by Helen Fry
10. ‘The History of CSDIC’, appendix J, WO 208/4970.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Courtesy Barbara Lloyd.
14. Letter dated April 1943, courtesy Barbara Lloyd.
15. Interview with the late Elizabeth Bruegger by the author in 2011.
16. Ibid.
17. For example: SIR 1106, 22 November 1944, WO 208/5158. CSDIC provided a summary report on codes and cyphers from a German naval deserter. See report 14 March 1943, WO 208/5158.
18. MI8 did not number their interrogation reports, only dated them. For examples of CSDIC facilitating the interrogations for MI8, see interrogation reports 23 August 1943 and 22 May 1944, both in WO 208/5158.
19. Interrogation reports 23 August 1943 and 22 May 1944, WO 208/5158.
20. Interrogation 15 January 1944, WO 208/5158.
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid.
23. Including Major Dennis Babbage (chief cryptanalyst), Nigel de Grey (cryptologist), Peter Twinn (head of Abwehr Enigma section) and William Bunty (US Army Signals Corps, later of the CIA).
24. Mayne, In Victory, Magnanimity, pp. 25–6.
25. Fry, The London Cage, p. 45.
26. Confirmed by a memo dated 1 August 1945, WO 208/5622.
27. In the inter-war period, he worked for Arnhold & Co, a major German conglomerate based in London and Shanghai.
28. Leo St Clare Grondona, ‘Sidelights on Wilton Park’, p. 34.
29. Ibid.
30. WO 165/41, 17 May 1943.
31. St Clare Grondona, ‘Sidelights on Wilton Park’, p. 35.
32. WO 165/41, June 1943.
33. Ibid.
34. Sullivan, Thresholds of Peace, p. 54.
35. Donald McLachlan, Room 39: Naval Intelligence in Action 1939–45, p. 174.
36. ‘The History of CSDIC’, WO 208/4970. See also WO 165/41, July 1943.
37. Jestin, A War Bride’s Story, p. 215.
38. Ibid.
39. Ibid., p. 225.
40. A bulk of the files of Camp 020, Latchmere House, have been declassified at the National Archives in series KV. For a classic study, see John Masterman, The Double-Cross System.
41. Jestin, A War Bride’s Story, pp. 230–1. See also Oliver Hoare, Camp 020: MI5 and Nazi Spies.
42. ‘The Story of MI19’, pp. 7–8, WO 208/4970.
43. Secret memo dated 28 October 1941, department not given, copy in ADM 223/475.
44. Ibid.
45. Ibid.
46. Personal citation in WO 373/148/442.
47. Ibid.
48. Jestin, A War Bride’s Story, p. 222.
49. Letter dated September 1942 amongst Kendrick’s papers.
50. WO 165/41, October 1942.
51. Visit took place at Wilton Park on 25 February 1943, see WO 165/41.
52. Visit to Latimer House and Wilton Park in March 1943, WO 165/41.
53. Visit in November 1943, WO 165/41.
54. ‘Intelligence from Prisoners of War’, report by Denys Felkin, 31 December 1945, section 25, AIR 40/2636.
55. Jestin, A Memoir, pp. 6 and 8–10.
56. Ibid., p. 12.
57. Ibid., p. 13.
6: BATTLE OF THE GENERALS
1. List of German Senior Officers at No.11 Camp, personal profiles arranged alphabetically in WO 208/3504.
2. Personal file in WO 208/3504.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. The bugged conversations between Crüwell and von Thoma from 20 November 1942 (SRM 70) until 13 May 1943 (SRM 198) are in WO 208/4136. Their bugged conversations with a British army officer are in AIR 40/3106. Other SRs survive in WO 208/4161.
10. SRX 1504, 18 January 1943, copy in WO 208/5158.
11. SRM 160, 4 February 1943, WO 208/4136.
12. Also captured at this time were Gustav von Vaerst, Georg Neuffer, Karl Bülowius, Willibald Boroweitz, Fritz Krause and August von Quast. See WO 165/41, June 1943.
13. The transcripts from this period are contained in WO 208/4363 and WO 208/3461.
14. GRGG 1, 24 May 1943, WO 208/4363.
15. GRGG 1 and GRGG 3, 24 May 1943, WO 208/4363.
16. GRGG 2, 24 May 1943, WO 208/4363.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Flown to England on 16 May 1943 were Generals Hans-Jürgen von Arnim, Hans Cramer, Gustav von Vaerst, Karl Bülowius, Willibald Boroweitz, Fritz Krause, Georg Neuffer (GAF), Gerhard Bassenge (GAF) and August von Quast. See MI19 war diary, May 1943, WO 165/41.
20. Document ‘Enemy Prisoners of War: Treatment on Capture’, WO 32/10720. See also letter from DMI to Colonel Gatesby, 29 May 1943, WO 208/3461.
