TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

Mulholland, Leonard George "Louk"

Date of birth:
September 20th, 1920 (Surabaya/Java, Dutch East Indies)
Service number:
4405
Nationality:
Dutch (1815-present, Kingdom)

Biography

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
2e Luitenant (Second Lieutenant)
Unit:
N Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:
March 12th, 1945
Recommendation:
"2/Lieut. Leonard George MULHOLLAND of the Royal Netherlands Armed Forces, arrived in this country on the 11th February 1944, after having escaped from HOLLAND by way of SWEDEN.

On arrival here he volunteered to return to HOLLAND to carry out a mission. He received special training and on the night of 5th/6th July 1944 he was dropped by parachute in that country together woth two other members of his team.

His mission was to try to contact any underground organisations which he might consider not to have been penetrated ant to re-orrganise these elements into an active force, to arrange to receive arms by air and to maintain W/T contact with the U.K.

He contacted the underground organisations and re-organised the active units into a potential fighting force, arranged their reception committee and generally raised their morale, which was on the wane owing to heavy enemy activity.

Through his operator he sent valuable information on German activities, intentions in the port of ROTTERDAM and troop moevements. He asked for special material to sink certain blockade ships with which the Germans intended putting the port out of action. Explosives were sent to him and he arranged the sinking of three large vessels at their mooring berths.

He sent information on rocket sites in HOLLAND as a result of which it has been possible to take counter action. On SHEAF's instructions he and his organisation cut the main railway routes being used by the Germans and, in conjunction with the airborne operation in HOLLAND, sent forward couriers with valuable intelligence information.

2/Lieut. MULHOLLAND is still in the field, valiantly carrying out his mission in spite of the hazardous nature of his work."

Signed
Colin Gubbins
Major-General
Military Cross (MC)

Sources

Photo