As London prepares for next year’s Olympic Games, a retired sailor has lifted the lid on a Cold War rescue mission in which a Navy warship was scrambled to save...the OLYMPIC FLAME.

The torch was being transported through the continent on its way to London for the 1948 games at the height of hostilities during post War Europe.

Military top brass intercepted a radio transmission from Yugoslavian dictator Josip Tito indicating he planned to sabotage the games by intercepting the torch on its passage through the country.

Fearing the Communist tyrant would extinguish the flame in a defiant message to Europe’s new world order, the Navy warship HMS Whitesand Bay was scrambled to ferry the flame to safety.

Safe passage

The 286ft ship, which lay off the coast of Yugoslavia intercepting outgoing transmissions, sailed to Corfu to ensure the flame was afforded safe passage to the Italian port of Bari - bypassing the Communist state altogether.

The full details of the incredible 1947 mission have only been known by a handful of historians and crew members – until now.

Former Able Seamen Brian McCabe, who was 17 at the time, recalled the ‘’surreal’’ moment his fellow crew became involved in an Olympic rescue bid.

Former radar operator Mr McCabe, 82, of Bigbury, Devon, said: ‘’It was incredible.

‘’One minute we were undertaking our routine manoeuvres and intercept techniques and the next we were involved in what was a crucial rescue mission.

‘’Every man on board recognised the importance of transporting the flame safely.

‘’It was very exciting to be involved at the time and it’s certainly not the sort of thing you expect. But that’s the joy of being a serving Navy seaman.’’

Rather than travel north through Yugoslavia and then across mainland Europe to England, the ship collected the torch and ferried it to Bari, Italy, where a British sailor passed it on to the next runner.

Mr McCabe of Bigbury, Devon explained how the crew lit a second boiler on board the ship as well as a cauldron and a lantern in the engineer’s cabin to ensure the flame could not go out.

Grandfather-of-seven Mr McCabe added: ‘’We had to keep the Olympic Flame alight at all costs. ‘’Our two crewmen went down into Bari and ran up the main street. They were then met by the Italian runners, who carried on.

‘’It was amazing to have been a part of it all.’’ Mr McCabe left the Navy in 1954 and worked in sales until he retired.