21. Generals Gotthart Frantz (GAF) and Carl Köcky, and Colonel Heinrich Hermann von Hülsen.
22. They were Schnarrenberger, Friedrich Freiherr von Broich, Kurt Freiherr von Liebenstein and Theodor Graf von Sponeck. On 2 June 1943, Generals Bülowius, Boroweitz, Köcky, von Vaerst and von Quast were taken from Trent Park, accompanied by Major D. Spencer of US intelligence (G-2 ETOUSA), to be flown to POW camps in America. War diary entry, June 1943, WO 165/41.
23. GRGG 18, 16 June 1943, WO 208/4363.
24. GRGG 54, 9 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
25. Monthly report ‘German Prisoners of War in Britain,’ 13 August 1943, DEFE 1/339.
26. Ibid.
27. Ibid.
28. Monthly report ‘German Prisoners of War in Britain,’ 17 July 1943, DEFE 1/339.
29. Ibid.
30. ‘The History of CSDIC’, p. 8, WO 208/4970.
31. Report on the German Senior Officer POW at No.11 Camp for the Month of June 1943, p. 1, WO 208/3433.
32. Monthly reports ‘German Prisoners of War in Britain,’ 13 August 1943 and 10 November 1943, DEFE 1/339.
33. Monthly report ‘German Prisoners of War in Britain,’ 13 August 1943, DEFE 1/339.
34. Monthly report ‘German Prisoners of War in Britain,’ 10 November 1943, DEFE 1/339.
35. Letter 29 May 1943, WO 208/3461.
36. Ramcke, memoirs, pp. 79–80.
37. Ibid.
38. Personal file in WO 208/3504.
39. ‘The History of CSDIC’, appendix M, WO 208/4970.
40. ‘The History of CSDIC’, p. 8, WO 208/4970. There was a similar welfare officer with the Italian senior officers at the White House, Wilton Park, although his name has not been discovered in research so far.
41. Sullivan, Thresholds of Peace, pp. 51–2.
42. Copy of Munro’s Army Record released from Army Personnel Centre, Glasgow.
43. Ibid.
44. Sullivan, Thresholds of Peace, p. 52.
45. Jestin, A War Bride’s Story, p. 232.
46. Memo to CSDIC from HQ of MI19 at Wilton Park, 30 August 1943, WO 208/5622.
47. 13 May 1965, Radio Times. Also, letter from Rawlinson to Kendrick amongst Kendrick’s letters.
48. GRGG 57, 17 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
49. Ibid.
50. GRGG 58, 22 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
51. GRGG 57, 17 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
52. GRGG 42, 15 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
53. Ibid.
54. GRGG 52, 10 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
55. Ibid.
56. Ibid.
57. Ibid.
58. Ibid.
59. Personal file in WO 208/3504.
60. GRGG 51, 10 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
61. Letter from Norman Crockatt to DMI, 20 January 1944, WO 208/5622.
62. GRGG 49, 14 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
63. Personal file in WO 208/3504 and GRGG 46, 14 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
64. GRGG 47, 14 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
65. Ibid.
66. GRGG 55, 16 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
67. GRGG 53, 11 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
68. ‘Views of German Senior Officer P/W’, WO 208/5550.
69. Ibid.
71. Ibid., p. 3.
72. Reference to Hamley as interpreter: CSDIC memo, ref: D11/341, 1 August 1944, WO 208/5622.
73. GRGG 57, 17 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
74. Discussions on rations, see GRGG 57, 17 July 1943 and GRGG 61, 26 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
75. Monthly report ‘German Prisoners of War in Britain,’ 13 August 1943, DEFE 1/339.
76. SR 4534, 8 July 1943, WO 208/5622.
77. McLachlan, Room 39, p. 174.
78. GRGG 72, 14–20 August 1943, WO 208/4363.
79. Ibid.
80. Eric Mark, interview with the author.
81. Interview with granddaughter, Barbara Lloyd.
82. Ibid.
83. SRGG 795, 31 January 1944, WO 208/4167. Also contained in WO 208/4363.
7: MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY
1. GRGG 58, 22 July 1943,WO 208/4363.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Character study of Erich Schmidt, 1 January 1944, WO 208/3433.
6. GRGG 61, 17–23 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
7. Ibid; and a character study of General von Arnim, no date, contained in WO 208/4363.
8. Titles included: Heiden’s Europas Schicksal (Europe’s Fate), Rauschning Vernichtung des Nihilismus (Revolution of Destruction), Lochner What about Germany? and Langhoff Moorsoldaten (the story of a concentration camp). Crüwell borrowed Spengler’s Preussentum und Socialismus (Prussianism and Socialism). Films were shown at Trent Park: The Gentle Sex and newsreel of the Free German Movement in Russia.
