Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Warrent Officer 2nd Class

Unit:

Military Intelligence Section 9 (MI9), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), War Office, British Government

Awarded on:

September 20th, 1945

Citation:
"After serving with the Eigth Amy in Crete and Lybia, C.S.M. CARUDEL volunteered for a special mission to France in March 1942. He was brought to the United Kingdom for special training and was parachuted to France in March 1943 to work with an important organisation.
His special mission was to be the reception of clandestine air landing and parachute operations and, within two months of his arrival in France, he had already found several suitable landing grounds and organised parachute operations one of which was successfully completed.
In the same period he had inspected seven out of the eight sectors of the reseau spread over widely seperated parts of France and the reports he made were of great assistance to the head of the network in widening its scope. He had also completely re-organised one of these sectors which had been broken up by the arrest of its leaders.
He continued his dangerous work with the same energy as right hand man to the head of the reseau and, during the latter's absence in the United Kingdom, acted as second in command of the whole group.
During the critical times in the Autumn of 1943 when the enemy counter-intelligence services had all but destroyed four of the principal sectors of the organisation and had prepared a well laid trap to arrest the principal members of the group, C.S.M. CARUDEL's extraordinary resourcefulness and fearless disregard for dangers were one of the principal factors which enabled the reseau o continue its activities and reconstitute the last sectors. In the course of his encounters with the enemy during this period C.S.M. CARUDEL persoanllyy liquidated three Gestapo agents.
C.S.M CARUDEL returned to Great Britain by a clandestine air operation in April 1944 after brilliantly completing the above mission. He had taken a leading part in the expansion of the reseau into one of the most important sources of secret intelligence in France in spite of the many reverses it suffered during that period, and had displayed outstanding courage and devotion to duty throughout his mission."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Warrent Officer 2nd Class

Unit:

Military Intelligence Section 9 (MI9), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), War Office, British Government

Awarded on:

September 20th, 1945

Citation:
"After successfully accomplishing a most dangerous mission in France in 1943 lasting nearly a year, for which he has been recommended for the M.M., this W.O. with great gallantry, volunteered for a second mission, although by then well known to and actively pursued by the enemy.
This work entailed extensive travelling under dangerous conditions in enemy occupied territory; CARUDEL was obliged to pass enemy Check Posts and came under scrutiny of enemy train guards. The risks which he ran were greatly increased owing to the fact that he was not a Frenchman, also by the fact that he was a well known figure on the French race courses as a jockey. If it had not been for his exceptional coolness and courage, especially on occasions when his travel papers which were invariably forged were not entirely "in order", it would not have been possible for him to continue this dangerous work. Apart from this, the dangers which he ran when organising the compromised sector of his reseau during his first tour of duty in enemy occupied territory were extreme and increased the risks incurred on his return to France; in fact he had become well known to the Gestapo figuring on their counter espionage lists as British Lieutenant.
Some time after his arrival he was arrested with the head of the intelligence reseau to which he was attached. He endeavoured to save his chef but, finding this impossible, made his escape under enemy fire and succeeded in warning all concerned. Showing great personal courage, he organised another attempt to effect the escape of his chef and, having failed, took over control of the organisation. With complete disregard for his own safety he succeeded in re-grouping it and maintaining contact with London under the most difficult conditions until the liberation of France.
Command of his reseau ranked in the eyes of the French Resistance Movement as a Lieutenant Colonel's appointment and he was in fact deemed to hold, whilst in the field, the honorary grade of Commandant.
Captured documents show that during the whole of the period his organisation was considered by the enemy counter-intelligence services as one of the most dangerous in France, and that all the means at their disposal were employed in the effort to achieve its destruction.
Throughout his mission, although in constant danger, C.S.M. CARUDEL exhibited the greatest qualities of courage, determination and leadership, inspiring all members of his organisation by his example of unsparing effort and unfailing cheerfulness."