Operation mincemeat, p.40
Operation Mincemeat, page 40
18 “They are all there”: NA [naval attaché] Madrid to Department of Naval Intelligence, Telegram 111925, May 12, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.
19 “From his manner it was obvious”: Ibid.
20 “It is obvious [that the] contents of [the] bag”: Ibid.
21 “While I do not believe”: Ibid.
22 “If you concur I will ask”: Ibid.
23 “the genuineness of the report”: Rick Atkinson, The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy 1943–1945 (London, 2007), p. 6.
24 “He is absolutely sick of the generals”: Ibid.
25 “Behind his rimless spectacles”: David Kahn, Hitler’s Spies: German Military Intelligence in World War II (New York, 2000), p. 424.
26 “The Germans studied each phrase”: Ewen Montagu, “Draft Proposal for Compiler of MI5 History,” July 24, 1945, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.
27 “Discovery of the English Courier”: TNA, CAB 154/101, p. 200.
28 “On the corpse of an English courier”: Ibid.
29 “an experienced specialist”: Ibid.
30 “Large scale amphibious operations”: Ibid.
31 “A jocular remark in this letter”: Ibid.
32 “The proposed cover operation”: Ibid.
33 “operation could be mounted”: Ibid.
34 “still in action”: Ibid.
35 “must first be rested”: Ibid.
36 “at least two or three weeks”: Ibid.
37 “It is known to the British Staff”: Ibid.
38 “It is, therefore, to be hoped”: Ibid.
39 “initiate a misleading plan”: Ibid.
40 “News of this discovery will”: Ibid.
41 “The circumstances of the discovery”: Ibid.
42 “unless these were clearly”: Thaddeus Holt, The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War (London, 2004), p. 102.
43 “wishfulness”: John Godfrey, “Afterthoughts,” TNA, ADM 223/619, p. 10.
Chapter Eighteen: Mincemeat Digested
1 “Hitler had implicit faith”: David Alan Johnson, Righteous Deception: German Officers Against Hitler (Westport, Conn., 2001), p. 77.
2 “the Western allies would protest”: Ibid.
3 “exactly what Hitler wanted to hear”: Ibid.
4 “Hitler was greatly impressed”: Ibid.
5 “It was his mission to produce”: Ibid. p. 78.
6 “an intellectual but”: David Kahn, Hitler’s Spies: German Military Intelligence in World War II (New York, 2000), p. 426.
7 “because of their origins”: Ibid.
8 “if Germany should give in to”: Thaddeus Holt, The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War (London, 2004), p. 101.
9 “his way of fighting the Nazi war”: Johnson, Righteous Deception, p.
10 “In a moment now I shall be going”: Cited in Albert Edward Day, Dialogue and Destiny (New York, 1981), p. 91.
11 “absolutely convincing proof”: TNA, CAB 154/101, p. 200.
12 “resounding Abwehr success”: Ibid.
13 “frousty, peevish and petulant”: John Godfrey, “Afterthoughts,” TNA, ADM 223/619, p. 63.
14 “he had to duck each time he had”: TNA, ADM 223/792.
15 “surprising that we only have five”: Ibid.
16 “an enemy landing on a large scale”: Most Secret Source report 2571/ T4, TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 456.
17 “a source which may be regarded”: Ibid.
18 “It is very unusual for an intelligence”: Naval Intelligence Department 12 report, September 2, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.
19 “So far as I can recollect”: Ibid.
20 “Everyone jumped up and down”: Pat Davies, interview with the author, October 4, 2009.
21 “almost certain”: Most Secret Source report 2571/T4, TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 456.
22 “similar details from the letter”: Ibid.
23 “the Germans were reinforcing”: Unpublished note in Montagu Papers, October 7, 1976, IWM 97/45/1, folder #4.
24 “wonderful days”: Ibid.
25 “the right people and from best”: Michael Howard, Grand Strategy (London, 1972), p. 370.
26 “You will be pleased to learn”: Ewen Montagu, The Man Who Never Was (Oxford, 1996), p. 176.
27 “Friday was almost too good”: Ewen Montagu to Iris Montagu, May 16, 1943, Montagu Letters.
28 “proved that we had convinced them”: Ewen Montagu, unpublished, undated account, October 7, 1976, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.
29 “According to information”: F. W. Deakin, The Brutal Friendship: Mussolini, Hitler and the Fall of Italian Fascism (London, 1962), p. 376.
