Operation Seagull I
Encyclopedia
Operation Seagull I was an Abwehr
II sanctioned mission devised in May 1942. The plan was the brainchild of Kurt Haller and an expert from Abwehr I-Wi (economic). The plan envisioned the use of an Abwehr agent to sabotage the North Scottish power station at Fort William.
The agent chosen by Haller for Seagull I was an Irish POW, which helped form the details of the mission. In detail- the agent would parachute into the vicinity of Glasgow
, Scotland
where he would form a three-man operational sabotage group from his Irish friends based in the area. The target was to be the electric power station at Fort William and the hydroelectric production facility at Kinlochleven
. Seagull I was later refined in June 1942 to operate in tandem with Operation Seagull II
with both operations being controlled by radio. It was also planned for each sabotage team in Ireland and Scotland to liaise with each other via radio contact.
("Unternehmen Gastwirt" in German
). It appears that Abwehr hoped the training of seemingly compliant Irish POW's who had previous military experience with the British Army
would lead to success.
Operation Seagull I was planned in tandem with Operation Seagull II
, its genesis can be seen in the context of 1940 - 1941 Abwehr accomplishments in recruiting agents from Irish National POWs held at Stalag XX A (301) also known as "Friesack Camp
". While the overall focus of the Abwehr was intelligence gathering, there was a great deal of latitude at the regional planning level in the Abwehr's structure. This led to a series of missions, such as the Seagull series, which with the benefit of hindsight appear to be entirely flawed.
in County Tipperary
, Ireland
. He had been captured by the German Army sometime during the period 1940 - April 1941, most likely as part of the British Expeditionary Force
active in France and he had been detained in Stalag XX A (301). At this camp he came into contact with fellow Irishmen, possibly including IRA volunteer Frank Ryan
during his recruitment efforts for the Abwehr. Walsh was recruited by the Abwehr around early 1941 for training and preparation for the Seagull I mission. His training for this mission included an advanced radio course at the Abwehr school in Stettin, Germany.
Following the completion of their training, both agents- Brady for Seagull II and Walsh for Seagull I, were to fly to occupied Norway
and prepare for their dropzone flight aboard a Focke-Wulf Fw 200
'Condor'. Shortly before takeoff from Germany to Norway, Haller received a call from Abwehr II HQ in Berlin and was ordered to return to Berlin with both of the agents immediately. On arrival it was explained that prior to their takeoff to Norway, Walsh had confided to fellow POW Thomas Cushing that he planned to turn himself into the police on landing in Britain. Both Walsh and Cushing were arrested by the Gestapo
. After this, Operation Seagull I was permanently cancelled.
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
II sanctioned mission devised in May 1942. The plan was the brainchild of Kurt Haller and an expert from Abwehr I-Wi (economic). The plan envisioned the use of an Abwehr agent to sabotage the North Scottish power station at Fort William.
The agent chosen by Haller for Seagull I was an Irish POW, which helped form the details of the mission. In detail- the agent would parachute into the vicinity of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where he would form a three-man operational sabotage group from his Irish friends based in the area. The target was to be the electric power station at Fort William and the hydroelectric production facility at Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven is a village in Lochaber, in the Scottish Highlands and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven, a sea loch cutting into the western Scottish Highlands. To the north lie the Mamores ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe...
. Seagull I was later refined in June 1942 to operate in tandem with Operation Seagull II
Operation Seagull II
Operation Seagull II was an Abwehr II. sanctioned mission planned in June 1942 as a refinement of Operation Seagull I...
with both operations being controlled by radio. It was also planned for each sabotage team in Ireland and Scotland to liaise with each other via radio contact.
Military context
Operation Seagull I planning began after the failure of Operation InnkeeperOperation Innkeeper
Operation Innkeeper was an aborted plan devised in Autumn 1941 to send two Irish Abwehr agents to London on a sabotage mission....
("Unternehmen Gastwirt" in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
). It appears that Abwehr hoped the training of seemingly compliant Irish POW's who had previous military experience with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
would lead to success.
Operation Seagull I was planned in tandem with Operation Seagull II
Operation Seagull II
Operation Seagull II was an Abwehr II. sanctioned mission planned in June 1942 as a refinement of Operation Seagull I...
, its genesis can be seen in the context of 1940 - 1941 Abwehr accomplishments in recruiting agents from Irish National POWs held at Stalag XX A (301) also known as "Friesack Camp
Friesack Camp
Friesack Camp or Camp Friesack is a name commonly used to refer to a special World War II POW camp where a group of Irishmen serving in the British Army volunteered for recruitment and selection by Abwehr II and the German Army. The camp was designated Stalag XX A and located in the Friesack...
