Cuthbert Euan Charles Rabagliati, , (1 January 1892 – 6 January 1978) was a British soldier, pilot, race car driver and intelligence officer. He served in the
Royal Flying Corps
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colors =
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(RFC) during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and is credited as being the first RFC pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft. As a racing driver at
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...
in the 1930s, his crash was followed by the introduction of signs "Motor Racing is Dangerous" at all race meetings. During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
he served as head of
MI6
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
's Dutch section.
Early life and education
Rabagliati, who preferred to use his second name Euan, was born in
Manningham, Bradford
Manningham is an historically industrial workers area as well as a council ward of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.
The population of the 2011 Census for the Manningham Ward was 19,983.
History
Manningham holds a wealth of industrial hi ...
, Yorkshire, the fourth son of
Andrea Rabagliati and
Helen Priscilla McLaren. His father, the son of an Italian political refugee who had settled in Edinburgh, worked as a surgeon at
Bradford Infirmary. Euan was educated at the
Loretto School
Loretto School, founded in 1827, is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 0 to 18. The campus occupies in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland.
History
The school was founded by the Reverend Thomas Langhorne in 1827. L ...
in Edinburgh, Charney Hall School, Grange-over-Sands (1905-6) and
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School (BGS) is a co-educational independent day school located in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.
Entrance is by examination, except for the sixth form, where admission is based on GCSE results. The school ...
.
He then attended the
Royal Military College at
Sandhurst as a
gentlemen cadet, and after
passing out Passing may refer to:
Social identity
* Passing (sociology), presenting oneself as a member of another sociological group
** Passing (gender), presenting oneself as being cisgender
** Passing (racial identity), presenting oneself as a member of ...
was commissioned as a second lieutenant in
The King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) was a Light infantry, light infantry regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. In 1968, the regiment was amalgamated with the Somers ...
on 14 February 1912. Rabagliati became interested in flying, and was awarded
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club (RAeC) is the national co-ordinating body for air sport in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901 as the Aero Club of Great Britain, being granted the title of the "Royal Aero Club" in 1910.
History
The Aero Club was foun ...
Aviators' Certificate No. 779 after soloing a Bristol biplane at the Bristol Flying School at
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...
on 11 May 1914. He was then transferred to the
Royal Flying Corps
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colors =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, decorations ...
, being appointed a flying officer on 30 June, and was promoted to lieutenant on 12 August.
First World War
Rabagliati was posted to
No. 5 Squadron RFC, which moved to France on 14 August, ten days after Britain's declaration of war on Germany. While selected pilots flew the squadron's twelve aircraft across the channel, Rabagliati and the rest of the squadron's personnel travelled by ship. On 21 August Second Lieutenant C. W. Wilson, with Rabagliati as his observer, flew the squadron's first reconnaissance mission, locating German cavalry ten miles from
Namur
Namur (; ; nl, Namen ; wa, Nameur) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration.
Namu ...
. On 25 August the squadron was based at
La Cateau when a
Taube reconnaissance aircraft was seen approaching from the south. The squadron's commanding officer Major
John Higgins
John Higgins, (born 18 May 1975) is a Scottish professional snooker player. He has won 31 career ranking titles, placing him in third position on the all-time list of ranking event winners, behind Ronnie O'Sullivan (39) and Stephen Hendry ( ...
ordered Wilson to drive him off, and Rabagliati jumped into the observer's seat of their
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a First World War biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the war totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind tha ...
carrying a
Lee–Enfield
The Lee–Enfield or Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century, and was the British Army's st ...
.303 rifle and ammunition. Rabagliati steered Wilson to a position ahead and below the Taube, then opened fire with his rifle. Rabagliati fired around 100 rounds before the Taube pilot slumped forward into his seat and the aircraft descended to the ground and landed. Wilson considered landing to capture the aircraft, but observed what he assumed was a German column of troops approaching. Only after landing did he learn that they were British. Wilson and Rabagliati were credited with the first German aircraft shot down by the RFC, and on 8 October Rabagliati received a
mention in despatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...
from Field Marshal
John French, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in France.
Rabagliati received his second mention in despatches on 5 April 1915, for "gallant and distinguished service in the field", and was appointed a
flight commander with the acting rank of captain on 19 April. He was promoted to captain in the KOYLI on 1 October 1915.
On 4 November 1915 he was awarded the
Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC i ...
, his citation reading:
:Lieutenant (temporary Captain) Cuthbert Euan Charles Rabagliati, The King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) and Royal Flying Corps.
::For conspicuous gallantry and skill on 28th September, 1915, when, accompanied by
Second Lieutenant Vaucour, they carried out a reconnaissance over
Valenciennes
Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a s ...
and
Douai
Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, D ...
. They had to fly in thick cloud for nearly the whole distance, and several times their aeroplane got into a "spin". The pilot, however, succeeded each time in righting his machine, and they reached their objective and carried out the reconnaissance at 2,800 feet under very heavy fire.
