Page 69 - All About History - Issue 09-14

10 dirty tricks of World War II

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Incendiary cigs

sing ordinary cigarettes so as not end would give around two minutes while
to arouse suspicion, the SOE would the other would give around three or four,
insert a small incendiary pellet according to the official documents.
inside the stick. They would ensure The flame would last for up to five
U that it was closer to one end than seconds. Agents were advised not to bury
the other and they would allow agents to the cigarette more than an inch under any
discover which end the pellet was located kindling otherwise the flame would not
in by letting them touch the cigarette and take hold. Oxygen was key for the success
feel for it. of this particular cigarette.
This was important. Although the aim Incendiary cigarettes would be placed
was always the same – to light the cigarette within packets looking like ones that
and cause a small explosion – the end that would be bought from a shop in the agent’s
was lit would determine the length of time territory. They would even have the usual
it would take for detonation to occur. One government seal around the packet.

Devised by: Britain

Did it work? Small and easily
squirrelled away, they proved to be a An Englishman lights his cigarette over the nearly spent
KDQG\ DGGLWLRQ WR DQ DJHQWnV UHSHUWRLUH Warning contents of a German incendiary bomb lying in the road
Disclosing this information will result in Court Martial

851 603 CA classified

Balinese wood carvings

n the Thirties and Forties, Balinese frequenting the quaysides, and selling them The idea also extended to Chinese
wood carvings became very popular to Japanese troops about to embark,” the stone lanterns, which the Camouflage
and were highly prized by art lovers SOE document said of the plan. Made to Section of the SOE reproduced using light
around the world. The British SOE made look like wood, sandstone or porcelain, to wood coated with plaster to resemble the
I note of this trend and so came up with cater to the particular whims of interested originals. Their five compartments were
its own reproductions of them, albeit with buyers, the ‘carvings’ were placed on filled with high explosives that would be
a little twist of its own to aid the war effort. a wooden base. Those who took them detonated by a time delay or via an anti-
Instead of making them out of wood, they on board their ships would have been removal switch. They were specifically
were produced using solid high explosives. completely unaware that the carvings really designed so that they could be assembled
“It is intended to use these through contained a bomb with a time delay and or unassembled “as if the lantern had been
native agents posing as hawkers that they would explode. knocked over”.

Devised by: Britain

Did it work? There is no documentation popular in the Thirties and Forties
Balinese wood carvings were
with regards to their success or
otherwise but the Camouflage Section of
the SOE had form in this area, placing
explosives into items as small as nuts
and bolts and as sizable as bike pumps
and books.
Disclosing thi

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