9. GRGG 58, 22 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
10. GRGG 61, 26 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
11. Ibid.
12. ‘Views of German Senior Officer P/W’, WO 208/5550.
13. GRGG 64, 23 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
14. GRGG 65, 31 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
15. GRGG 61, 26 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
16. GRGG 65, 31 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
17. GRGG 64, 30 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
18. GRGG 65, 31 July 1943, WO 208/4363.
19. GRGG 70, 14 August 1943, WO 208/4363.
20. Ibid.
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid.
23. GRGG 74, 30 August 1943, WO 208/4363.
24. GRGG 72, 21 August 1943, WO 208/4363.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. Ibid.
28. Ibid.
29. GRGG 76, 6 September 1943, WO 208/4363.
30. GRGG 85, 26 September 1943, WO 208/4363.
31. GRGG 101, 31 October–6 November 1943, WO 208/4363.
32. GRGG 103, 7–13 November 1943, WO 208/4363.
33. GRGG 98, 2 November 1943, WO 208/4363.
34. Ibid.
35. Ibid.
36. Ibid.
37. GRGG 103, 7–13 November 1943, WO 208/4363.
38. Ibid.
39. GRGG 104, 14–27 November 1943, WO 208/4363.
40. GRGG 109, 19–25 December 1943, WO 208/4363.
41. Ibid.
42. GRGG 110, 26 December 1943–1 January 1944, WO 208/4363.
43. GRGG 111, 2–9 January 1944, WO 208/4363.
8: SECRET LISTENERS
1. Jan Weber, extract from unpublished memoirs, courtesy of Jonathan Webber. Weber was eventually posted from CSDIC (UK) to the CSDIC unit in Italy.
2. ‘The History of CSDIC’, appendix E, WO 208/4970.
3. Memo by Rawlinson (DDMI), 22 July 1943, WO 208/3546.
4. Jestin, A War Bride’s Story, p. 223.
5. Ibid., p. 234.
6. Ibid., p. 223.
7. Letter, Frank Stevens to Hans Francken, 1 April 1944. Copy given to the author by Dr John Francken.
8. Jean Medawar and David Pyke, Hitler’s Gift, p. 194.
9. Interviews with the author over a period of 15 years until his death in December 2017.
10. Fry, Churchill’s German Army.
11. Interview with the author.
12. Information provided by Adam Ganz.
13. Copy lent to the author by John Francken.
14. Copy lent to the author by Ernest Newhouse.
15. Given to the author by Arthur Fleiss.
16. Interview with the author. Helen Fry, Jews in North Devon During the Second World War, pp. 125–6.
17. Interview with the author, 2013.
18. Ibid.
19. ‘The History of CSDIC’, The M Room: appendix E, WO 208/4970.
20. Amongst Lederer’s papers is a collection of impressive medals that span his service, fighting for the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1914–18, and the British Defence Medal for his service in the Second World War. Personal Home Guard file, County of Middlesex, served 3 years and 232 days. Copy given to the author by Helen Lederer.
21. Correspondence and interview with the author.
22. Letter dated 12 November 1944. Copy given to the author by Helen Lederer.
23. Documentary Home Front Heroes, BBC1 (November 2018).
24. In series WO 208 and AIR 40.
25. Correspondence with the author.
26. Interview with secret listeners Eric Mark and Paul Douglas.
27. SRM 382, 9 November 1943, WO 208/4137.
28. Peter Hart, Journey into Freedom, p. 100. He transferred to the Intelligence Corps in July 1944.
29. Correspondence with the author.
30. Ibid.
31. Ibid.
32. Interview with the author.
33. Ibid.
34. Ibid., and Fritz Lustig, My Lucky Life.
9: ROCKET SCIENCE
1. Letter dated 5 January 1943, amongst Kendrick’s papers.
2. SRX 1635, 11 March 1943, WO 208/4162. Sketches of V-1 and V-2 launching equipment (ramps) contained in WO 208/4292.
3. Copies exist in RAF Medmenham archives today.
4. Chiefs of Staff memorandum, COS(43) 592 (O), entitled ‘German Long Range Rockets’, section 3: ‘First Report of the Long range Rockets’, 29 September 1943, CAB 80/75.
5. The conversation took place on 22 March 1943 and was reproduced in a memorandum to Chiefs of Staff, COS(43) 592 (O), entitled ‘German Long Range Rockets’, section 4: ‘Von Thoma’s Evidence’, 29 September 1943, CAB 80/75. See also Jones, Most Secret War, p. 425.