The presentation took place at
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
on 9 December.
On 1 May 1916 Rabagliati was appointed a squadron commander with the
acting rank
An acting rank is a designation that allows a soldier to assume a military rank—usually higher and usually temporary. They may assume that rank either with or without the pay and allowances appropriate to that grade, depending on the nature of t ...
of major, and served as commander of
No. 24 Squadron from 29 November 1916 until 22 March 1917. On 1 January 1917 he was
brevetted
In many of the world's military establishments, a brevet ( or ) was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct but may not confer the authority, precedence, or pay of real rank. ...
as a major "for valuable services rendered in connection with the War". On 11 April 1917 he was appointed a wing commander with the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Rabagliati received his third mention "for distinguished service in war areas" in January 1919. In June he was awarded the
Air Force Cross, and in August the ''Légion d'honneur'' from France. He resigned his commission on 6 August 1919, but was permitted to retain his rank.
Inter-war career
Insurance broker
After the war Rabagliati became a member of
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is an insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gov ...
, and in August 1920, as a representative of the White Cross Aviation Insurance Association, was appointed to Lloyd's Aviation Sub-Committee. In August 1929 he was a member of the British Aviation Insurance Group, authorized to issue
Certificates of Airworthiness. In January 1930 he was appointed to Lloyd's Aviation Advisory Committee, as an underwriting member of Lloyd's, and of
Messrs. Willis, Faber and Dumas. On 1 July 1932, the Aviation Committees of Lloyd's Register of Shipping and the British Corporation Register of Shipping & Aircraft were merged into a joint committee of which Rabagliati was a member.
Racing driver
Rabagliati also had a parallel career as an amateur racing driver. He is said to have competed for the Éireann Cup in the 1st
Irish Grand Prix, held at
Phoenix Park
The Phoenix Park ( ga, Páirc an Fhionnuisce) is a large urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its perimeter wall encloses of recreational space. It includes large areas of grassland and tre ...
on 13 July 1929. He drove a 2-litre
Lagonda
Lagonda is a British luxury car brand established in 1906, which has been owned by Aston Martin since 1947. The trade-name has not had a continuous commercial existence, being dormant several times, most recently from 1995 to 2008 and 2010 to 2 ...
OH for Fox & Nicholl (although the programme and reports for the event appears not to confirm this). The next year, on 9 May 1930, Rabagliati took part in the Double Twelve Hour Race at
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...
, driving a
Talbot
Talbot was an automobile marque introduced in 1902 by English-French company Clément-Talbot. The founders, Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury and Adolphe Clément-Bayard, reduced their financial interests in their Clément-Talbot ...
AO90. Towards the end of the first day's racing, while attempting to overtake the
Austin 7 Ulster of
Archibald Frazer-Nash
Archibald Goodman Frazer Nash (30 June 1889 – 10 March 1965), was an early English motor car designer, engineer, and inventor who specialised in manufacturer of light "cycle cars" and sports cars in England.
Nash added his third name Frazer ...
, Rabagliati lost control and skidded, and his fellow Talbot driver Roland Hebeler crashed into him. Rabagliati's car span off the track into the spectator area, killing one and injuring twenty others, many seriously. Edward "Ted" Allery, Rabagliati's riding mechanic, was killed, and Rabagliati suffered severe head injuries, having a silver plate inserted into his skull. After waking from a coma, his first words was to ask for a bottle of champagne.
The accident gave rise to the legal case: ''Hall v. Brooklands Auto Racing Club'', after which the signs "Motor Racing is Dangerous" were displayed at all race meetings.
Reserve officer
Rabagliati was a member of the Reserve of Air Force Officers, being confirmed in his rank of
flying officer on 29 March 1924. On 15 September 1925 he was transferred from Class "A" to Class "C" with the rank of squadron leader, finally relinquishing his commission on completion of his period of service in November 1926.
Rabagliati also remained a member of the Army Reserve of Officers until 4 June 1948, finally relinquishing his commission on exceeding the age limit of liability to recall, but retained the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Second World War
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Rabagliati served as an officer of the
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
(MI6).
In June 1941 Rabagliati met with
Thomas Sneum
Thomas Christian Sneum (21 May 1917 Fanø - 3 February 2007 Roskilde) was a Danish flight officer who was among the first British agents in Denmark during World War II. His most spectacular achievement was when, in 1941, he photographed two Germ ...
, a former Danish Naval Air Service lieutenant who had flown from Denmark to England in a
Hornet Moth
The hornet moth or hornet clearwing (''Sesia apiformis'') is a large moth native to Europe and the Middle East and has been introduced to North America. Its protective coloration is an example of Batesian mimicry, as its similarity to a hornet ...
(which necessitated him climbing out onto the wings mid-flight to refuel). During the meeting, at Rabagliati's home in
St. James's, close to the offices of MI6, he persuaded Sneum to return to Denmark as an agent.
