A Memorial to the Gibraltar Underwater Working Party (UWWP)

Today, there will be a ceremony in Gibraltar to unveil a blue plaque in memory of the little-known Gibraltar UWWP. So vital was Gibraltar during WW2 as a naval fortress to control entry into and out of the Mediterranean, the Italians saw it as a prime target against which to launch underwater sabotage attacks on Allied warships and merchantmen moored there. The attacks were mounted by an élite team of frogmen called the Decima Flottiglia MAS. The frogmen repeatedly launched attacks using both swimmers and human torpedoes ridden by two divers, to lay explosive charges on or beneath the Allied ships.

Following three unsuccessful Italian attacks on shipping lying off Gibraltar, Lieutenant Bill Bailey RNVR, was sent out to establish the UWWP. Its objective was to counter the Italian threat by conducting daily dives on all visiting shipping to check them for signs of sabotage. In some cases, explosives had been attached to ship’s hulls whilst visiting neutral ports. At their busiest, the divers were inspecting up to fifteen ships a day. The work was not only dangerous, but uncomfortable for Bailey’s team of volunteers. They were poorly equipped, cold and often badly scratched by the barnacles on ships’ hulls. Bailey was to earn the George Medal for defuzing an Italian limpet mine. In addition to diving operations, the team mounted regular boat patrols of the harbour and anchorage. Thanks to their efforts, the Italians realised that it was too difficult to attack the warships in the harbour and, instead, focused their efforts on merchant shipping in the outer anchorages. In this they did achieve some success by sinking and damaging half a dozen ships.

One of their initiatives (which was to inspire Ian Fleming in his writing the 007 novels), was to use an Italian tanker, the Olterra, scuttled off Algerciras opposite Gibraltar, as a base from which to launch underwater attacks. With the connivance of the Spanish authorities, the Decima modified the tanker to include an observation platform, a pool in a former cargo hold and an underwater hatch for exiting human torpedoes and swimmers. Bailey’s suspicions about the Olterra could not be confirmed until after the Italian Armistice had been signed.

Several people who helped with the writing of my Death to Touch series of WW2 novels will be attending the event today, including Bill Bailey’s son. Andrew Bailey was kind enough to review a chapter of my latest novel, He Who Would Valiant Be, describing the work of the UWWP. I hope the event is successful and send my best wishes especially to Commander Rob Hoole, Andrew Bailey and ‘Ginge’ Fullen.