John Todd was unusual as he apparently worked on both the Operational and Special Duties side of Auxiliary Units. He is described as "a great character and obviously a good brain". He was very good at bridge and played regularly at the Portland Club. However he spoke very little about his wartime service.
George Vater of Special Duties "Harcourt" at Llantilio Crossenny Church was adamant John Todd was known to him as "Tommy Atkins" and was the Intelligence Officer for the Special Duties Branch. He recalled he lived at Llanfihangel Crucorny (Telephone Crucorny 318). Although Todd's career took him away from Auxiliary Units, Vater was adamant he met him in and around Abergavenny during the war. He recalled T.A, as he was known, would turn up for meetings wearing an unusual hat full of fishing flies. Near the end of the war Vater asked a Police Sergeant who or what T.A was, only to be told he was an eccentric who did a lot of fishing.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herefordshire | Intelligence Officer | 22 Jul 1940 | Unknown |
| Worcestershire | Intelligence Officer | 22 Jul 1940 | 14 Jul 1941 |
| Sir Fynwy | Intelligence Officer | 22 Jul 1940 | 01 Jul 1941 |
| Monmouthshire | Intelligence Officer | 22 Jul 1940 | 01 Jul 1941 |
| East Africa Mission | SOE Agent | 1942 | 1943 |
| Harcourt, Ardal 18 | Intelligence Officer | Unknown | Unknown |
| Harcourt, Area 18 | Intelligence Officer | Unknown | Unknown |
1913 - 1916 Oundle School, Northamptonshire
Finance
1915 to 1916 - Oundle School, Officer Training Corps.
1918 - Cadet, Number 2 RTA cadet school, Honourable Artillery Company, Weedon.
1918 - Qualified Signalling Instructor.
22 May to 14 July 1940 - Attached Statistical research centre.
31 May 1940 - Joined for duty Military Intelligence IX. Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant. General list emergency, without pay and allowances (possibly with the Section D Home Defence Scheme).
15 July 1940 - GHQ, Home Forces, Auxiliary Units and paid from Army Funds (ie no longer in Military Intelligence).
22 July 1940 - Appointed Intelligence Officer for Special Duties. Acting Captain. To receive pay and allowances of his rank.
16 Aug to 30 Aug 1940 - Special Training Centre, Loch Ailort, Scotland.
6 Sept to 9 Sept 1940 - Home Forces Training School, Faringdon, Wiltshire (first Aux Units HQ).
22 Oct 1940 - Temp Captain and War sub Lieutenant.
23 July 1941 - Posted to Inter Services Research Bureau, with the acting rank of Major and reported.
28 July 1941 - To be specially employed, without Army pay and allowances and granted acting rank of Major. Proceeded overseas.
20 Aug 1941 - Local Lieutenant Colonel.
Aug 1941 to Nov 1942 - East African Mission SOE, for invasion of Madagascar.
23 Oct 1941 - Temp Major, War sub Captain.
1 Aug 1942 - Acting Lieutenant Colonel. Temp Lieutenant Colonel and War sub Major.
15 March 1943 - Relinquishes Temp Lieutenant Colonel. Lieutenant Colonel. Posted Civil Affairs Centre, General Staff Officer 2. Ceases to be specially employed, and entitled to renumeration from Army funds.
24 Sept 1943 - Relinquishes ? ?
26 Sept 1943 - Acting Lieutenant Colonel. Relinquishes local Lieutenant Colonel. For appointment as Chief Industries and Resources section (Col) ? HQ ? gov section, Italy
26 Sept 1943 to ? - Central Mediterranean Force
26 Sept 1943 - Emplaned UK for Algars
26 March 1944 - Temp Colonel and War sub Lieutenant Colonel
20 June 1944 to 29 Jan 1945 - Central Mediterranean Force.
16 Jan 1945 - Embarked for UK, and struck of strength, Central Mediterranean Force.
29 Jan 1945 - Disembarked UK. Posted I Pool ICD, retains temp rank of Colonel. Relinquishes appointment as Chief of Industries and Resources section (Col) and retains Temp Colonel, Italy.
31 March 1945 - Relinquishes temp rank of Colonel.
26 May 1945 - To be relegated to unemployment. Honorary Colonel.
1 June 1945 - Relegated to unemployment.
The son of George and Emily Todd.
A WW1 veteran he served as Signaller 626363 in Honorary Artillery Company from 16 Nov 1917 to 14 Feb 1919.
Pre-war he worked as a stockbroker. In 1939 he and his wife Phyllis (nee Simpkins, married 1922) are living at Shibber Grove, Higher Denham, Buckinghamshire. After the war he returned to stockbroking, becoming senior partner with Rowe Swan.
In his mid-fifties he had a heart attack and retired.
Between 1961-1965 he was a Commissioner of Public Works.
Todd was awarded a CBE (Civil Division) in 1963 Queens Birthday Honours list.
Service Record via Chris Perry