Operation Mincemeat, BBC2 9pm

[grumbledoak]

Following Clarkson's excellent WW2 documentary is another very good one. Positively hilarious in parts.

It's all spy stuff...

[Sonic]

What a fantastic documentary!

[anonymous-user]

wow, really enjoyed that, best prog on 2 for ages! and what an amazing story too

[Mr_B]

Great Beeb docu, really enjoyed that. One thing I didn't quite catch was just how many troops or equipment was moved out of Sicily. I heard mention of one detail, but most of it seemed to be from other areas which didn't necessarily weaken the defences in Sciliy. Can anyone confirm please ?

[Tony2or4]

I seem to remember being told, about 40 years ago, that a novel was written during the war, not long before Operation Mincemeat was due to happen, in which the plot basically followed the idea of the (top secret, of course) Operation Mincemeat. This created a controversy, with the author being suspected of being a spy for the Nazis and the book itself being suppressed until after the war.

Has anybody else heard this story, and if so, what was the title, and who was the author, of the book?

Or have I dreamt all of this??

[grumbledoak]

Sounded like one of the biggest wins was movement of torpedo/U- boats away from the invasion point(s). We'd been expecting to lose 300 ships!

ETA- the author mentioned was Ian Fleming himself!

Edited by grumbledoak on Sunday 5th December 22:14

[odyssey2200]

Fantastic !

Just watched it on the V= box as I recorded it.

I think I might just watch it again

[CooperD]

What an excellent programme. Very interesting what some of these intelligence chaps came up with. I remember seeing the film based on the story called The Man Who Never Was.

[Trommel]

The Ben Macintyre book (of the same name) is very good.

[Ed5995]

Trommel said:

The Ben Macintyre book (of the same name) is very good.

Yes, in which the mental fragility of Glyndawr Michael is attributed to the effects of a congenital STD. The guy had a miserable life, no opportunites to speak of, so I wasn't at all impressed by the snotty and judgemental tone that he was 'a loser'. Such a contrast to the other upper middle class characters in this story. Riveting book and TV.

[odyssey2200]

Heads up!!

The Man Who Never Was is on Sky Classic Movies on 12th December at 14:30 IIRC

V+ box set

[Spice_Weasel]

If you liked the TV show and fancy more of the same, read this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Churchills-Wizards-British...

It's a great account of deception, double-crossing and chicanery during the first and second world wars and covers Operation Mincemeat as well as a wealth of other plots. I bought it for my father last Christmas and we both loved it.

[Hugo a Gogo]

nice touch that the government (or Admirality or whoever it may have been) paid for the gravestone recently, with his real name and "served as Mjr Michael Martin RM"