name of husband (b)
Present nationality (c)
Nationality at birth (d)
Date and place of birth (e)
Present address |
Helene
Madelaine Skinner British British Parish
9/7/20. On Service |
|
PARTICULARS OF CHILDREN: Names
and dates of birth |
/ |
|
PARTICULARS OF PARENTS: (a)
Father (i) Name (ii)
Dated and place of birth (iii) Nationality at birth and present
nationality (b)
Mother (i) Maiden name (ii) Date and place of
birth (iii) Nationality at birth
and
present nationality |
JOHN METHVEN 9.9.82.
Fifeshire Scottish JANET SIME. 9.5.84 Edinburgh Scottish |
|
NEXT
OF KIN (other than wife or husband): Name,
address and relationship |
Father John Methven. 10 Springwell Place |
|
BANKERS OR AGENTS: (a)
Home (b)
Abroad |
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Freemantle |
Section II.- QUALIFICATIONS
|
CIVILIAN
OCCUPATION By
Whom employed, nature of employment and date in each case |
1/2500 Draughtsman (Ordnance Survey) 1.11.26 – 30.4.29. |
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PROFESSIONAL,
TECHNICAL OR OTHER QUALIFICATIONS |
1/2500 Reviser Slight knowledge of Topo Surveying
Trig Surveying
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LANGUAGE
QUALIFICATIONS Degree
of proficiency to be indicated, i.e. bi-lingual, fluent, working
knowledge |
Language |
Speak |
Read |
Write |
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Urdu |
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Working
knowledge - |
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KNOWLEDGE
OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES |
Country |
Length
of Visit |
Purpose
of Visit |
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India |
2 years |
Military Duty |
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SPECIAL
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE |
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SPORTING
ACHIEVEMENTS, e.g. Riding, Sailing, Shooting, Flying, Games, Boxing,
Diving, Mountaineering, etc., and degree of proficiency |
Golf, Football, Hill Climbing, Swimming -
average |
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HOBBIES
AND OTHER INTERESTS |
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Section III.- MILITARY HISTORY
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PERSONAL NUMBER |
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REGIMENT OR CORPS |
VIIth RAJPUTS |
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NATURE
AND DATE OF COMMISSION |
Emergency War
20.9.42. |
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HONOURS,
REWARDS (including
Mentions in Despatches) |
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MEDICAL CATEGORY AND HISTORY |
Category:- A.1. |
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MILITARY COURSES OF INSTRUCTION |
School |
Date |
Type
of Course and Result |
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Aldershot P.T. |
1937 |
Long course Q.1. |
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Tregantle |
1939 |
Gas Q.1 |
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Loch Ailort |
1940 |
Special Service Q.1. |
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Rawalpindi |
1942 |
Unarmed combat Q.1. |
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Poona |
1942 |
Tactics Q.1. |
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RECORD OF PROMOTION |
Rank |
Date |
Authority |
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Lcpl |
1937 |
Pt II Orders |
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Cpl |
1939 |
Survey Battn R.E. |
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Sgt |
1940 |
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Cadet |
1942 |
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Lieut |
20.9.42. |
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DETAILS OF MILITARY SERVICE |
Joined Corps of Royal Engineers 1.5.29. Recruits course at Chatham till 1.6.30. Joined Survey Battn R.E. 1.6.30 and was engaged
on Survey work of different kinds in U.K. till mobilization in Sept.
1939. Served as P.T. and drill instructor till June 1940 and joined No.
3 Commando till November 1941. Was engaged in Lofoten Raid Norway March
1941. Served in India from May 1942 being commissioned at Dehra Dun
Academy. Served on the N.W. Frontier Sept 1942 – May 1943. |
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Section III.- ACCOUNT OF SERVICE WITH S.O.E.
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SPECIAL REMARKS |
Joined 1.6.43.
Served with 85 Company Mora (Bombay) |
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S.O.E. COURSES OF INSTRUCTION Australia Australia |
School |
Date |
Type
of Course and Result |
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Poona |
June
1943 |
Small arms & Demolitions |
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Calcutta |
Aug-Sept
1943 |
Elementary Navigation |
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Bombay |
Feb
1944 |
Short Oerlikon course(1) |
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Loch
Striven |
May
1944 |
M.F.U.(2) (uncompleted) |
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H.M.S. James Cook(3). |
July
1944 |
Pilotage |
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H.M.S. Cookham(3) |
August
1944 |
Naval Signalling, Short Course |
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C.B.C. Garden Island |
Nov-Dec
1944 |
S.B(4) (uncompleted) |
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F.C.S.(5) |
Apr-May
1945 |
Basic
Course |
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