Latimer, Louis Anglio "Raoul"

Date of birth:: (London, United Kingdom)
Date of death:: 1994
Service number:: 236729
Nationality:: British

Biography

AKA Louis Anglis (Anglio) Livio

Raoul Latimer was a British SOE Agent who was parachuted twice in Belgium.
For his first mission in November 1942, his mission was to organise the collection of arms and ammunition in co-operation with the Belgian Secret Army (see the citation for his MBE).
Over the next five months he organised, with the team he recruited on the ground, the successful collection of 100 containers dropped by the British in the Belgian countryside.

See the citation below why he was awarded the Military cross for his second mission.

After the war he lived for soe time on the island of Jersey.

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Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: T Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:: November 11th, 1943

Citation:
"In November 1942 this officer together with a W/T Operator was landed in Belgium by parachute on a mission to organise Reception Committees, receive material and arms and to conceal them in dumps. He was also charged with the task of collecting information and documents to bring back to England for the use of others.

After a period of preliminary reconnaissance Lieut. Livio made his headquarters in a Chateau which he leased from the owner to whome he had posed as a repatriated Prisoner of War.

From there, in spite of many unexpected developments which threatened to endanger and expose his organisation he successfully completed 8 operations which involved the reception and concealement of no fewer than 97 cells of weapons and explosives.

On three ocasions containers were dropped from 400 to 500 metres away from the awaited point which involved long searches and the transport of the containers more than a kilometre to their hiding place.

Although he was not betrayed by this unexpected occurence, the place thereafter became such a hotbed of gossip an rumour that Lieutenant Livio was obliged to flee the country, but not before he had completed single-handed one more successful oeration.

He eventually escaped to France, but only after having destroyed all evidence likely to compromise himself or his associates.

He ultimately returned to this country having sown most promising seeds for the future. He brought back with him a mass of information as well as documents and fascimile of passes in use in Belgium to-day.
In recognition of this most successful mission in which Lieutenant Livio dislayed leadership. judgement, and courage of a very high order, I recommend the award of a M.B.E."

Signed
Colin Gubbins
Major-General

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Military Cross (MC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Captain
Unit:: T Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:: August 30th, 1945

Citation:
"This officer was parachuted for the second time into Belgium on 3rd March 1944 as Organiser and Wireless Operator to the Chief of the Secret Army. Additionally he had the mission of recruiting and training Wireless Operators from Belgian personnel already in the field.
He was also responsible for initiating a new wireless plan procedure and general security measures to be observed, and for giving technical advice and assistance to our operators already working throughout the five Zones of the Secret Army.

Latimer made contact with the central framework of the Secret Army within a few days of his arrival, set up his training base, and within two months had produces five fully-trained operators who were able to cope with the traffic allotted to them when they proceeded to one or other of the Secret Army Zones.

Latimer was arrested by the Gestapo in his workshop on 28th May, 1944, transferred to the prison of St. Gilles and brutally tortured and maltreated. The Gestapo were aware that they had a key man in their hands and made every effort to extract from him the maximum of information. Latimer indiced them to believe that he was one of the chief "detached" Signals experts from Home station who was organising a clandestine circuit troughout Belgium. He betrayed no one and although he had been in contact with many important members of the Secret Army, his arrest had no repercusions. He was successful in effecting his escape from the famous Melines train on the day of the liberation, and has since been a sick man as result of the torture and ill-treatment he had undergone in prison.

Latimer showed throughout his mission great courage, devotion to duty, and fearlessness in the face of dangers. It is recommended that Captain latimer be awarded the Military Cross."

Signed
Colin Gubbins
Major-General
21.5.45