Operation Sabre facts for kids

Operation Sabre was a secret mission carried out by the Royal Navy (the British navy) during World War II. Its main goal was to cut important Japanese communication cables. These cables connected the cities of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) and Singapore. The operation used a special, small submarine called an X-Craft and took place in the Saigon River delta on July 31, 1945.

What Was Operation Sabre?

Operation Sabre was a daring plan to stop Japanese forces from communicating. The target was a telephone cable that ran between Hong Kong and Saigon. Cutting this cable would make it harder for the Japanese to send messages and coordinate their actions.

The X-Craft Submarine: XE4

The mission was carried out by a tiny submarine known as XE4. This small vessel was towed close to the Mekong Delta by a larger submarine, HMS Spearhead. Once near the target area, XE4 would operate on its own.

Finding the Cables

Vernon Ginger Coles was the pilot of XE4. He steered the submarine carefully, looking for the underwater telephone cables. To find them, XE4 used a special tool called a grapnel. A grapnel is like a small anchor with many hooks, towed behind the submarine to snag cables on the seabed.

Cutting the Cables

XE4 eventually snagged the first cable. The crew managed to pull it about 10 feet (3.0 m) off the seabed. Sub-Lieutenant K.M. Briggs, a diver from XE4, then used a special cutter to snip the cable.

Soon after, the second cable was also found. Sub-Lieutenant A. Bergius, another diver, cut this one. Two divers were needed because working deep underwater is very tiring and dangerous. Divers could only spend a short time at certain depths to stay safe.

The Mission's End

After successfully cutting both cables, XE4 and its towing submarine, Spearhead, returned to their base. They arrived safely in Labuan on August 3, 1945.

Heroes of Operation Sabre

Lieutenant Maxwell H. Shean was the commanding officer of the midget submarine HMS XE4. He was a brave officer from the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve. For his excellent leadership and courage during Operation Sabre, he received the American Bronze Star Medal in March 1947. He had already earned the DSO and a bar (meaning he received it twice) for other heroic actions.