30 “in strict confidence”: Ibid., p. 377.
31 “Jordana begged me not to”: Ibid.
32 “especially as he wanted”: Ibid.
33 “Christian, couldn’t this be a corpse”: David Irving, Hitler’s War (London, 1977), p. 586.
34 “It is to be expected that”: Deakin, Brutal Friendship, p. 377.
35 “the original German appreciation”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 457.
36 “all German commands”: Deakin, Brutal Friendship, p. 377.
37 “Where do we go from Sicily?”: Rick Atkinson, The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy 1943–1945 (London, 2007), p. 14.
38 “The main task which lies before us”: Ibid., p. 15.
39 “War is full of mysteries and surprises”: Ibid., p. 22.
40 “What you think is going”: Ibid., p. 25.
41 “Appetite unbridled”: Ibid.
42 “to a document that had been”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 457.
43 “security flap”: Ibid.
44 “Arrangements could then be made”: Ibid.
45 “We earnestly debated”: Ralph Bennett, Ultra and Mediterranean Strategy 1941–1945 (London, 1989), p. 227.
46 “The evaluation office attach special”: TNA, CAB 154/67.
47 “The latter immediately despatched”: Most Secret Source report, May 13, 1943, 1837, Berlin to Madrid Telegram No. 117 for “Samoza,” headed: “Ref your Most secret of 9/5/43,” CAB 154/67.
48 “Oberst Lt. Pardo on the 10th May”: ABW 2282/43, TNA, CAB 154/101.
49 “The result of his investigations”: Ibid.
50 “In contrast to the first statement”: Ibid.
51 “He (the Minister for Marine)”: Ibid.
52 “A search for the remains”: Ibid.
53 “The fishermen state”: Ibid.
54 “A medical examination”: Ibid.
55 “Bag not yet arrived”: Ewen Montagu to Alan Hilgarth, Telegram 877, May 18, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
56 “a small, sealed bag”: Ibid.
57 “Evidence that operation successful”: Ibid.
58 “reported that there was great excitement”: Alan Hillgarth Memo, undated, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.
59 “I naturally asked him to find out”: Ibid.
60 “said that immediately he heard”: Alan Hillgarth to DNI, Telegram 171914, part I, TNA, CAB 154/67.
61 “Why did you go to so much trouble?”: Ibid.
62 “I was anxious no one should have”: Ibid.
63 “He obviously did not know”: Alan Hillgarth to DNI, Telegram 171914, part I, TNA, CAB 154/67.
64 “It can be taken as a certainty”: Ibid.
65 “He told me that all his information”: Deakin, Brutal Friendship, pp. 377–78.
66 “The operation has given conclusive”: Ewen Montagu, report, May 29, 1943, IWM, 97/45/1, folder #2.
67 “The seals were photographed”: Report of Special Examiners, May 21, 1943, IWM, 97/45/1, folder #5.
68 “Although we can say that there”: Ibid.
69 “sharper than one made in it when”: Ibid.
70 “once symmetrically and secondly”: Ibid.
71 “it was not done on exactly”: Ewen Montagu to producer of The Secret War, IWM 97/45/1, folder #5.
72 “as the letter began to dry”: Report of Special Examiners, May 21, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #5.
73 “when the letter is folded up”: Ibid.
74 “Inform Minister of Marine as soon”: Department of Naval Intelligence to Naval Attaché Madrid, undated notes, TNA, CAB 154/67 (possibly not sent).
75 “letters [were] in fact opened”: TNA, CAB 154/67.
76 “likely to pass it on”: Ibid
77 “Important there should be no”: Ibid.
Chapter Nineteen: Hitler Loses Sleep
1 “consisted of comments”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 459
2 “No further doubts remain”: Telegram SSDMBBZ 725, TNA, CAB 154/101.
3 “whether the enemy”: Ibid.
4 “urgent”: Ibid.
5 “reply immediately ‘since we’”: Ibid.
6 “It is the opinion”: Ibid.
7 “since only in this case”: Ibid.
8 “absurd”: Ibid.
9 “This shows how wrong a staff”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 459.
10 “comprise the whole of”: Ibid.
11 “be continued after the”: Ibid.
12 “It must be especially”: Ibid.
13 “personal squiggle”: Ewen Montagu, The Man Who Never Was (Oxford, 1996), p. 184.
