THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1953.

How we gave THE MAN

T is the spring of 1943. Hitler's march has been halted. In the Eastern Mediterranean Mont- gomery has rolled Rommel in the desert dust. In the West the Joint British-American invasion of North Africa is moving to victory,

Already It has been decided that the next blow will be the invasion of Sicily as a stepping-stone into Europe. The double problem facing the Hon. Ewen E. S. Montagu, Naval Intelligence officer, was how to keep the secret from Hitter, and at the same time fox him into believing that the blow would fall instead on Sardinia or Greece.

Why not drop a dead man with papers "doctored"-0 skilfully that the Germans, would accept them ды genuine? Why not float the body ashore in Spain in an Arc infested by Germun agents?

So a body was selected; the body of a mon whose name is for ever secret, who

had died of pneumonia,

He became "Major WII- liam Martin, Royal Marines."

An elaborate. build-up of personality was begun for the Man Who Never Was

by THE HON. EWEN

E. S. MONTAGU

WHO NEVER WAS

a Sweetheart

THE MANOR HOUSE

OGBOURNE ST. GEORGE

· MAILLBOROUCH

WILTSHIAR

ELEMANI LADURIA ST GADAdd sub

I do thank drawest that ST51

Lueg you sir ar daailway staticur pivier poma67 specia

4.007 a

PILCH

Bear 31

Wathend the

of us has of thy madly on quits to fill it. wit" at the kings

himnumbered invitation to

Lloyds Bank Limitert,

2 h l červima that la mile of pepestud strifesties just workouth wong, th (79.31956, e1111 votes,

In a siremdams, 1 mo po writing to Entata pa 124 milesi tāda navut, skar Jafartak as d to vate vi pugnant, karviajood. Zvethnich og skull bare alternative bet jo baie the JanssonTY ELEPH de ten or talemate,

Player be. Mineha, K.M.

Apral belliding Chat,

I Recully.

PART TWO OF A NEW SERIES...

Vel Brikoet

For MJ. Phillips,

chilienmath.

Jawelit, & batique Diate. Bycutore,

[2*Hit Hat | Pright" trauma ning tuath dis

shoulders that (pa" prethane tand Eaguaring 'fiv.

・from 2.4 mms"

This is

GORDONS

DRY GIN

the Gim

DISTYLANEC ki

LONDON,

BY APPOINTMENT GIN DISTILLERS TO

Tanqueray Gordon & Co. Ltd.

THE LATE KING GEORGE VI

Quality Incomparable

Gordon's

Stands Supreme

Distributors:-

DODWELL & CO.,

LTD.

and

was 4 in his

E now had to give the Cabaret Club in London.

our body the per-

Not surprisingly, he Monality we. our- ttle extravagant, selves had created pocket was a letter from Lloyds --that of "Major William Bonk head office, dated April 14, Martin"

1943, calling on him to pay ull an overdraft of some £70. We could anly do it by hu appearance, documents, letters, and all the d and ends an might reasonably be expected to have in his pickets

But this collection haut to dovetail perfectly into an everal plan.

cer

We thought it would be easy to maintoh his status as a

leer, but even here we met difficulty.

How were we to hit

him with the curvect unilm? We could not very well ack a tailor to "make to measure."

Problems

This Ind been wrongly addressed to him at the Army and Navy Club, and having been marked "Not known. at this address," had been sent on by the Pit Office to the Naval and Military Club, of which he ap- peared to have been a temporary member as he had also in his pucket a receipted bill for h Loom at that club up to Apri 23.

Every young ofliene has some romantic attachment and "Major Martha" had to have one,

The chief event in his "life," nd we drew it for him, was thai be bad recently met a charming

Sa el her and two letters from her in his wollet,

So "Major Martin" had to girl called Pam. He curried a

"join"

the Royal Market

in crder to be able to wear on

let

Lench coat Wind haltledress

لة

used

duly fiel with Probably his engagement was

bacines and flastics.

the enuse of his overdraft, for he

Stil we find our problems. also had a bill (unreceipted!) In

The Marines are a smati service. Nis pocket for a 153 engagement und if the brty Was sent ring.

from Spain (on the coat of

which it would be washed up

to Gibraltar the talk there would be even worse than if the bl was that of

soldier,

"unknown"