". While the overall focus of the Abwehr was intelligence gathering, there was a great deal of latitude at the regional planning level in the Abwehr's structure. This led to a series of missions, such as the Seagull series, which with the benefit of hindsight appear to be entirely flawed.
Agents involved
The agent selected for Seagull I was Andrew Walsh aka "Agent Vickers". Walsh was a native of FethardFethard
-Constituencies:*Fethard *Fethard...
in County Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He had been captured by the German Army sometime during the period 1940 - April 1941, most likely as part of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
active in France and he had been detained in Stalag XX A (301). At this camp he came into contact with fellow Irishmen, possibly including IRA volunteer Frank Ryan
Frank Ryan (Irish republican)
Frank Ryan was a prominent member of the Irish Republican Army, editor of An Phoblacht, leftist activist and leader of Irish volunteers on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War....
during his recruitment efforts for the Abwehr. Walsh was recruited by the Abwehr around early 1941 for training and preparation for the Seagull I mission. His training for this mission included an advanced radio course at the Abwehr school in Stettin, Germany.
Following the completion of their training, both agents- Brady for Seagull II and Walsh for Seagull I, were to fly to occupied Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and prepare for their dropzone flight aboard a Focke-Wulf Fw 200
Focke-Wulf Fw 200
The Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, also known as Kurier to the Allies was a German all-metal four-engine monoplane originally developed by Focke-Wulf as a long-range airliner...
'Condor'. Shortly before takeoff from Germany to Norway, Haller received a call from Abwehr II HQ in Berlin and was ordered to return to Berlin with both of the agents immediately. On arrival it was explained that prior to their takeoff to Norway, Walsh had confided to fellow POW Thomas Cushing that he planned to turn himself into the police on landing in Britain. Both Walsh and Cushing were arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
. After this, Operation Seagull I was permanently cancelled.
Involvement of the IRA
There was no involvement or prior knowledge of Operation Seagull by the IRA in Ireland, although it is possible that Frank Ryan, an IRA volunteer located/stranded in Germany, was aware of the mission.Further information/sources
- Mark M. Hull, Irish Secrets. German Espionage in Wartime Ireland 1939-1945, 2003, ISBN 978-0-7165-2756-5
Notable Abwehr Operations involving Ireland
- Operation LobsterOperation LobsterIn 1940 the Germans decided to send agents and saboteurs to infiltrate Britain from Norway and Northern France. This plan was given the codename Operation Lobster...
- Operation Lobster IOperation Lobster IOperation Lobster I was an Abwehr plan to infiltrate three German agents into Ireland, , in July 1940...
- Operation Seagull (Ireland)Operation Seagull (Ireland)Operation Seagull was an Abwehr II/Brandenburger Regiment sanctioned mission launched in September 1940...
- Operation Seagull IIOperation Seagull IIOperation Seagull II was an Abwehr II. sanctioned mission planned in June 1942 as a refinement of Operation Seagull I...
- Operation WhaleOperation WhaleOperation Whale was the name of two separate German Intelligence plans conceived in 1940.*" Unternehmen Walfisch" was an aborted plan to land a seaplane on a lake in Ireland...
- Operation Dove (Ireland)Operation Dove (Ireland)Operation Dove also sometimes known as Operation Pigeon, was an Abwehr sanctioned mission devised in early 1940...
- Operation OspreyOperation OspreyOperation Osprey was a plan conceived by the German Foreign Ministry and Abwehr II. mid 1942. The plan was an enlargement of Operation Whale...
- Operation Sea EagleOperation Sea EagleOperation Sea Eagle sometimes referred to as Operation Dove II was a German Foreign Ministry plan conceived in May 1941 after the collapse of planning around Operation Whale .The operation was to involve landing a seaplane on a lake in Ireland to supply the Irish Republican...
- Plan KathleenPlan KathleenPlan Kathleen, sometimes referred to as Artus Plan, was a military plan for the invasion of Northern Ireland sanctioned by Stephen Hayes, Acting Irish Republican Army Chief of Staff, in 1940...
- Operation MainauOperation MainauOperation Mainau was a German espionage mission during the Second World War. It was sanctioned and planned by the German secret service and executed successfully on May 1940...
- Operation InnkeeperOperation InnkeeperOperation Innkeeper was an aborted plan devised in Autumn 1941 to send two Irish Abwehr agents to London on a sabotage mission....
See also
- Operation Green (Ireland)Operation Green (Ireland)Operation Green often also referred to as Case Green or Plan Green , was a full scale operations plan for a German invasion of Ireland in support of Operation Sea Lion . Despite its detailed nature, Green is thought to have been designed only as a credible threat, a feint, not an actual operation...
- IRA Abwehr World War II- Main article on IRA Nazi links