The true story, of course, was rather different. At 8.44 p.m. on 1 July BENEDICT reported that GARBO had gone missing.
ARABEL did not turn up yesterday; he also has not appeared for daily meeting today … to avoid delay am sending reports which have not been sent by him.
The next day there was still no sign of GARBO and BENEDICT was showing signs of panic:
I fear that any investigations of the police or civil defence might turn out disastrous, as knowing his methods it is quite likely that he has gone off on some new track which has taken him to a prohibited area from where he cannot communicate.
On the evening of 7 July the Abwehr made a half-hearted attempt to calm BENEDICT, although the net result actually shows that a degree of panic had already set in at Madrid:
I am very much puzzled indeed about what you told me about ARABEL. Of course, it might be possible that he left London on a special mission, although it appears rather strange that in this case he should not have informed you. It is very difficult for me to advise you as there are a lot of details which I ignore as regards the inner construction of the service. I think the first condition is to keep calm and quiet and to give anything you undertake the fullest consideration. If the worst has happened and ARABEL has been arrested, BENEDICT must do what he can to save the service and take all measures to protect its members and prevent clues of any kind from falling into the hands of the police.
While Charles Haines was taking down this message from Madrid, Tommy Harris was preparing BENEDICT’s next text, which included a reference to ‘red documentation’, the Abwehr jargon for forged diplomatic papers:
Widow reports alarming news just learnt. Police went to Taplow today to investigate and collect red documentation. ARABEL was arrested on Tuesday. No details known. Consider situation critical. Am immediately breaking communications to and from all agents.
It was not until 12 July that the Abwehr were put out of their misery by BENEDICT:
Widow just reported surprising news that ARABEL was released on the 10th and is back at his hotel … My instructions from him are to give ARABEL ten days’ holiday and return immediately to Glasgow and await orders there.
GARBO himself waited a further two days before writing a typically dramatic account of his arrest and detention in a letter, his twenty-first, containing the home secretary’s apology. The Abwehr acknowledged it in a radio message received on 23 July, which instructed him to ‘cease all investigations of the new weapon’ forthwith:
In my possession all your documents announced. Shocked by the story of your detention. We send cordial congratulations for your liberation. The security of yourself and of the service requires a prolongation of the period of complete inactivity on your part, without any contact with collaborators. For urgent and important military information, BENEDICT should be able to take charge of communicating with us.
This order to suspend operations was exactly what GARBO and Harris had been hoping for, and they both took a brief vacation, the first that either had had since GARBO’s arrival more than two years earlier. GARBO went on a motor tour of the British Isles, chauffeured by Jock Horsfall, while Tommy and Hilda Harris stayed with Sarah Bishop’s parents at Chisbury in Wiltshire. Naturally, Tommy took his easel and paint brushes, and he completed several pictures of the farmyard animals.
All the players in this bizarre pantomime were just recovering from the arrest when, on 29 July, Madrid sent their own congratulations:
With great happiness and satisfaction I am able to advise you today that the Führer has conceded the Iron Cross to you for your extraordinary merits, a decoration which, without exception, is granted only to first-line combatants. For this reason, we all send you our most sincere and cordial congratulations.
Suitably humbled, GARBO answered:
I cannot at this moment, when emotion overcomes me, express in words my gratitude for the decoration conceded by our Führer, to whom humbly and with every respect I express my gratitude for the high distinction which he has bestowed on me, for which I feel myself unworthy as I have never done more than what I have considered to the fulfilment of my duty. Furthermore, I must state that this prize has been won not only by me but also by Carlos2 and the other comrades, who, through their advice and directives, have made possible my work here, and so the congratulations are mutual. My desire is to fight with great ardour to be worthy of this medal which has only been conceded to those heroes, my companions in honour, who fight on the battlefront.
Being informed of the decoration was one thing, but actually taking possession of it was quite another, and both GARBO and Tommy Harris were keen to receive their trophy. On 12 August GARBO made further inquiries in a letter, his twenty-fifth:
I want also today to amplify my message with regard to the Iron Cross which I have been conceded. From the time of knowing this, I have carried the series of reverses which I have suffered with greater resignation and, I can now say, with greater courage than previously; my fervent desire is to possess this and hold it in my very hands. I know that this desire is difficult to fulfil, as I cannot glorify myself with it when I have it. But for my personal satisfaction, I should certainly like to have it by me, even though it be hidden underground until I am able to wear it on my chest, the day when this plague which surrounds us is wiped off the face of the earth. Can you possibly send it camouflaged via the courier?
