L/R Hugh Dormer, Harry Graham, Victor Soskice, Phillip Amphlett, George Demand, David Sibtree.
Unlike most SOE operations where agents remained in country for many months Scullion 2 was a ‘coup-de-main operation which was a single mission to attack a target before making their way to an extraction point to return to Britian by air or sea. Sometimes coup-de-main operators escaped to a neutral country with the assistance of an escape line and SOE had its own escape section called DF.
Scullion 2 consisting of team leader Hugh Dormer, wireless operator George Deman and two demolition experts – Harry Graham and Victor Soskice who was serving with the American OSS (Office of Strategic Services). On the night of 16 August 1943 they arrived by parachute to destroy the Les Telots oil refinery near Autun in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
It is known George Demand informed London by wireless that Graham and Soskice had placed several demolition charges at the refinery; they were about to split-up into three groups before making their way separately to the extraction point , but only Hugh Dormer eventually arrived.
It is now believed David Sibtree, Philippe Amphlett, George Demand, Harry Graham and Victor Soskice were arrested by the Gestapo and hanged at Flossenburg camp in Germany on 29 March 1945.
Hugh Dormer, the only survivor, appears to have returned to his unit because he is listed by the CWGC as being killed in action on 31 July 1944 at Saint Martin- des- Besaces, Normandy whilst serving with 2nd Tank Squadron 2nd Battalion Irish Guards.
Alan Malcher.
Alan Malcher 