Macedonian Partizans & British SOE Mission in Macedonia in WW2

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Memories of a Macedonian Partisan Commander for the Members of the British SOE Mission in Macedonia, November 1943-May 1944

Contributed by Goran_Cekov
People in story: Mostin Davies, Frank Thompson, Captain Dagmar, Jordan Cekov Dane
Location of story: Kumanovo region, Macedonia
Background to story: Army
Article ID: A3966942
Contributed on: 28 April 2005
This story is submited by Goran Cekov who has translated from Macedonian into English the memories of his father Jordan Cekov-Dane about the members of the British Military Mission that was established in the winter of 1943/44 in Macedonia during the World War II.

Jordan Cekov-Dane, born in 1921 in Kumanovo, has been a member of the Macedonian anti-fascist partisans army under command of Marshal Tito. In November 1943 he was a Commander of Unit during the establishment of the British Mission. As one of the few who had a gymnasium education, he communicated with his British friends in French language. In the summer of 1944 he became a Commander of the Third Macedonian Brigade and ended the war as Army Major.

By the agreement from October 1943 between Marshal Tito and Fitzroy Maclean (Head of the British Military Mission to the Supreme HQ of the Partisans Units of Yugoslavia) the British Military Mission has been established on 12 November 1943 in the vilage of Pelince, Kumanovo region, in Northeast Macedonia.

Captains Mostin Davies (I'm not certain for the accurate speling of the names) and Frank Thompson with 18 Macedonian partisans have come to Pelince from Peskopeja (Albania), throughout mountains Korab, Shar Planina, and Skopska Crna Gora. With them was a radio-telegraphist also. On 20 November 1943 Captain Dagmar (unfortunately I don't know his surname) and one radio-telegraphist have been parachuted down to Pelince as well, so the British Mission has been formed.

The British were joined to the HQ of the Kumanovo Partisan Battalion and later with the HQ of the Third Macedonian Brigade. (they were in Macedonia until May 1944 when through Serbia they have been transferred to Bulgaria) On 28 November 1943 the British Mission has provided first packages of weapons and ammunitions to be dropped down to Macedonian partisans from the RAF planes that were taking off in Foggia and other airfields in Southern Italy. The aid was not only in weapons but also in uniforms and boots. Our British friends also gave us practical courses for anti-diversant activities that we later conducted to the railway Skopje-Nis-Belgrade. The british military aid to Macedonian partisans continued in 1944 as well.

I vividly remember that on the attack for the liberation of the town of Kratovo (25 April, 1944) all fighters of the Third Macedonian Brigade were wearing british uniforms and carried british guns and weapons (including some Brengal heavy machine guns). Maybe the british uniform that I wore during the attack was my lucky fortune that I survived the wounds in my back from the bullet of the Bulgarian fascists.

During the nights with great joy we were listening the rumbling of the RAF planes that were dropping military aid to us. This was a clear signal that Macedonian people have a strong Ally in the Great Britain and as a members of the global anti-fascist Alliance will win the war and gain national liberty. Macedonia and Macedonian people will never forget and will always be grateful for the help that Great Britain and British people had given to the Macedonian partisans in the World War II.

My sincere gratefulness and regards to the families of Mostin Davies and Frank Thompson who (according to the documents I founded) were killed in Eastern Bulgaria in the summer of 1944. The whereabouts of Captain Dagmar are unknown to me. I hope that he survived the war. If someone can give me any information for the three British war friends mentioned I would be most thankful.

Jordan Cekov Dane
bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/42/a3966942.shtml

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