MI5 were later to learn, via the ISOS intercepts, that GARBO’s request was to create some serious problems for the Abwehr. The matter was still being raised some six months later when, on 12 December, the following ISOS decrypt was passed to Tommy Harris:
In re award of Iron Cross II to ARABEL and the discussions in Berlin. In our message of the 17 June we applied for the award of Iron Cross II to ARABEL, emphasising that he was a Spanish national, but giving as justification the fact that activity of ARABEL constantly at the price of his life was just as important as the service at the front of the Spanish members of the Blue Division. We were informed in your message of 24 June that this award was agreed to and that the submission of the prescribed proposal had been put forward. On the basis of this information, we at this end were under the impression that no difficulties were to be expected in [obtaining] the eventual award and this was reported to ARABEL, who was at that time, as a result of very great difficulties, in a state of mental depression for psychological reasons. The communication of this news about the award had the expected result and evoked from ARABEL a written expression of his special pride at the distinction. Difficulties in maintaining and extending the ARABEL network have been constantly increasing recently, but were mastered by ARABEL with an utter disregard for all personal interests and by giving all he was capable of. ARABEL has himself been in hiding for weeks, separated from wife and children. The extraordinary successes of ARABEL have been made possible by his constant, complete and express confidence in the Führer and our cause. He regards the award of the Iron Cross II, as reported to him, as final and as coming from the Führer. It seems psychologically impossible now to inform him that the award will not be made without exercising the most adverse effect on him and his organisation. For the reasons stated, please support the award from your end with all possible means. Would it not be possible to classify ARABEL retrospectively as a member of the Blue Division? Please report to us by w/t results of your efforts, as ARABEL has already asked for the decoration in question to be sent to his next of kin to be kept for him.
Evidently, GARBO’s case officer had run into a few bureaucratic obstacles in his attempts to have the Iron Cross actually awarded to someone who was not a member of the regular armed forces. The compromise suggestion that GARBO should be enrolled in the Spanish Blue Division, then fighting on the Russian front, was the solution that was eventually adopted. When the question arose about a British decoration, an honorary award of Membership of the Order of the British Empire, no such obstacles were placed in GARBO’s way. It was recommended by Tommy Harris (who was himsel
f decorated with the CBE for his role in the GARBO case), Colonel Robertson (another CBE recipient for his war work) and the director-general of the Security Service, Sir David Petrie. Normally, the MBE is given only to British subjects, and a public notice naming recipients is placed in the London Gazette, but on this occasion, owing to the obvious security considerations, no such announcement was made and a special exception was allowed for GARBO to receive his medal. His name was placed in a secret annex at the central chancery of the orders of knighthood, with instructions that any inquiry concerning Juan Pujol should be referred immediately to MI5. That rule is applied strictly to this day. The medal itself, which GARBO still treasures, was presented by Sir David Petrie at a special luncheon in GARBO’s honour, held shortly before Christmas 1944. It was a highly emotional affair and was attended by all the senior MI5 staff who knew of the GARBO case.
The setbacks GARBO had referred to in his letter the previous August centred on his decision to reorganise his network. CHAMILLUS had been out of commission for the entire period since his desertion from Hiltingbury, and had spent much of the time in hiding on a remote hill farm owned by an elderly couple in South Wales. He was apparently at the end of his tether, so GARBO arranged for DAGOBERT, the seaman from Swansea, to smuggle him aboard a merchant vessel bound for Canada. DAGOBERT had been unnerved by DRAKE’s imprisonment in Exeter and his retirement seemed inevitable. He was, GARBO reported, considering returning to the sea. GARBO now promoted BENEDICT and left him in charge of the day-to-day running of the entire network. He also promoted DONNY and brought him back from Dover. DORICK, still in Harwich, was given responsibility for all the east of England, and the Greek was placed in charge of all future Scottish activities. With the removal of DAGOBERT, CHAMILLUS and DRAKE, garbo was ready to begin operations again.
