Royal Navy military operation in World War II
Operation Sabre was a Royal Navy military operation in World War II . It involved cutting the Japanese submarine communications cable linking Saigon and Singapore .[1] operating from an X-Craft midget submarine in the Saigon River delta on 31 July 1945.[2] [3]
Operation Sabre was directed at the Hong Kong to Saigon telephone cable, and carried out by XE4 , which was towed to within 40 miles (64 km) of the Mekong Delta by the submarine HMS Spearhead . Steered by Vernon Ginger Coles XE4 looked for the two telephone cables by using a towed grapnel . She eventually snagged the first cable, and managed to haul it about 10 feet (3.0 m) off the seabed. XE4's diver, Sub-Lieutenant K.M. Briggs, used the net/cable cutter to sever it. The second cable was soon found as well, and was severed by the second diver, Sub-Lieutenant A. Bergius. Two divers were carried due to the operating rule that a diver should not spend more than 20 minutes in depths over 33 feet (10 m) and no more than 10 minutes over 40 feet (12 m). XE4 and Spearhead returned to Labuan on 3 August 1945.[4]
Lieutenant Maxwell H. Shean, DSO and bar, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve , was awarded the American Bronze Star Medal in March 1947 for meritorious achievement as the commanding officer of the midget submarine HMS XE4 .[5]
References [ edit ] Further reading [ edit ]
Australian special operations of the Second World War
Timor, Sundas and Java Operation Mackerel (1942) Operation Tiger (Java) (1942) Operation Lion (1942) Operation Flounder (1942) Operation Ambon (1942, abandoned) Operation Walnut (1942-43) Operation Lancer (1942) Operation Lizard (1942–43) Operation Lagarto (1943) Operation Cobra (1943) Operation Adder (1944) Operation Mugger (1944, incomplete) Operation Hornet (1944) Operation Bat & Apache (1944) Operation Wasp (1944) Operation Gnat (1944) Operation Flea (1944, abandoned) Operation Louse (1944, abandoned) Operation Sounder (1944, abandoned) Operation Sunfish (1945) Operation Sunable (1945) Operation Sunbaker (1945) Operation Suncharlie (April 1945) Operation Sundog (1945) Operation Blackfish (1945, abandoned) Operation Blackbird (1945, abandoned) Operation Sunlag (1945) Operation Lagartout (1945) Operation Brim (1945) Operation Pigeon (1945, abandoned) Operation Suncob (1945) Operation Salmon (1945) Operation Carp (1945, abandoned) Operation Cod (1945, abandoned) Operation Starfish (1945) Operation Binatang (1945) Operation Anchovy (1945, abandoned) Operation Groper (1945) Operation Demo (1945) New Guinea Salamaua Raid (1942) Heath's Farm Raid (1942) Mubo Raid (1942) Operation Cockroach (1942, abandoned) Operation Beetle (1942) Operation Ladybird (1942) Operation Spider (1942, abandoned) Operation Wasp (1942, abandoned) Operation Tick (1942) Operation Bug (1942) Operation Locust (1943) Operation Oaktree (1942–44) Operation Whiting (1943) Operation Scorpion (1943) Operation Mosstroops (1943) Operation Menzies (1944) Operation Perch (1944) Operation Reaper (1944) Operation Silver (1944) Operation Gold (1944) Operation Copper (1944) Operation Vokeo (1944) Operation Crayfish (1944) Operation Falcon (1944) Operation Phoenix (1944) Operation Rose Operation Dodo Operation Moa Operation Lennon Operation Socrates Operation Flathead Borneo Celebes and Moluccas Operation Giraffe Operation Crane Operation Shril Operation Magpie Operation Raven Operation Garnish Operation Opossum (1945) Operation Swallow Operation Swift Operation Finch (1945) Malaya and China Seas Operation Jaywick (1943) Operation Rimau (1944–45) Operation Politician-Optican Operation Gunard Operation Crocodile Operation Carpenter Operation Period Operation Oblivion other Operation Sabre (1945) Operation Apple (1945) Operation Turnip Operation Potato Operation Goldfish Operation Pine Needle Operation Trout Operation Shark Operation Carrot Operation Radish Operation Asparagus Operation Bream Operation Robin Operation Stallion Mission 204 (or 'Tulip Force') (1942–43) Operation Source (1943) Operation Guidance (1944) proposed other Netherlands East Indies