The ring

FINALLY, he had received a pimply Victorian letter

There were other Royal Marine T

oleers named Martin of about from his stodity dather fixing a his rank in the Navy List and if joint meeting with: the family im- young man "could"

the Germans had a copy we soliciturs NO that This

patywuld think the provident

initials had been misprinted. We make a will and settle his affairs also hoped that any Royal now that he had toolishly de- Marine who might hear of the cided to become engaged in the "Casualty" would think that it middle of the war, was the Martin he dut not know,

A

Odd surprise

WORSE hurdle to be gol uver was "Major Martin'" Identity card with photographe which he would have to carry and although many of us think we look dend in our photography

We felt that it would be dif- frult to define a personality more clearly than that with but a few letters, and we had to set about making them val.

+0,3

Hand: rendily quared "overdraft" letter when opunted by posting the re weakest them to help us.

it was shaltering to duit Bend Street, as the jewellers

utterly and hopelessly deard any

1 chuse S. J. Phillips,

for the

I emlogement ring as photograph

Krew that they had an Inter- of the holy booked national trade, and it was prob Now came an it surprise We had searched high and low able that their bill-heads would in Germany for

for zomraue who looked even re-

be available

inetely like the body, when one comparison.

day I looked acrors the table at

meeting and there, opposite

ne,

c, was "the "double" in

Martin's" double.

We persuaded

sit for his picture, and "Major Martin

was duly

i

Poem of joy

THE

пол-

issued with 15 photograph of the

existent sweetheart "Pam" we

en Identity card. Hel tu have

a birthday and a signature-go ontained from one of the giris

Rave

11 and in the War Office, and the two

signed his name for

Brilliant lave letters were written

Every posible moment after ov another girl in the sanne

that I

I spent rubbing the identity office.

cart up and down my trouser

leg.

20 Rive 11

the

The first was on notepaper Authentie from my brother-in-law's house' pating such a document enllects as I felt that no German could in the course of years.

resist the English atmosphere of

I was doubtful whether the The Manor House, Ogbourne result was good enough even St. George, Marlborough,

therefore had it Wiltshire!

then,

and

marked with "Major Marlin'a" This letter, dated present rauk aid endorsed 18th," was a poem

"Insued in lieu of No. 09650 Jost"

"Sunday, of Joy by a young girl who had just found

the number being that of any the one poreon whe mattered. It

own card,

read:

'Brilliant"

OUR

UR Intelligence team

personality. We

then

talked about

him until he became for us: completely real human being,

The Manor House,

Ogbourne St. George,

Marlborough,

Wiltshire.

Sunday 18th.

A love letter she wrote to him from her "

manor house address"... The "overdraft" warning from Lloyds Bank... The bill for the engagement ring which drove him into debt... And the girl herself (she worked in the War Office, and we called her Pam)

1.3

up Pam and don't be a silly little fool.

made те feel Your letter

slightly better- but I shall get horribly conceited if you go on saying things like that about me they're utterly unilke ME,

I'm afraid you'll soon find out, Here I am for the week-end in this divine place with Mummy and Jane being too sweet and understanding the whole time, bored beyond words and pant- Ing for Monday so that I get back to the old grindstone again. What an idiotic, waste! Bill,

do let derling,

know as me soon as you get fixed and can make some more plans, and clon't please let them send you of into the blue the horrible way they do nowa- daya-now that we've found each other out of the whole world, don't think I could bear it

All my love,

Pam,

'Bill's hint'

can

This was a mixture of worry at "BI's" hint that

You do write such as usual! heavenly ones. But what ure Chese horrible dark hints throwing out

about Peing sent off somewhere-

you're

Dearest Bill, I'm so thrilled with my ring-scandalously extravagant—you know how 7 adore diamonds I simply can't stop looking at it. I'm going to a rather dreary dance tonight with Jock and Hazel. I think they've gol some other man coming.

You

know what their friends Blways

turn out to be like; he'll have the sweetest little Adam's apple and the shiniest bald head. How beastly and -Ungrateful of me, but it isn't that you know-don't

you? you?

Look, darling, I've got

Dext

Sunday and Monday oft for

Easter, I shall go home for

of course, do come tuo if you possibly can, or even if you get away from London I'll dash up and we'll have

can't

an evening of galely.

forgive us!), as that had a con- vincingly solid ring.

