Is The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare based on a true story? The audacious real history of Operation Postmaster

But, as The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare suggests, this new type of ‘irregular warfare’ was both sanctioned by Churchill and his military, and ‘ungentlemanly’ in its covertness.

So, how accurate is the film in what it portrays, and what is the real history behind the fascinating Operation Postmaster?

Is The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare a true story?

Yes, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is, at its broadest level, a retelling of real events that occurred during the Second World War, with a focus on the real 1942 Operation Postmaster and depicting real-life individuals involved, such as Brigadier Colin Gubbins (played by Cary Elwes) and Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill).

However, the details of what happened during this secret mission to combat the Nazis, and how events unfolded, are heavily fictionalised.

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As an action comedy, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare takes the broad strokes of Operation Postmaster and adds in more violence, and more bombast, for dramatic effect and entertainment value.

Take the movie’s leading characters: while the majority of those featured in leading roles really did exist, and played fascinating roles in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and Operation Postmaster, the precise details of what they did aren’t entirely accurate.

There is little available information on Marjorie Stewart (played by Eiza González), for example, who may possibly have had some role behind the scenes of Operation Postmaster. However, unlike in the film which has her wielding pistols and taking down Nazi officers, she certainly wasn’t physically present on the mission.

Equally, the movie adds further ‘flavour’ to proceedings by changing the methods used during Operation Postmaster. While audiences watch Cavill and co. blowing up ships and taking them to the bottom of the ocean, in real life, there was no such explosive combat: the primary plan was always to steal the ships, rather than sink them if it could be avoided. And the commandos, led by Gus March-Phillipps, weren’t really court-martialled by the military either.

On the whole, the mission was less brutally violent than The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare would have you believe. It went completely according to plan.

So, what did Operation Postmaster really entail?

The real history behind The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’s Operation Postmaster

Operation Postmaster was an audacious and meticulously planned clandestine mission, carried out by the Special Operations Executive in January 1942, with the objective of undermining and disrupting Axis supply lines.

SOE had been established in 1940 by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill. By this time, the Axis powers were firmly entrenched in various strategic locations across the globe and, recognising the importance of undermining these positions, SOE was tasked with conducting espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe and beyond. Its purpose was to progress the Allies’ aims through unorthodox warfare, alongside more conventional military tactics.

Working with the SOE, a more contained unit was formed of 55 commandoes personnel – No. 62 Commando, or the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) – in 1941.

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Against this backdrop, in early 1942 Operation Postmaster was conceived as the first mission for SSRF, and Fernando Po, a Spanish island in the Gulf of Guinea (now Bioko in Equatorial Guinea), emerged as a focal point.

Despite Spain's neutrality within the war, the island harboured Axis ships, including the Italian merchant vessel Duchessa d'Aosta, and two Nazi ships. These ships were potential supply and intelligence assets for the Axis powers, therefore posing a threat to Allied naval operations in the South Atlantic.

Operation Postmaster had a clear and ambitious objective: to capture or, only if necessary, destroy the ships to prevent them from supporting Axis operations, damaging supply lines and naval capabilities in the region. Simultaneously, this would prove the Allies’ ability to impact ostensibly neutral territories.

So, on the night of 14 January 1942, a small force of British commandos and naval personnel, led by a special operations commando named Major Gustavus March-Phillipps, approached Fernando Po using two tug boats to travel undetected.

In the darkness, the commandos infiltrated the harbour, cutting the moorings of the Axis ships. They attached towlines to the ships and began bringing them out to sea.

The commandos faced minimal resistance, and the three vessels were successfully towed to Lagos, Nigeria. The captured vessels were later repurposed to aid the Allied war effort.

The bold operation unfolded smoothly and was executed without a single shot fired, a testament to the meticulous planning and flawless execution by the Allied forces. The ships were neutralised as threats, and the Allies demonstrated their capability to conduct high-risk operations with precision.

Was Gus March-Phillips a real historical figure?

Yes, Gus March-Phillips was a real figure who served the British military during the Second World War, and played a central role in Operation Postmaster.

For the most part, the rest of the characters in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare all also have real-life counterparts, but there are some key differences.

In the movie, Brigadier Colin Gubbins orchestrates Operation Postmaster behind the scenes and in reality he would have signed off the plan, while it was SOE agent Leonard Guise who was primarily entrusted with planning and executing it alongside March-Phillips.

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Similarly, the real figures of Anders Lassen, Geoffrey Appleyard, and Marjorie Stewart were all involved to varying degrees, though the film’s Agent Heron, Freddy Alvarez, and Heinrich Luhr are fictional.

What happened to Gus March-Phillipps after Operation Postmaster?

Following Operation Postmaster, Gus March-Phillipps was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order, a military award for successful leadership on active operation, and for gallantry.

Less than a year after Operation Postmaster, in September 1942, March-Phillipps was killed in active service combat during the failed Operation Aquatint. The aim of Operation Aquatint had been to collect information, test Nazi defences, and take a prisoner, via a raid on the coast of occupied France.

However, the commandos on the mission couldn’t correctly identify their target in the darkness and Operation Aquatint failed in its execution. Some of its commandos were killed in combat – including March-Phillips. Others were captured, and some escaped.

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What happened to Anders Lassen?

Anders Lassen was awarded a Military Cross commendation for his role in Operation Postmaster. Following the success of the mission, he then joined the newly formed Special Boat Service (SBS), going on to fight in in Europe and Africa, rising to the rank of major.

Lassen died aged 24 on 9 April 1945, just months before the war ended. He was killed in active service, in Italy during Operation Roast.

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Lassen was tasked with attacking fortified enemy pill boxes on the northern shore of Lake Comacchio to give the impression of a major landing, and instigate confusion and chaos among the enemy ranks. He attacked with grenades and guns, before being killed by enemy fire.

Lassen was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his service.

What happened to Marjorie Stewart?

After the events of Operation Postmaster, Marjorie Stewart married Gus March-Phillips later in 1942. Their marriage lasted only a handful of months prior to her husband’s death.

Following the end of the Second World War, Marjorie Stewart pursued a career as an actor.

She died in 1988.

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