Enigma machine helped Royal Navy to intercept German spy
British intelligence had been running a number of double agents who were telling the Germans that the Allies were planning to invade both France and Norway, diverting attention from the looming battle in North Africa.
"Operation Torch" followed closely on the heels on the battle of el-Alamein which allowed Churchill to declare that he had seen the "end of the beginning" of the war, as the Allies took control of the Mediterranean.
But the invasion and the carefully planned deception operation almost came to nothing, new files released by MI5 reveal.
A telegram of October 28 1942, 11 days before the invasion, noted that they had been closely watching the activities of the ostensibly neutral Portuguese fishing fleet off the banks of Newfoundland and had "reason to believe that one or more of these vessels carried German agents."
Referring to an intercepted message, decoded by Enigma, it added: "We have now obtained from the most secret sources, information which not only proves our suspicions but actually identifies the man concerned."
"You will of course appreciate that if any action is to be taken, it must be taken forthwith," it added.
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)
"Operation Torch" followed closely on the heels on the battle of el-Alamein which allowed Churchill to declare that he had seen the "end of the beginning" of the war, as the Allies took control of the Mediterranean.
But the invasion and the carefully planned deception operation almost came to nothing, new files released by MI5 reveal.
A telegram of October 28 1942, 11 days before the invasion, noted that they had been closely watching the activities of the ostensibly neutral Portuguese fishing fleet off the banks of Newfoundland and had "reason to believe that one or more of these vessels carried German agents."
Referring to an intercepted message, decoded by Enigma, it added: "We have now obtained from the most secret sources, information which not only proves our suspicions but actually identifies the man concerned."
"You will of course appreciate that if any action is to be taken, it must be taken forthwith," it added.