Photo of Sgt Basil P Blake.

I have a photo of my father who was with I.S.L.D (MI6) and served in Greece, Italy and the Balkans. Could someone identify the car and where the picture was taken. I have photos of him in Athens and Salonika also Beirut.

 

I would say the car was a 1942 Plymouth Sedan.
https://www.google.com/search?clien...pr=1.88#sbfbu=1&pi=Plymouth 4 Door Sedan 1942

 

Hi

License plate looks like Greek to me.

First letter looks like a Delta.

Second letter looks like a Sigma.

The CO probably stands for Commanding Officer.



I don't have a lot of info on the Inter Service Liaison Department beyond they came to Greece in Oct 44 and their strength was 16 and 8 vehicles.

I have the unit location as Stisikh Orou, Athens.

1944 Map of Athens.



Hope this helps

Gus

 

I think you are right, Owen. I thought it was probably a Dodge at first with all that chrome but it looks like the Dodge grills surrounded the headlights more. Fancy Plymouth.

Must have been a very early 42 production to still have chrome and also have made it to Greece.

 

Thank you all for your input. At least I can put it in my fathers war story album in the right place. According to his war record (which is not very informative) and photos he was in Beirut with Major General Edward Spears (Dec 1943-Nov 1944) at the Aero Club. I know he went to Athens as I have photo of him at the Parthenon and Salonika with photo in 1945. He then embarked for England 28.02.1945 and arrived home on a duty posting 13.03.1945. He then spent the rest of his time at the Foreign Office until sometime in 1946.

 

Hi

The first pic is of 2 members ELAS, the communist leaning peoples liberation army of Greece who unsuccessfully tried to seize power in December 1944.

The second pic is 18 OCTOBER 1944 during the ceremony commemorating the re-introduction of the Greek Govt which had been in exile in Italy.

Party behind the Greek flag includes Lt Gen Scobie GOC 3rd Infantry Corps and Greek PM George Papandreou.

Gus

 

Thank you very much. I did not expect the information of the photos. More information to add to the album and his journey through the war.
Heather.

 

Hi Heather

This looks like this was the chap your father would have been driving around in the car in the photo.Bennett, Dudley Arthur Carlton - TracesOfWar.com

Major Dudley Arthur Carlton Bennett, CO of Inter-Services-Liaison-Department in Greece.

Earned 2 x Mention in Dispatches (MIDs) in the Middle East (1 as a Civilian and not mentioned on webpage) and a MBE for services in Greece.

I cannot find the MBE recommendation anywhere on TNA discovery so cannot state where it was sourced.

Hope this helps

Gus

 

Hello Gus,

Major Dudley Arthur Carlton Bennett. Commisioned from the ranks. Hidden in plain sight, hidden in plain sight (and Dudley Bennett would have liked that).

And it's Greece all over; Greece all over.

Keep up your good works Gus, there's still stuff out there (I'll pm you in a little while as in the meantime I need a cuppa - or something stronger)

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

"He was also charged with the duty of establishing channels of communication between the Commander of British Forces and ELAS leaders and it was through these secret contacts, and under dangerous circumstances, that terms of settlement were reached".

That's worth an M.B.E any day of the week.

 

Wading through stuff. A much better copy has just surfaced.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Nice one Jim.

The person who recommended Major Bennett's MBE is Captain Cuthbert Francis Bond Bowlby Royal Navy (Curly) the Officer Commanding - Inter Service Liaison Department (ISLD)

SIS - Bowlby, Cuthbert Francis Bond (Curly)

Hope this helps

Gus

 

I am learning so much from your posts. Thank you. Have attached the other photo with the car and my father with 2 ladies which was taken in Athens as there is also another picture of them at the Acropolis (not Parthenon). I have also attached a photo taken in Beirut at a dinner party with Maj Gen Sir Edward Spears. Would you recognise any people on the front row?