Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory (64 page)

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Authors: Ben Macintyre

Tags: #General, #Psychology, #Europe, #History, #Great Britain, #20th Century, #Political Freedom & Security, #Intelligence, #Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence, #Political Science, #Espionage, #Modern, #World War, #1939-1945, #Military, #Italy, #Naval, #World War II, #Secret service, #Sicily (Italy), #Deception, #Military - World War II, #War, #History - Military, #Military - Naval, #Military - 20th century, #World War; 1939-1945, #Deception - Spain - Atlantic Coast - History - 20th century, #Naval History - World War II, #Ewen, #Military - Intelligence, #World War; 1939-1945 - Secret service - Great Britain, #Sicily (Italy) - History; Military - 20th century, #1939-1945 - Secret service - Great Britain, #Atlantic Coast (Spain), #1939-1945 - Spain - Atlantic Coast, #1939-1945 - Campaigns - Italy - Sicily, #Intelligence Operations, #Deception - Great Britain - History - 20th century, #Atlantic Coast (Spain) - History, #Montagu, #Atlantic Coast (Spain) - History; Military - 20th century, #Sicily (Italy) - History, #World War; 1939-1945 - Campaigns - Italy - Sicily, #Operation Mincemeat, #Montagu; Ewen, #World War; 1939-1945 - Spain - Atlantic Coast

33
“with instructions to burn”: N. L. A. Jewell, operational orders, March 31, 1943, TNA, ADM 223/464.

34
“Operation known as Mincemeat”: Telegram from T. A. Robertson, MI5, to DSO Gibraltar, April 22, 1943, TNA, CAB 154/67.

35
“something of a shock”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 4.

36
“sailors had been sleeping”: Ibid.

37
“the vital need for absolute secrecy”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 451.

38
“Isn’t it pretty unlucky”: Montagu,
Man Who Never Was
, p. 170.

39
“a close range reconnaissance”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 4.

40
“easy, even enjoyable”: Ibid.

41
“The operation had to be carried”: N. L. A. Jewell, operational orders, March 31, 1943, TNA, ADM 223/464.

42
“an onshore wind”: Ibid.

43
“The next day turned out to be ideal”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 4.

44
“arrange total bombing restrictions”: Memo, April 15, 1943, IWM, 97/45/1, folder #1.

45
“no known defensive dangers”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 445.

46
“We were just about to surface”: N. L. A. Jewell, Audiotape 12278, 1991, IWM.

47
“A large number of small fishing boats”: N. L. A. Jewell report, April 30, 1943, cited in Montagu,
Man Who Never Was
, p. 168.

48
“landing some pseudo-secret instruments”: N. L. A. Jewell, operational orders, March 31, 1943, TNA, ADM 223/464.

49
“crept in a little closer”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 4.

50
“some little stink”: N. L. A. Jewell, Audiotape 12278, 1991, IWM.

51
“I doubt if any of them”: Ibid.

52
“I had seen bodies before”: Ibid.

53
“The blanket was opened up”: TNA 223/794.

54
“We seemed to be practically”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 5.

55
“what I could remember”: N. L. A. Jewell, Audiotape 12278, 1991, IWM.

56
“With some relief”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 5.

57
“He virtually assured success”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 453.

58
“Because it had been designed”: Ibid.

59
“riddled by fire”: Ibid.

60
“He did this with his usual skill”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 5.

61
“a hell of a time”: N. L. A. Jewell, Audiotape 12278, 1991, IWM.

62
“Daylight was fast approaching”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 5.

63
“It then disappeared, finally”: N. L. A. Jewell, Audiotape 12278, 1991, IWM.

64
“it was seen to sink”: N. L. A. Jewell Report, April 30, 1943, cited in Montagu,
Man Who Never Was
, p. 168.

65
“We dived and set course for Gibraltar”: Scott, “Man That Never Was,” p. 5.

66
“Mincemeat Completed”: TNA, ADM 223/794.

67
“Parcel delivered safely”: Terence Robertson,
The Ship with Two Captains: The Story of the “Secret Mission Submarine”
(London, 1957), p. 117.

Chapter Fifteen:
Dulce et Decorum

1
“G VI R and the royal crown”: IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

2
“which had penetrated the muscles”: Ibid.

3
“should telephone to him at Madrid”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 445.

4
“would say that he could not talk”: Ibid.

5
“a separate series in his personal cipher”: Ewen Montagu to Fitzroy McLean, March 30, 1977, IWM 97/45/1, folder #5.

6
“energetically”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 445.

7
“Soup Bowl”: Jesús Ramírez Copeiro del Villar,
Huelva en la Guerra Mundial
(Huelva, Spain, 1996), p. 411.

