Page 29 - All About History - Issue 53-17

Spies That Won WWII

ollowing the disaster that unfolded during the unique group of secret agents, overseas guerrilla fighters, KEY
Battle of France, Britain found itself standing code-breaking boffins and specially trained saboteurs
alone in the world; the only major power would work tirelessly to turn the tide of conflict in the
standing between Hitler and the conquest of Allies’ favour.
F Western Europe. With his army shattered and Here we choose 20 of the most notable agents and
the threat of invasion a near certainty, Churchill needed reveal their stories. Most worked to bring down tyranny. MASTERMIND ASSASSIN
a plan to take control of the dire situation. So he turned Some chose to support it. Many sacrificed their lives.
to his secret services, and the newly formed Special Whatever their role, their exploits stand as some of most
Operations Executive, to carry the war back to Hitler. A intriguing tales from World War II…
“MOST WORKED TO BRING DOWN SABOTEUR CODEBREAKER

TYRANNY. SOME CHOSE TO SUPPORT
IT. MANY SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES” DOUBLE SMOOTH
AGENT
TALKER

IAN FLEMMING Fleming outlines one

The James Bond creator enjoyed a of his spyschemes,
Operation Ruthless
distinguished career in military intelligence

As a journalist, Ian Fleming journeyed Allied invasion of Sicily. Mincemeat
to Russia in 1939 to report on a trade saw the body of a dead tramp
deal, although his real mission was dressed as a British officer, supplied
to ascertain Russia’s military strength with false papers, and dumped off
and morale ahead of what looked the coast of Spain. It was washed up
like certain war. When Britain did and intercepted by German agents.
finally enter the conflict, Fleming Fleming’s knowledge of secret
was appointed as assistant to Rear- operations found voice in the
Admiral John Godfrey, the director creation of the most famous fictional Ian Fleming in a
classic publicity shot
of Naval Intelligence, and took up spy of all time, James Bond, who
the position of lieutenant in the he cast as the hero of his 1953
Special Branch of the Royal Naval novel Casino Royale. Fleming wrote
Volunteer Reserve, a rank he was a further 13 Bond books. The
later to bestow on his famous literary hero’s name was taken from an
creation, James Bond. ornithologist, though the likes of M
Fleming helped develop ties and Q branch were drawn from his
between the UK and US over the experiences in British intelligence. It
running of secret agents and was is thought that the character of M
heavily involved in the formation was based on Fleming’s boss, Rear-
of the 30 Assault Unit, a British Admiral Godfrey.
commando group designed to
support troops and glean vital
information for the war effort.
Among their greatest achievements
were the capture of an Enigma
machine — the key piece of German
encryption equipment — and the
seizure of the complete records of
the German navy.
He is also widely credited as the
author of the Trout Memo, which
culminated in Operation Mincemeat,
a deception to disguise the 1943
Fleming imagined Bond
as looking like US singer,
Hoagy Carmichael
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