14 “The Führer does not agree”: F. W. Deakin, The Brutal Friendship: Mussolini, Hitler and the Fall of Italian Fascism (London, 1962), p. 379.
15 “It is also clear from documents”: Ibid., p. 383.
16 “Within the next few days”: Ibid. p. 383.
17 “It is very unusual and very difficult”: Michael I. Handel, War Strategy and Intelligence (London, 1989), p. 436.
18 “targets of enemy operation”: Deakin, Brutal Friendship, p. 378.
19 “the Allies wanted to advance”: Ibid., p. 379.
20 “You can forget Sicily”: Ralph Bennett, Ultra and Mediterranean Strategy 1941–1945 (London, 1989), p. 227.
21 “that the Allied attack”: TNA, CAB 154/67, p. 64.
22 “Allied submarines had received”: Ibid.
23 “forwarded it to Belgrade and Sofia”: Ibid.
24 “The reports coming from”: Ibid., p. 64.
25 “congenital obsession about the Balkans”: Michael Howard, Grand Strategy (London, 1972), p. 92.
26 “In the last few days”: Deakin, Brutal Friendship, p. 379.
27 “the danger is that they will establish”: Ibid., p. 380.
28 “as a precaution to take a further”: Ibid.
29 “natural”: Ibid., p. 381.
30 “If a landing takes place”: Ibid.
31 “I have therefore decided”: Ibid.
32 “Sardinia is particularly threatened”: Ibid.
33 “In the event of the loss”: Ibid.
34 “He foresaw that from Sardinia”: Ibid., p. 375.
35 “through the Spaniards and not directly”: IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.
36 “The Italian High Command”: IWM, 97/45/1, folder #2.
37 “information from an absolutely”: Deakin, Brutal Friendship, p. 386.
38 “There would be troop and transport”: Ewen Montagu to J. H. Bevan, et al., June 8, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67, p. 64.
39 “German circles here have a story”: NA to Department of Naval Intelligence, June 1, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
40 “The degree of Spanish complicity”: Ewen Montagu, undated draft letter, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.
41 “adding to our knowledge of German”: Ewen Montagu to “C,” June 21, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.
42 “simultaneous landings in Sardinia”: Crichton to J. H. Bevan, August 4, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
43 “our refrigerated friend”: Ibid.
44 “had come round to the same view”: Thaddeus Holt, The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War (London, 2004), p. 378.
45 “camouflage”: Joseph Goebbels, The Goebbels Diaries (London, 1948), June 25, 1943.
46 “The truth is whatever helps bring victory”: David Irving, Goebbels, p. 437.
47 “Despite all the assertions”: Ibid., p. 433.
48 “resounding”: TNA, CAB 154/101, p. 200.
49 “The Times has once again sunk”: David Irving, Goebbels, p. 421.
50 “velvety-arsed and Rolls Royce”: Rick Atkinson, The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy 1943–1945 (London, 2007), p. 52.
51 “I had a long discussion with”: The Goebbels Diaries, May 25, 1943.
52 “The general outline of English plans”: Ibid.
53 “Try to find out if Greek troops”: Most Secret Source report, received June 7, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
54 “to investigate the presence”: Tomas Harris, Garbo: The Spy Who Saved D-Day (London, 2004), p. 135.
55 “the only serious danger”: “Dowager” (Dudley Clarke) to “Chaucer,” May 20, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
56 “legal or illegal exhumation”: Ibid.
57 “By the time that he had been”: Ewen Montagu to J. H. Bevan, May 28, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
58 “Although no one in this world”: Ibid.
59 “Suggest unless unusual”: Ewen Montagu to Alan Hillgarth, Telegram 878, May 21, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
60 “This to be done unless restrictions”: Ewen Montagu to Alan Hillgarth, Telegram 879, TNA, CAB 154/67.
61 “Please send me ordinary cipher”: Alan Hillgarth to Ewen Montagu, Telegram, May 23, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
62 “suggest Consul place wreath”: Ewen Montagu to Alan Hillgarth, Telegram 878, May 21, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
63 “as fast as possible”: Ibid.
64 “The purpose of this was not only”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 452.
65 “Sir, In accordance with instructions”: Alan Hillgarth to Ewen Montagu, June 6, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.
66 “I have been asked”: Ewen Montagu to Alan Hillgarth, May 26, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.
67 “Could you possibly procure”: Ibid.
