The son of Isaac K Kaplowitch and Marion Greenham, pre and post war he worked in the silk trade like his father. He married Brigid M Anderson (daughter of General Anderson who commanded 1st British Army in Tunisia) in 1942 in Cambridge and she became ATS subaltern. The couple had a son in 1944 and a daughter in 1948. Brigid died in London in 1958 aged only 36.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleshill House, GHQ | Commanding Officer Royal Signals | 04 Oct 1940 | 14 Jan 1941 |
| Massingham Mission | SOE Agent | 10 Nov 1943 | 24 Feb 1943 |
| Massingham Mission | SOE Agent | 10 Nov 1943 | 24 Feb 1943 |
Silk trade
13 April 1939 Appointed 2 Lieutenant Royal Signals (TA) London Division Signals
30 May 1939 Reported in the London Gazette
30 Aug 1939 Embedded in Unit
31 Dec to 13 Jan 1940 Anti Gas Course
21 April 1940 Held on Command of 1 London Division Signals
4 May 1940 Embarked with 5th Independent [Commando] Company as part of Scissor Force.
Colonel Gubbins was given command of "Scissorsforce", consisting of Nos. 1, 3, 4, and 5 Independent Companies, and ordered to prevent the Germans occupying Bodø, Mo and Mosjøen in Norway. Part of the force (Nos. 4 and 5 Independent Companies) arrived at Mosjøen on 8 May. Early on 10 May, they successfully ambushed the leading Germans advancing on Mosjøen from the south, but were harassed by Luftwaffe aircraft during the long daylight hours and were outmatched by the main body of German Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops). Exhausted, they were withdrawn by a Norwegian coaster to Bodø on 11 May.
10 June 1940 Returned from North Western Expeditionary Force from Bodo, during the Norway Campaign and brought back to the UK.
26 July 1940 - 3 Aug 1940 and 20 Aug 1940 - 8 Sept 1940 hospital patient.
4 Oct 1940 First Signals Officer at Coleshill.
14 Jan 1941 Acting Captain.
15 Mar 1941 Joined SOE. Signals Instructor at Beaulieu Finishing School.
1 Jan 1942 Transferred to wireless training.
22 April 1942 Temporary Major.
29 Aug 1942 Attached to H. Section for Special Duties
1 Oct 1942 SOE Instructor on Massingham Mission, in North Africa.
10 Nov 1942 - 24 Feb 1943. Kaplowitch was involved with "Operation Torch" landing in Algiers. One hand written report states that he personally took command of 6giers, Commando. It goes on to say he had organised the SOE [Signals] at Algiers, Oran, Casablanca and Gibraltar.
5 July 1943 Transferred to MS Section.
25 Jan 1944 Relinquishes commission on grounds of ill health. Honorary rank of Major.
An article in Manchester Evening News 26 October 1960, reports he parachuted into enemy territory and worked under Colonel Maurice Buckmaster, who had been in Intelligence Corps SOE in France.
Army List Mrs Brigid Kaplowitch 1944
The Sketch 2 June 1943
Manchester Evening News 26 October 1960
TNA ref HS 9/820/6