Rabagliati, working with Dutch former police chief
François van 't Sant, head of the Dutch Central Intelligence Department in London, infiltrated five agents into the Netherlands, to provide communications with Dutch resistance groups, but by December 1941 only one,
Aart Alblas
Aart Hendrik Alblas, aka Klaas de Waard (20 September 1918, in Middelharnis – 7 September 1944, in Mauthausen concentration camp), was a Dutch navy officer, resistance member and Engelandvaarder. He participated in several resistance operations ...
, was still at liberty. Alblas was finally arrested, and executed at Mauthausen in September 1944.
Rabagliati's first operation as head of Section P8, covering the Netherlands, was in March 1942 when he attempted to infiltrate two agents by boat. The men were transported across the North Sea by ''MGB 325'' from the 15th
Motor Gunboat
The motor gun boat (MGB) was a small, high-speed British military vessel of the Second World War, which was armed with a mix of guns, in contrast to the physically similar motor torpedo boat (MTB), whose main offensive weapon were torpedoes. ...
Flotilla at
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
. Unfortunately while being rowed ashore by Charles Elwell, the first lieutenant, their boat capsized and all three were captured. One of the agents, Maessen, a Dutch naval officer, was executed, and Elwell ended the war in
Colditz
Colditz () is a small town in the district of Leipzig, in Saxony, Germany. It is best known for Colditz Castle, the site of the Oflag IV-C POW camp for officers in World War II.
Geography
Colditz is situated in the Leipzig Bay, southeast of the ...
.
Rabagliati was also responsible for "Operation Contact Holland". During this operation Dutch agents were put ashore in
Scheveningen
Scheveningen is one of the eight districts of The Hague, Netherlands, as well as a subdistrict (''wijk'') of that city. Scheveningen is a modern seaside resort with a long, sandy beach, an esplanade, a pier, and a lighthouse. The beach is po ...
. One of them,
Peter Tazelaar
Peter Tazelaar (5 May 1920 – 6 June 1993) was a member of the Dutch resistance during World War II and worked as an agent for the SOE. Following the war he served in Dutch East Indies, before returning to Europe to work behind the Iron Curtai ...
, went ashore wearing a
tuxedo
Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element fo ...
under his wet suit.
Tazelaar's insertion into Holland was the inspiration for the
pre-title sequence of the James Bond film ''
Goldfinger''. The film's screenwriter,
Paul Dehn
Paul Edward Dehn (pronounced "Dain"; 5 November 1912 – 30 September 1976) was a British screenwriter, best known for '' Goldfinger'', '' The Spy Who Came in from the Cold'', ''Planet of the Apes'' sequels and ''Murder on the Orient Express''. ...
, had served in
SOE, and was aware of Tazelaar's insertion.
The operation's leader,
Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema
Siebren Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (3 April 1917 – 26 September 2007) was a Dutch writer who became a resistance fighter and RAF pilot during the Second World War. Near the end of the war he was adjudant (assistant) to Queen Wilhelmina. He was ...
, wrote ''
Soldier of Orange
''Soldier of Orange'' ( nl, Soldaat van Oranje, ) is a 1977 Dutch romance-thriller film directed and co-written by Paul Verhoeven and produced by Rob Houwer, starring Rutger Hauer and Jeroen Krabbé. The film is set around the German occupation o ...
'' describing his war time experiences. In the film based on the book,
Edward Fox played the character "Colonel Rafelli", which was based on Rabagliati.
Post-war
After the war Rabagliati was the
British vice-consul in San Francisco, and in 1954 he was appointed President of the British American Trade Centre, based in San Francisco, which aimed to promote and assist trade between the UK and the USA.
Rabagliati eventually retired to
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
in the South of France. He died in 1978.
Personal life
Rabagliati was married three times; firstly in 1916 to Monica Priestley, the daughter of
Joseph Child Priestley, then on 4 December 1922 to Clarissa Catherine Melvill de Hochepied Larpent, daughter of John Melvill, 9th
Baron de Hochepied
Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher th ...
, at
St Ethelburga's Bishopsgate
St Ethelburga-the-Virgin within Bishopsgate is a Church of England church in the City of London, located on Bishopsgate near Liverpool Street station.
The church was severely damaged by an IRA bomb in 1993. Following rebuilding and restoration i ...
, London. His third marriage was on 7 March 1940 to Beatrix Purdey Oliver, the widow of Vincent Gandolfi-Hornyold, 3rd Duke Gandolfi.
References
External links
Imperial War Museum Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rabagliati, Euan
1892 births
1978 deaths
Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Military personnel from Bradford
British people of Italian descent
People educated at Loretto School, Musselburgh
People educated at Bradford Grammar School
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry officers
Royal Flying Corps officers
Royal Air Force personnel of World War I
Recipients of the Military Cross
Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur
British racing drivers
Secret Intelligence Service personnel
Sportspeople from Bradford