6. Jones, Most Secret War, p. 425.
7. Ibid., p. 427.
8. Chiefs of Staff memorandum, COS(43) 592 (O), entitled ‘German Long Range Rockets’, section 4: ‘Von Thoma’s Evidence’, 29 September 1943, CAB 80/75.
9. Ibid.
10. Two key reports dated 29 April 1943: ‘Structures near Northern Tip of the Peninsula Peenemünde’ and ‘Interpretation Report of New Development at Peenemünde’, AIR 40/1192.
11. Contained in AIR 40/1192 and AIR 40/2839.
12. ‘Extract from an Interpretation Report of the New Development at Peenemünde’, p. 1, 29 April 1943, AIR 40/1192.
13. 26 May 1943, WO 208/4165 (No SR reference on this transcript).
14. Ibid; photographs of the mission survive in this file.
15. Interview with the author.
16. Jones, Most Secret War, p. 438.
17. Most Secret Memo to Operations at Air Ministry from AI.3 (Air Ministry), 8 July 1943, AIR 40/1192.
18. Ibid.
19. Draft Target Information Sheet for the bombing of Peenemünde, 4 July 1943, AIR 40/1192.
20. Ibid.
21. Internal Air Ministry Memo of 8 July 1943, AIR 40/1192.
22. SRGG 319, 8 August 1943, WO 208/4166. Another conversation a few days later was recorded in GRGG 341, 11 August 1943, pp. 11–12, WO 208/4178.
23. Jones, Most Secret War, p. 441.
24. Ibid.
25. This was confirmed by Germany’s chief project scientist there, General Walter Dornberger who was brought to Trent Park in August 1945 for interrogation and his conversations with the other generals were also bugged. S
ee GRGG 341, 11 August 1943, pp. 11–12, WO 208/4178.
26. SRGG 980(c), 24 August 1944, WO 208/4168. See also GRGG 188, 11 September 1944, p. 9, WO 208/5017; and Felkin’s series of detailed summary reports in WO 208/4292 on the locations and destruction of the launch sites of the flying bombs. All information received from the interrogation of POWs at CSDIC and the London Cage.
27. AIR 14/743, AIR 14/744 and CAB 113/41.
28. Also Jestin, A Memoir, p. 17.
29. ‘Views of German Senior Officer P/W’, section headed ‘Secret Weapons – Rockets’, WO 208/5550.
30. GRGG 526, 8 November 1943, WO 208/4167.
31. ‘Secret Weapons – Rockets’, report, pp. 8–9, in WO 208/5550.
32. Ibid.
33. SRGG 368, 23 August 1943, WO 208/4166.
34. Ibid.
35. SRGG 414, 11 September 1943, WO 208/4166.
36. ‘Secret Weapons – Rockets’, report, pp. 8–9, in WO 208/5550. See also SRGG 414, 11 September 1943, WO 208/4166.
37. Ibid.
38. SRGG 441, 30 September 1943, WO 208/4166. See also SRGG 414, 11 September 1943, WO 208/4166.
39. SRGG 675, 19 December 1943, WO 208/4167. See also SRM 370, 9 November 1943, WO 208/4137.
40. Ibid.
41. SRGG 494, 26 October 1943, WO 208/4166.
42. Ibid.
43. ‘Secret Weapons – Rockets’, report, pp. 8–9, in WO 208/5550.
44. SRGG 503, 26 October 1943, WO 208/4166.
45. GRGG 163, p. 4, 21–22 July 1944, WO 208/4363.
46. Ibid.
47. GRGG 609, 1 December 1943, WO 208/4167.
48. For example SRA 4228, 21 July 1943, WO 208/4130; SRA 4288, 30 July 1943, WO 208/4130; SRA 4291, 24 August 1943, WO 208/4130; GRGG 169, 2–4 August 1944, WO 208/4363. See also Felkin’s summary report entitled ‘Rocket Projectiles and Jet-Propelled Aircraft’, 7 December 1943, AIR 40/2839; and ‘Military Aspects of V-2’, WO 208/3121.
49. Donald Welbourn, unpublished memoirs, Imperial War Museum.
50. SRA 4288, 30 July 1943, WO 208/4130.
51. Lengthy and detailed technical conversation between two POWs, SRA 4291, 24 August 1943, WO 208/4130.
52. See SRA 4287, 26 August 1943.
53. SRM 263, 27 October 1943, WO 208/4137.
54. SRA 5047, 5 March 1944 and SRA 5051, 7 March 1944 in AIR 40/3093.
55. SRX 1926, 1 February 1944, WO 208/4163.
56. SRA 5047, 5 March 1944, AIR 40/3093.
57. SRA 5051, 7 March 1944, AIR 40/3093.
58. Personal file in WO 208/3504.
59. SRGG 919, 10 June 1944, WO 208/4168.
60. SRGG 957, 10 July 1944, WO 208/4168.