Code name "GARBO"

[230RN]

I was reading up on the disinformation campaign by the Allies before and after the invasion of Normandy.  The Allies knew the Germans expected an invasion, but we made tremendous efforts to convince the enemy that the invasion would occur near Calais, almost 200 miles away from the actual intended landing area, as well as attempting to create the impression that the actual invasion was merely a feint.

These particular disinformation projects were called Fortitude North and Fortitude South.  Fortitude North was intended to convince the Nazis that the Allies would invade through Norway.

Fortitude South included such subterfuges as sending General George Patton to the point in England opposite Calais, and behaving as if he were forming an army there.  

That involved feeding the Nazis false information by fake radio messages back and forth from fake Army units, emplacing dummy tanks, landing craft, and airplanes in the area, etc.  And of course, General Patton was expected to be visibly traveling around the area to "organize" this fake Army.

But one of the unique aspects of this affair was having a spy, code-named "GARBO," feed the Nazis false information.  This was so effective that GARBO established a fake sub-network of imaginary spies, for which the Germans were paying salaries and travel expenses through him.

GARBO was so successful in duping the Germans that toward the end of the war, he was awarded the German Iron Cross.  

Oh, and incidentally, the British also rewarded him by making him a Member of the Order of the British Empire, another high honor.  He was thus awarded high medals from both warring parties --a pretty rare thing.

His story is fascinating, full of duplicitous machinations and clever ruses to convince the Germans of his loyalty and effectiveness as a spy.

Enjoy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Pujol_Garcia

Terry

More: ("Fortitude"):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Fortitude
Cf. also Stephen E. Ambrose, D-DAY June 6 1944: The climactic battle of World War II, Chapter 4, pp 71ff.

[Viking]

British historian Ben Macintyre has written a couple of books about WW2 spies. One is called Operation Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies, and is about Joan Pujol Garcia, amongst others. I haven't read all of it yet, but I did read one of his previous books, Operation Mincemeat, and found it incredibly fascinating.

[Sergeant Bob]

I was reading up on the disinformation campaign by the Allies before and after the invasion of Normandy.  The Allies knew the Germans expected an invasion, but we made tremendous efforts to convince the enemy that the invasion would occur near Calais, almost 200 miles away from the actual intended landing area, as well as attempting to create the impression that the actual invasion was merely a feint.

These particular disinformation projects were called Fortitude North and Fortitude South.  Fortitude North was intended to convince the Nazis that the Allies would invade through Norway.

Fortitude South included such subterfuges as sending General George Patton to the point in England opposite Calais, and behaving as if he were forming an army there.  

That involved feeding the Nazis false information by fake radio messages back and forth from fake Army units, emplacing dummy tanks, landing craft, and airplanes in the area, etc.  And of course, General Patton was expected to be visibly traveling around the area to "organize" this fake Army.

But one of the unique aspects of this affair was having a spy, code-named "GARBO," feed the Nazis false information.  This was so effective that GARBO established a fake sub-network of imaginary spies, for which the Germans were paying salaries and travel expenses through him.

GARBO was so successful in duping the Germans that toward the end of the war, he was awarded the German Iron Cross.  

Oh, and incidentally, the British also rewarded him by making him a Member of the Order of the British Empire, another high honor.  He was thus awarded high medals from both warring parties --a pretty rare thing.

His story is fascinating, full of duplicitous machinations and clever ruses to convince the Germans of his loyalty and effectiveness as a spy.

Enjoy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Pujol_Garcia

Terry

More: ("Fortitude"):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Fortitude
Cf. also Stephen E. Ambrose, D-DAY June 6 1944: The climactic battle of World War II, Chapter 4, pp 71ff.

Fascinating stuff 230!

[griz]

One other thing they did was get a corpse (an unfortunate, not a volunteer), dress him in the proper uniform, and have him carry secret documents that hinted at the fake invasion location.  Then they arranged to have him wash up on the beach, be found and the discovery relayed to the Germans, so of course they thought they found good info.

[Scout26]

British historian Ben Macintyre has written a couple of books about WW2 spies. One is called Operation Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies, and is about Joan Pujol Garcia, amongst others. I haven't read all of it yet, but I did read one of his previous books, Operation Mincemeat, and found it incredibly fascinating.

 I read Double Cross, the really interesting fact was Britain had so thoroughly penetrated the Abwehr that they were grabbing German agents the moment they landed in Britain (some were even flipped before they arrived!!) and then used to feed disinformation to the Germans.  The Brits had actually flipped (or imprisoned) every German agent in Britain, so the for the ~6 months prior to D-Day the info the Germans were getting was what the Brits wanted them to hear.