68 “A reasonable reward of not more”: Ewen Montagu to Alan Hillgarth, Telegram 880, May 23, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
69 “No action is to be taken”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 457.
70 “Insert the following entry”: Note to casualty section, May 20, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.
71 “and, if so, where was it?”: Montagu, Man Who Never Was, p. 178.
72 “distinguished film and stage actor”: Times, June 4, 1943.
73 “severe loss to the British theatre”: Ibid.
74 “The only decent thing they can do”: Ben Macintyre, Times, Dec. 30, 2008.
75 “the first German Panzer Division”: Director of Naval Intelligence notes, May 31, 1943, TNA, ADM 223/353.
76 “arrangements for the passage”: Ewen Montagu to J. H. Bevan, et al., June 8, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67, p. 64.
77 “strategic position well suited”: Ibid.
78 “completely reequipped”: Bennett, Ultra and Mediterranean Strategy, p. 224.
79 “It is now about half way between”: Ewen Montagu to J. H. Bevan, et al., June 8, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67, p. 64.
80 “The present situation is summed”: Ibid.
81 “They raised (but did not pursue)”: Ibid.
82 “Mincemeat has already resulted”: Ewen Montagu, report, May 29, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.
83 “I think that at this half way stage”: Ewen Montagu, “Draft Proposal for Compiler of MI5 History,” July 24, 1945, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.
Chapter Twenty: Seraph and Husky
1 “moderately vile”: Terence Robertson, The Ship with Two Captains: The Story of the “Secret Mission Submarine” (London, 1957), p. 125.
2 “You are to act as guide and beacon”: Ibid., p. 124.
3 “for the first waves”: Ibid.
4 “had delivered his false information”: Ibid., p. 126.
5 “His force was to land in three parts”: Ibid., p. 124.
6 “He was really very short with us”: N. L. A. Jewell, Audiotape 12278, 1991, IWM.
7 “Do as good a job for us”: Robertson, Ship with Two Captains, p. 125.
8 “Discovery”: Ibid., p. 127.
9 “If substantial German ground troops”: Dwight Eisenhower to Winston Churchill, March 28, 1943, cited in Michael I. Handel, War Strategy and Intelligence (London, 1989), p. 437.
10 “The submarines would be less”: Robertson, Ship with Two Captains, p 125.
11 “The American High Command”: Lt. N. L. A. Jewell, Secret Mission Submarine: Action Report of the HMS Seraph (London, 1944), p. 106.
12 “a really de luxe experience”: Ibid.
13 “most exclusive spot”: Ibid
14 “The Wren Trap”: Ibid.
15 “None of the doors opened”: Robertson, Ship with Two Captains, p. 139.
16 “Bloody heap ain’t got no springs”: Ibid.
17 “could turn out a meal”: Jewell, Secret Mission Submarine, p. 100.
18 “E-boat on port quarter, Sir”: Robertson, Ship with Two Captains, p. 126.
19 “a clearly visible silhouette”: Ibid., p. 127.
20 “It was a ticklish moment”: Jewell, Secret Mission Submarine, p. 111.
21 “the fat would have been”: Ibid.
22 “undecided about her identity”: Ibid.
23 “I knew that would be a recognition”: Ibid.
24 “Down she went in a few seconds”: Robertson, Ship with Two Captains, p. 127.
25 “The captain of the E-boat”: Ibid.
26 “wonderfully conceited”: John Follain, Mussolini’s Island: The Untold Story of the Invasion of Italy (London, 2005), p. 14.
27 “an exceptionally small head”: Atkinson, The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy 1943–1945 (London, 2007), p. 131.
28 “His knowledge of how to”: Follain, Mussolini’s Island, p. 13.
29 “military disaster”: Atkinson, The Day of Battle, p. 53.
30 “You cannot, you must not, be interesting”: Ibid., p. 34.
31 “the availability of aircraft and gliders”: Wilson to CIGS, May 16, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
32 “gross breach of security”: Ibid.
33 “Colonel Knox may well have assisted”: “Chaucer” to “Dowager,” May 19, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.
34 “athletic, middle-aged, of medium height”: Terry Crowdy, Deceiving Hitler: Double Cross and Deception in World War II (London, 2008), p. 196.
35 “an agent of very high class”: Thaddeus Holt, The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War (London, 2004), p. 360.
36 “who had promised him”: Tomas Harris, Garbo: The Spy Who Saved D-Day (London, 2004), p. 316.