GARBO restarted with a letter, his twenty-second, on 20 July, in which he speculated on the question of FUSAG and its command:
Patton was removed from his command of FUSAG and given, instead, the command of the Third US Army, giving over the command of the Twelfth US Army Group to General Bradley, who is Eisenhower’s ‘yes man’, who, at the same time, has the experience of the battles he has led in France. The command of FUSAG was unfilled for a few days and was then given over to another of Eisenhower’s favourites called McNair, who has just recently arrived from America. Patton is at present commander-in-chief of the Third American Army.
Although SHAEF may not have approved of GARBO’s choice of words, there was a strategic purpose to the gossip. A number of the genuine units designated as being under the command of Patton’s FUSAG had been sent to the Normandy front and, sooner or later, the Germans would interrogate a few prisoners. Only a relative handful of staff at SHAEF and elsewhere were privy to all FUSAG’s secrets, and it would not take long for the enemy to suspect a deception campaign if individual prisoners expressed ignorance of their own supposed army group. Furthermore, the Abwehr would certainly want to know why FUSAG units apparently destined for the planned second offensive had been committed in France. The explanation was characteristically elaborate: extra reinforcements were unexpectedly required at the beachhead and Eisenhower had therefore transferred elements of FUSAG to Normandy. Patton had objected to the loss of some of his officers and had been replaced by General McNair, formerly commander-in-chief of the land forces in the United States. Patton had been sent to France in disgrace, and a US Twelfth Army had been formed under General Simpson (in reality the commander of the US Ninth Army) to bolster the FUSAG remnants. This all sounded reasonably plausible, especially given Patton’s many recently publicised indiscretions, but unfortunately General McNair was killed by bombs dropped in error by US aircraft when he visited Normandy a few days after his arrival in England. Accordingly, on 29 July, GARBO reported McNair’s demise, and other channels were used to communicate Simpson’s new duties at FUSAG.
GARBO’s resumption of duties took care of a substantial backlog of messages that had built up in his absence. DAGOBERT’s were probably the most outdated, although DORICK had been sent on a mission some time before GARBO’s arrest and none of his lengthy material had been passed on. Nonetheless, GARBO relayed all these reports so as to prove that his network had not been idle in his absence. He now relied on the ever-faithful DONNY, DICK and DORICK, from DAGOBERT’s ring; J(1), his long-serving courier the Greek seaman, who continued to report from Scotland, and his various unconscious helpers: J(3) at the Ministry of Information; his mistress in Whitehall, J(5); and 4(3), the talkative American sergeant. All now communicated with Madrid through BENEDICT, who had taken over from GARBO in case the police pursued their inquiries into his detention. Meanwhile, the Canadian operation was progressing well with BENEDICT’s brother in Ottawa, and DAGOBERT’s Wren managed the occasional letter from her distant post at Peradenyia in Ceylon.
Throughout August 1944 GARBO relied increasingly on DAGOBERT’s network to supply him with information. A signal dated 16 August is typical of one from DONNY:
DONNY on return from south-west tour. Identified following units in Bristol area from vehicle markings: 691st Field Artillery Battalion, 184th Medical Battalion and 172nd Engineer Battalion, all belonging to the Ninth US Army, with the markings ‘99A’ in addition to the unit number. Troops have no army insignia, though, from conversations with a soldier, I was able to confirm that the Ninth Army identification is correct, though he could not explain the reason for the absence of army insignia. Same contacts said that three more divisions are due to arrive from USA to be put under the command of the Ninth Army.
DORICK also had a contribution to make, on 23 August:
Urgent. DORICK. The entire 59th, rattlesnake, American Division has started to leave Ipswich area, moving toward the south. Other divisions also preparing to leave. Agent is investigating and will send detailed reports as soon as possible.
Three days later DICK reported in:
DICK. Saw many units with sign of white St Andrew’s cross on circular background in red and blue, which I discovered belongs to the 17th US Division, which have been arriving in the Brighton area. Headquarters of this division is in Stanmer Park, about four miles from Brighton on Lewes Road. Have identified following units of this division: 293rd Infantry Regiment, 114th Engineering Battalion.
