Date of birth:

July 30th, 1902

Date of death:

February 14th, 1946 (Somaliland)

Nationality:

British

Roger “Jumbo” Courtney was the founder of the Special Boat Section, the precursor to Britain’s Special Boat Service. Originally a bank clerk in Leeds, he reinvented himself as a white hunter and gold prospector in East Africa, later chronicling his adventures in Claws of Africa (1934). He also served as a sergeant in the Palestinian Police.

At the outbreak of WWII, Courtney returned from Africa to enlist, initially proposing a commando unit using folding kayaks. Rejected, he joined the King’s Royal Rifle Corps as a rifleman, quickly rising to captain. To prove his concept, he famously infiltrated HMS Glengyle by kayak, left his initials on the captain’s door, and stole a deck gun cover—presenting it to astonished naval officers. This bold stunt earned him command of the first Special Boat Section.

His brother Gruff later led a second SBS unit, and both sections conducted successful raids in the Mediterranean. Despite early successes, heavy losses led to the SBS’s reorganization in 1943 under George Jellicoe. Courtney lost his command, became a locust control officer, and died of pneumonia in Somaliland at age 46

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Captain

Unit:

Layforce, British Army

Awarded on:

October 21st, 1941

"Captain COURTNEY carried out a daring recce in enemy territory on night 2/3 April 1941.

He swam ashore from a Submarine and carefully recced about 1/2 mile of enemy defences and strong points.

He experienced difficulty in returning to the Submarine and exposed himself voluntarily to considerable danger and physical hardship for a period of 4 hours."

• - LETT, B.G., Ian Fleming and SOE's Operation POSTMASTER, Pen & Sword Military, 2012.
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