Not only that but even during and for 2 weeks after the invasion, they kept feeding the Germans the story that Normandy was a feint and the real invasion was coming through the Pas de Calais.  It wasn't until Cobra that the Germans figured out that Normandy was the invasion, but by the then it was too late and the Panzer Divisions remained immobile (Not that they could get to Normandy, with Allied Airpower controlling the skies.)

[Viking]

One other thing they did was get a corpse (an unfortunate, not a volunteer), dress him in the proper uniform, and have him carry secret documents that hinted at the fake invasion location.  Then they arranged to have him wash up on the beach, be found and the discovery relayed to the Germans, so of course they thought they found good info.

The book I mentioned above, Operation Mincemeat, is entirely about this story and is absolutely fascinating and also entertaining. Highly recommended reading.

[griz]

The book I mentioned above, Operation Mincemeat, is entirely about this story and is absolutely fascinating and also entertaining. Highly recommended reading.

Thanks, I'll have to check it out.  Sounds like an interesting read.

[230RN]

Even the fishermen knew?

Of course you know that the French Resistance played a great role in the success of the invasion (and later events).  They were warned just before the attack by such coded phrases as "Pierre has a long moustache," and "The chair is against the wall," and the like transmitted from the BBC at certain times.

I remember reading somewhere about the diary kept by one German stationed at Omaha beach, where he commented to himself about the fishing boats off in the ocean every day.

But his entries on the days before the invasion made remarks about the fact that there were no fishing boats out lately.

How odd, n'est-ce pas?  <grin>

(I'm working from raw memory here, so forgive any inaccuracies, but the sense of the story remains.)

Terry, 230RN

[rcnixon]

One other thing they did was get a corpse (an unfortunate, not a volunteer), dress him in the proper uniform, and have him carry secret documents that hinted at the fake invasion location.  Then they arranged to have him wash up on the beach, be found and the discovery relayed to the Germans, so of course they thought they found good info.

Operation MINCEMEAT was put in place to supply disinformation about HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily. MINCEMEAT was used to try to convince the Germans that the invasion of Southern Europe would come through Greece and Sardinia. The corpse was that of a Welsh man who committed suicide and had no known near relatives. He played the part of Major William Martin, RM. The legend created for him was deep and convincing.

Here is a Wikipedia article that jibes with my historical references:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat

The security plan for NEPTUNE, the invasion of Normandy was called BODYGUARD. BODYGUARD sought to convince the Germans that the landing would come later and at a place other that Normandy. OVERLORD was the overall plan for the invasion and the first weeks of the battle. Its security plan was FORTITUDE. The objective of FORTITUDE was to make the Germans believe that OVERLORD was a feint or a preliminary invasion and the real invasion was to take place at the Pas De Calais. The whole subject is extremely complex and a few sentences here cannot do it justice as history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bodyguard is a Wiki page about BODYGUARD and is valuable for its bibliography. Much has been written about this fascinating aspect of warfare, some good and some not so good.

Russ

[Viking]

Operation MINCEMEAT was put in place to supply disinformation about HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily. MINCEMEAT was used to try to convince the Germans that the invasion of Southern Europe would come through Greece and Sardinia. The corpse was that of a Welsh man who committed suicide and had no known near relatives. He played the part of Major William Martin, RM. The legend created for him was deep and convincing.

Here is a Wikipedia article that jibes with my historical references:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat

The security plan for NEPTUNE, the invasion of Normandy was called BODYGUARD. BODYGUARD sought to convince the Germans that the landing would come later and at a place other that Normandy. OVERLORD was the overall plan for the invasion and the first weeks of the battle. Its security plan was FORTITUDE. The objective of FORTITUDE was to make the Germans believe that OVERLORD was a feint or a preliminary invasion and the real invasion was to take place at the Pas De Calais. The whole subject is extremely complex and a few sentences here cannot do it justice as history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bodyguard is a Wiki page about BODYGUARD and is valuable for its bibliography. Much has been written about this fascinating aspect of warfare, some good and some not so good.

Russ

It's been a while since I read the book, but IIRC, it wasn't known if it was suicide or accident (eating poisoned bread set out for rats). The poison that killed him was popular for rat control in that era, and since he was homeless, he might've eaten it out of desperation.

I like the epitaph on his headstone in Spain:
"William Martin, born 29 March 1907, died 24 April 1943, beloved son of John Glyndwyr Martin and the late Antonia Martin of Cardiff, Wales, Dulce et Decorum est pro Patria Mori, R.I.P."
To which they later added the following to recognize his real name: "Glyndwr Michael; Served as Major William Martin, RM;"