Services Reconnaissance Department
Encyclopedia
The Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD), also known as Inter-Allied Services Department (IASD), Special Operations Australia (SOA) and Section A, Allied Intelligence Bureau
was an Australia
n military intelligence
and special reconnaissance
unit, during World War II
.
Authorised by General Thomas Blamey
in March 1942, following the outbreak of war with Japan
, the unit was modelled initially on the British Special Operations Executive
(SOE); it organised initially by a British Army
officer, Major G. Egerton Mott. When the Allied Intelligence Bureau
(AIB) was established in June 1942, SRD became a branch of AIB.
SRD oversaw intelligence-gathering, reconnaissance and raiding missions in Japanese-occupied areas of New Guinea
, the Dutch East Indies
(Indonesia), Portuguese Timor
(East Timor), the Malayan Peninsula, British Borneo
and Singapore
.
Allied Intelligence Bureau
The Allied Intelligence Bureau was an joint United States, Australian, Dutch and British intelligence and special operations agency during World War II. It was responsible for operating parties of spies and commandos behind Japanese lines in order to collect intelligence and conduct guerrilla...
was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
and special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
unit, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Authorised by General Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
in March 1942, following the outbreak of war with Japan
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, the unit was modelled initially on the British Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
(SOE); it organised initially by a 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...
officer, Major G. Egerton Mott. When the Allied Intelligence Bureau
Allied Intelligence Bureau
The Allied Intelligence Bureau was an joint United States, Australian, Dutch and British intelligence and special operations agency during World War II. It was responsible for operating parties of spies and commandos behind Japanese lines in order to collect intelligence and conduct guerrilla...
(AIB) was established in June 1942, SRD became a branch of AIB.
SRD oversaw intelligence-gathering, reconnaissance and raiding missions in Japanese-occupied areas of New Guinea
Territory of New Guinea
The Territory of New Guinea was the Australia-controlled, League of Nations-mandated territory in the north eastern part of the island of New Guinea, and surrounding islands, between 1920 and 1949...
, the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(Indonesia), Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor was the name of East Timor when it was under Portuguese control. During this period, Portugal shared the island of Timor with the Netherlands East Indies, and later with Indonesia....
(East Timor), the Malayan Peninsula, British Borneo
British Borneo
British Borneo means the two parts of the island of Borneo presently part of the Federation of Malaysia, during the British colonial rule: Labuan and what was called British North Borneo .-Catholic missions:In 1687 Father Ventimiglia, a Theatine, was commissioned by Pope Innocent XI to...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
See also
- CoastwatchersCoastwatchersThe Coastwatchers, also known as the Coast Watch Organisation, Combined Field Intelligence Service or Section C, Allied Intelligence Bureau, were Allied military intelligence operatives stationed on remote Pacific islands during World War II to observe enemy movements and rescue stranded Allied...
- M Special UnitM Special UnitM Special Unit, was part of the Services Reconnaissance Department, a joint Australian, New Zealand and British military intelligence reconnaissance unit, which saw action against the Japanese during World War II...
- Pacific WarPacific WarThe Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
- Z Special UnitZ Special UnitZ Special Unit was a joint Allied special forces unit formed during the Second World War to operate behind Japanese lines in South East Asia...
- Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence ServiceNetherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence ServiceNetherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service , was a Dutch World War II era intelligence and special operations unit operating mainly in the Japanese-occupied Netherlands East Indies ....
- Secret Intelligence AustraliaSecret Intelligence AustraliaSecret Intelligence Australia was a British World War II intelligence unit commanded by Captain Roy Kendall who reported directly to MI6 in London. SIA was known as Section B of the Allied Intelligence Bureau but was not accountable in any way to the Australians or the Americans.SIA had two main...
- Allied Intelligence BureauAllied Intelligence BureauThe Allied Intelligence Bureau was an joint United States, Australian, Dutch and British intelligence and special operations agency during World War II. It was responsible for operating parties of spies and commandos behind Japanese lines in order to collect intelligence and conduct guerrilla...
Further reading
- Horton, Dick. (1983). Ring of Fire: Australian Guerilla Operations Against the Japanese in World War II London: Leo Cooper/Secker and Warburg