The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare — Equatorial Guinea
January 15 1942 — a small SAS team seizes the Italian cargo ship Duchessa d'Aosta from this neutral Spanish harbour in an officially deniable raid.
Operation Postmaster was led by Major Gus March-Phillipps and the Small Scale Raiding Force. The Duchessa d'Aosta was carrying supplies used by German U-boats targeting Atlantic convoys. Spain protested the violation of its neutrality; Britain denied all knowledge. The mission is considered the first successful SAS operation.