When British Commandos Became Pirates - The True Story Behind 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare'

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024), directed by Guy Ritchie, is one of the most exciting World War II -era movies to be released in recent memory. Based on the 2014 book, Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII , it covers the lead up to and execution of a daring top-secret raid known as Operation Postmaster.

As Ritchie took some liberties with his script, we've decided to provide you with the true story behind the film, which is just as exciting as Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson portray it!

Searching for U-boats in Vichy French waters

The origins of Operation Postmaster date back to to mid-1941, when it was believed the Kriegsmarine was using Vichy French waterways in West Africa to move U-boats . The trawler Maid of Honour was sent to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to investigate. No sign of German activity was uncovered in the region by the Commandos aboard the vessel.

Despite this, the Special Operations Executive kept a presence in the region, to keep an eye on Vichy French, Portuguese and Spanish territories and protect nearby British colonies. It was around this time that the British became aware of three enemy ships in the Port of Isabel: the Italian merchant vessel Duchess d'Aosta , the barge Bibundi and the German tug Likomba .

Duchess d'Aosta was of particular interest, as her crew had refused to provide the first page of their manifest upon docking at the port. This led many to suspect , among her other, more mundane supplies, that the ship was carrying weapons or ammunition. As well, she had a working radio, which meant her crew could provide the enemy with updates on Allied movements in the area.

Putting together Operation Postmaster

The presence of the three enemy vessels, while not warships, worried the British, who decided something needed to be done about the situation. The decision was subsequently made to put together a team of 32 men - 11 Commandos from the small scale raiding force (SRRF), four agents from the Special Operations Executive and 17 locals from Fernando Po - to hijack the three and sail to a pre-designated location.

The mission, codenamed Operation Postmaster, immediately suffered a blow when Gen. Sir George Giffard, the British General Officer Commanding (GOC) West Africa Command, refused to provide the 17 men required from the island, stating he'd already planned other (unnamed) operations in the region. He also claimed the raid would be an act of piracy.

This, along with a lack of support from the British Foreign Office and the British Embassy in Madrid, Spain, led the Admiralty to suspend the mission. The Foreign Office reinstated it in January 1942, but with one condition: no evidence of the British being involved was to be left behind. To further ensure this, the corvette HMS Violet (K35) was recruited, to " capture " the three enemy vessels once they'd been taken from Fernando Po.

Operation Postmaster begins

Prior to the launch of Operation Postmaster, Richard Lippett, an agent with the Special Operations Executive, obtained a job with John Holt & Co., which had offices on Fernando Po. He was able to gleam information about the crews of the three ships, allowing him to better prepare the Commandos for what they'd face once aboard the trio.

On January 11, 1942, the raiders left Lagos, arriving off the coast of Fernando Po three days later. Between 11:15 and 11:30 PM on the evening of January 14, they approached the vessels, which had largely been emptied of their crews, thanks to Lippett staging a party onshore. This meant each ship was only being protected by small groups of watchmen.

The tug commanded by Maj. Gustavus March-Phillipps and Capt. Geoffrey Appleyard approached Duchess d'Aosta , while Folbots, under the leadership of Capt. Graham Hayes, made their way toward Burundi and Likomba .

Success was achieved in just 30 minutes

As Graham Hayes' men approached Likomba and Burundi , they were able to convince the men aboard the vessels that they were one of their captains. The Commandos then boarded the former, at which point the two-man watch crew jumped overboard, allowing them to attach explosives to the anchor chain and free up the vessel to be towed alongside Burundi , which had also been released from anchor.

Gustavus March-Phillipps and Geoffrey Appleyard's men, like their counterparts, were able to board their target ship. While one group attached charges to Duchess d'Aosta 's anchor chains, another looked for crewmen belowdeck, at which point they let the vessel be towed away from shore.

While the explosions had alerted those onshore, little was done in the way of retaliation. The guns stationed along the shore were never fired, as it was believed Fernando Po was being attacked from the air, meaning the island's anti-aircraft batteries were put into action, firing at nonexistent targets.

When all was said and done, just 30 minutes had elapsed. Just two days later, Duchess d'Aosta , Likomba and Burundi had arrived at their intended destinations, after which they were put into service with the Allied forces.

What happened after Operation Postmaster?

While the raid on Fernando Po angered the Spanish , who accused the British of breaching the country's neutrality, the overall was a boost for the Special Operations Executive. Operation Postmaster showed the agents' ability to plan and execute missions, and it was deemed an overall success by those higher up in Britain's hierarchy.

Richard Lippett was subsequently brought in for questioning by Spanish authorities on the island, but was able to convince them he had nothing to do with the raid on the three ships, nor had he spent any of his own funds on the party that had drawn much of their crews away. While ultimately released, he was barred from leaving Fernando Po, leading him to stage an escape via canoe.

Several of the individuals involved in Operation Postmaster were awarded for their actions. Gustavus March-Phillipps was given the Distinguished Service Cross, while Graham Hayes received the Military Cross and Geoffrey Appleyard had a bar added to his. Anders Lassen , the first man to board Duchessa d'Aosta , was also given the Military Cross, while Leonard Guise and Lippett were appointed Members of the Order the British Empire.

More from us: The Stories Behind the Most Iconic World War II Propaganda Posters

Want to become a trivia master? Sign up for our War History Fact of the Day newsletter!

As aforementioned, the raid was immortalized in the 2024 Guy Ritchie film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare . Henry Cavill stars as March-Phillipps, while Alan Ritchson portrays Lassen and Alex Pettyfer, Appleyard.