8
“examined the names on the envelopes”: IWM, 97/45/1, folder #2, Appendix III.

9
“react swiftly”: Copeiro del Villar,
Huelva
, p. 422.

10
“Well, your superior might not like”: Ibid.

11
“attitude, in refusing the briefcase”: Ibid.

12
“of an English pattern”: Telegram to von Roenne from FHW, May 22, 1943, TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 207.

13
“There are clearly two”: Ibid.

14
“On the first incision being made”: Edward Smith (former head of Reporting Organisation Section, NID) to Ewen Montagu, June 5, 1969, IWM.

15
“remarkable presence of mind”: Ibid.

16
“Since it was obvious the heat”: Ibid.

17
“On receiving this assurance”: Ibid.

18
“The young British officer fell in the water”: Copeiro del Villar,
Huelva
, p. 414.

19
“nibbling and bites by fish”: Ibid.

20
“The shininess of the hair”: Ibid.

21
“doubt over the nature of the liquid”: Ibid.

22
“He seemed very well dressed”: Isabel Naylor, interview with the author, June 3, 2009.

23
“identical”: Telegram to von Roenne from FHW, May 22, 1943, TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 207.

24
“that a bald patch on the temples”: Ibid.

25
“either the photograph was taken”: Ibid.

26
“With reference to my phone message”: Unsigned telegram 012210 sent at 20.30 on May 1, 1943, TNA, ADM 223/794.

27
“so that the action for suppressing”: TNA, ADM 223/794, p. 457.

28
“the suppression of the signal”: Ibid.

29
“taken into naval custody”: Ewen Montagu to Cyril Mills, November 11, 1983, Montagu Papers.

30
“The Spanish navy is not in German”: Ewen Montagu to “C,” June 21, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

31
“a rigid disciplinarian”: Copeiro del Villar,
Huelva
, p. 422.

32
“suffocating heat”: Ibid., p. 414.

33
“as a mark of respect”: Federico Clauss, interview with the author, June 2, 2009.

34
“W. Martin, aged between 35 and 40”: Copeiro del Villar,
Huelva
, p. 420.

35
“Class Five”: Ibid.

Chapter Sixteen: Spanish Trails

1
“do everything necessary”: Andros report, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

2
“Notwithstanding his great desire”: Ibid.

3
“These three persons are in command”: Ibid.

4
“intimate friend”: Ibid.

5
“nursed a profound antipathy”: Jesús Ramírez Copeiro del Villar,
Huelva en la Guerra Mundial
(Huelva, Spain, 1996), p. 286.

6
“did not dare to ask the naval judge”: Andros report, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

7
“In Huelva, Don Adolfo”: Federico Clauss, interview with the author, June 2, 2009.

8
“neither copied nor photographed”: Andros report, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

9
“I am glad to say the naval”: Alan Hillgarth to Ewen Montagu, June 9, 1943, IWM, 97/45/1, folder #1.

10
“Some of papers Major Martin”: Department of Naval Intelligence to NA, telegram 04132, May 4, 1943, TNA, W0 106/5921, p. 32.

11
“Carry out instructions”: Telegram 869, May 4, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.

12
“kept on such a plane”: Ewen Montagu, “Draft Proposal for Compiler of MI5 History,” July 24, 1945, IWM, 97/45/1, folder #1.

13
“searching but discreet”: Ibid.

14
“Rumours are extremely easy”: Alan Hillgarth, report, TNA, ADM 223/478.

15
“select from among his acquaintance”: Ibid.

16
“sincerely anti-war”: TNA, ADM 223/876.

17
“I managed to make the Minister”: Alan Hillgarth, report, TNA, ADM 223/490.

18
“that the Minister of Marine”: Alan Hillgarth, May 5, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

19
“Vice Consul Huelva saw body”: NA [naval attaché] to Department of Naval Intelligence, May 5, 1943, 1823, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

20
“Secret papers probably in black”: Department of Naval Intelligence to NA [naval attaché], telegram 071216, May 7, 1943, TNA, W0 106/5921, p. 33.

21
“Normally you would be getting”: Ewen Montagu to NA [naval attaché] Madrid, telegram 870, May 6, 1943, IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.

22
“Understood and acted on throughout”: IWM 97/45/1, folder #1.

23
“promised to obtain copies”: Andros report, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

24
“discreet inquiries whether any”: Alan Hillgarth memo, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

25
“As the local Germans were not able”: Andros report, IWM 97/45/1, folder #2.

26
“summoned to Villarreal de San Antonio”: Ibid.

27
“very pro-German and in German pay”: Ibid.

28
“This individual”: Ibid.

29
“to do everything possible to obtain”: Ibid.

30
“Urging him to use the utmost”: Ibid.

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