DORICK finally sent his observations to GARBO on 28 August:
DORICK. Numerous rumours that entire American army in this area is leaving for south. Troops of the 11th US Division, previously seen in Stowmarket, have left the district. Few troops of XXXIII US Corps seen in Bury St Edmunds. Many troops of this corps left recently for unknown destination. Many convoys of the 17th US Division seen moving south. Advanced units of this division moved south some time ago. DICK recently reported arrival in Brighton area of units of this division. Blackwall tunnel, under the Thames, was closed for three days for passage of American troops.
In spite of their many preoccupations on the continent of Europe, the Germans were still mesmerised by GARBO’s signals and they responded to all these messages with detailed questionnaires. All provided MI5 with valuable intelligence and betrayed highly significant areas of weakness in the enemy’s knowledge of the Allied order of battle. Together, GARBO and Tommy Harris constructed suitable replies, like this item transmitted on the evening of 30 August:
To investigate your questionnaire about airborne and armoured troops, I sent DONNY for a short trip to Larkhill-Bulford area where airborne and armoured troops were located before the landing. He discovered the following troops in this area: DONNY. 2nd British Airborne Division, with sign of winged horse, also saw American armoured troops and tanks of 25th US Armoured Division, just arrived from Norfolk, also some men with sign of 8th Armoured Division without vehicles. These both have unusual US armoured division sign with the number superimposed to identify the division. Also saw US infantry troops and convoys with the following sign: a blue oval with the letter ‘V’ in white interlaced with the number ‘9’ in red and a circle divided
diagonally, with the number ‘9’ in black on white in the white semicircle. Had no time to identify but believe latter is the 94th US Division.
At the end of August 1944 BENEDICT was authorised by the Twenty Committee to bring FORTITUDE SOUTH to a swift conclusion and concentrate on short-term operation deception plans for 21 Army Group as the Allies headed for the Rhine. In order to facilitate communications and liaison between the commanders in the field in France and MI5’s case officers who had previously been based in St James’s Street, an offshoot of the Twenty Committee was introduced, designated the 212 Committee. The essence of the 212 Committee’s new scheme was contained in BENEDICT’s major transmission on 31 August:
Important! The following obtained at meeting between myself, ARABEL and 4(3) yesterday, in reply to your questionnaire about airborne army and also explains the moves of the Fourteenth US Army from the east coast. 4(3): He says that the original FUSAG plan for attacking Pas-de-Calais had been definitely cancelled, and the FUSAG forces are again being organised in the following way: the Fourteenth US Army and the 9th US Army are now under the direct command of SHAEF, as SHAEF strategic reserve. This force will be at the disposal of SHAEF for Eisenhower to be able to reinforce the Allied armies in France if they want assistance in the advance which is now about to be driven to prevent the German army from escaping to Germany. The Fourteenth US Army is being replaced in FUSAG by the new airborne army, which has now been given the name of the First Allied Airborne Army. With this rearrangement, a great part of FUSAG is now composed of airborne troops and will be used for special operations; in fact, FUSAG will become a sort of modern version of combined operations. For instance, they will carry out large-scale airborne operations anywhere in France, Belgium or Germany to attack the enemy lines of communications. They will also be used to occupy any areas or countries which the Germans give up unexpectedly, and this will avoid the necessity of having to make sudden dispersals of forces in the battle at the expense of carrying out their original plans. Following just arrived, urgently, from ARABEL. This morning I happened to be present at an interview between J(3) and a war press correspondent of SHAEF, at M of I. He told us, in confidence, that a large attack in France is imminent. He was recently at advanced HQ of SHAEF in France, where he learnt about the following discussions. 21 Army Group demands that Patton’s advance should stop. They want him to make a feint attack toward the east, keeping back the weight of his forces to turn north to attack the German flank, whilst the 21 Army Group, reinforced by FUSAG, makes a definite attack against the Pas-de-Calais to occupy that zone. On the other hand, Patton requests that all reinforcements and supplies are put at his disposal to attack into the centre of Germany, asking, at the same time, that the British armies should make a deceptive attack against the Pas-de-Calais to maintain all the German forces there, leaving Patton’s troops with freedom of action. The correspondent said that it would, therefore, be absurd to speculate without knowing what personal decision Eisenhower will eventually take as to which of the two attacks is the feint attack and which is the one destined to make the advance.
Operation Garbo Page 19