Operation NUTMEG

The sum of knowledge about this operation is contained in the 138 Squadron summary book of operations, which notes this as an SIS operation to France; it was not completed. The pilot is not identified.

Freddie Clark believed that P/O Simmonds had first attempted NUTMEG on the 31 January, the same sortie as his operation OVERCLOUD II, but I have found no evidence to support this. Nor have I found any evidence that P/O Simmonds was the pilot who flew NUTMEG on 13 February. Freddie may have linked P/O Simmonds to NUTMEG because the OVERCLOUD II operation of 31 January is listed immediately above in the squadron summary.

P/O Simmonds is a relative newcomer to the squadron, and is most unlikely to have been detailed to fly an SIS sortie to be carried out at the New Moon, i.e. with no moonlight. Such sorties are very rare, even when requested by SIS.

Sources

TNA AIR 27/956: Operations Record Book, 138 Squadron
TNA AIR 20/8459: 138 Squadron, Rough diary of operations.
Freddie Clark, Agents by Moonlight, p. 43.