A Review of Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies, by Ben MacIntyre.
"Tangle within tangle, Plot and counter-plot, ruse and treachery, Cross and double cross." Winston Churchill
In 1943, a Scottish intelligence officer named Tar Robertson was putting the finishing touches to a "unique weapon" he had been working on for three years. A weapon so subtle it would not kill or maim, instead it could get inside the enemy's head and play games with their perception, making them think what the British wanted them to, and even do what they wanted them to do.
Sounds incredible? Well this is an incredible account of a group of the most unlikely individuals ever to come together in one cause, to defeat Adolf Hitler's German war machine. To this end, Robertson had come up with a highly secret committee that they named the "twenty committee", so called because the Roman numeral for twenty is XX or the double cross. This fascinating book had me smiling as I got to know these often funny, but always very courageous people who were willing to risk their lives to defeat possibly one of the strongest armies in history.
They were so convincing to German intelligence that one agent was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class (sanctioned by Adolf Hitler's own hand), becoming the only person to be decorated by both sides during the war (he was also awarded the MBE by Britain).
At times, some of them were so brazen in their contact with German intelligence, you would think the game was up, but without this motley crew's input, the D-Day landings could have turned into one of the War's greatest catastrophes.
If you are fascinated by the Second World War as I am, this book is a must. Incredible, at times unbelievable, often fun.
John
"Tangle within tangle, Plot and counter-plot, ruse and treachery, Cross and double cross." Winston Churchill
In 1943, a Scottish intelligence officer named Tar Robertson was putting the finishing touches to a "unique weapon" he had been working on for three years. A weapon so subtle it would not kill or maim, instead it could get inside the enemy's head and play games with their perception, making them think what the British wanted them to, and even do what they wanted them to do.
Sounds incredible? Well this is an incredible account of a group of the most unlikely individuals ever to come together in one cause, to defeat Adolf Hitler's German war machine. To this end, Robertson had come up with a highly secret committee that they named the "twenty committee", so called because the Roman numeral for twenty is XX or the double cross. This fascinating book had me smiling as I got to know these often funny, but always very courageous people who were willing to risk their lives to defeat possibly one of the strongest armies in history.
They were so convincing to German intelligence that one agent was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class (sanctioned by Adolf Hitler's own hand), becoming the only person to be decorated by both sides during the war (he was also awarded the MBE by Britain).
At times, some of them were so brazen in their contact with German intelligence, you would think the game was up, but without this motley crew's input, the D-Day landings could have turned into one of the War's greatest catastrophes.
If you are fascinated by the Second World War as I am, this book is a must. Incredible, at times unbelievable, often fun.
John
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