10

so light...

The letter, which seems me a masterpiece, was wrillen by a young officer, and ran:-

Black Lion lotól, Mold,

N. Wales. 13th April, 1943. My dear William,

CANNOT say that this hotel

in any longer as comfori- able as I remember it to have been in pre-war days. I am. however, staying here as the only alternative to Imposing mycelf once more upon your

and strict arju

aunt, whose depleted staff regard for fucl economy (which I agree to be necessary in war

var time) has mate the house almost uninhabitable to a a guest, ut least onc of my age.

for:

I propose to be In Town

the nights of the 20th and of April when no doubt we shall have an opportuni- ty to meet.

the encioso copy of a letter which I have Me- wrliten to Gwalkin of Kenna's his solicitor] about your affairs. You will that I have asked him to lunch with me at the Carl- tan Grill (which

under stand still to be open) at a quarter to one on Wednesday I should be glad It possible Ghall not however wait luncheon for

the 21st. By

the way, Aunt Morian sutd

to bring you to dinner next time I was up, but I think that might wall).

Here.

comes

+

if you would make

to join us. We

1

you, so I trust that, if you are able to come, you the Bloodhowid,

w[l] masses of love and a kiss make a point of being pune-

from

tuul.

Pam, To get these letters, one of "which" was"un"flinsy," into the

right condition I rubbed them carefully, on my clothing and folded and unfolded them con- tinually..

Your cousin Priscilla has asked to be remembered to

Your affectionate

FATHER

So there he was "Major William Martin-and we felt They had to look as though that anyone who went through they had been read and re his papers would feel that they read; yet I was obylous that knew him and that he was a

must not crumple them as real human being. sonicone thoughtlessly suggested for once a piece of paper has been crumpled up il rennot be mate smooth again.

love

No one would ever dream of crumpling the first two letters from his flancer.

Masterpiece

leiler

Irom

pompous ONE Partin's father way

Wales, becauso of course I won't say a word written from

bim to anyone-I never do when we had decided to give you tell me things, but it's no: Welsh parentage. abroad. ls it? Because won't have it, I won't tell

em to from me....

We chose paper belonging to Mold, the Black Lion Hotel, North Wales (I hope they will

TAX-FREE

(World copyright) NEXT WEEK

✪ What did Mountbatten mosa

by "Let him bring some sardines"?

A fake note goes to Elsenhower

Why we chose HUELVA, and

the problem of the tides

SHOPPERS

TEMPT THE

SAM WHITE's Paris Newsletter

FRENCH

FRENCH Government au- thorities are making discreet approaches to the U.S. Embassy here about a dollar gold mine on French soil in which they feel they ought to have bigger share..

duty-free car or Norwegian skis The gold mine: the American or German

ne Any's PX stores the stream-

Italien silk.

cameras or

basinées done by PXs in Franco is estimated at 22,500,000 dollars,

LAVAL'S DAUGHTER

OFF to Jamaica as guests of Hungarian-born finanteler Arpad Plesch are the Count and Countess Reno de Chantbrun. They

pre a distinguished couple he is a leading member of the CHE wrote a second letter, onlined, glittering U.S. version of The French are upset that French bar, who as a descendant

pressional dispensation, plain office paper on the Britain's Naaf-which raise ave only a small percentage of the of Lafayette enjoys, by Con- both discussed. "Major Marlin's" I DO think, dearest, that seeing 21st, while her "boss" was out million dollars wort of France. And they say that the citizensiup; she is the dark, at

goods bought by FX are from

French and United

States people like you off ot

purchases a your in France. railway stations is one of the of the office.

duty-free, shopping tractive, fornar Jose Laval, There stores were granted sumptuous poores forms of sport, A.

he wan lax-free, duty-free facilities by at PX discourages U.S. Service daughter of Pierre Laval, tho train going out can leave a

men from buying in French

executed wartime collaborator. howling great cap in one's life being sent abroad, pleasure at the French Govemment in 1948, and one' fina to try madly the engagement ring, news, and when there were only 300 US. stops..

The French want a guarantee Jose has remained a prom and quite in vain-to All it promise to dash up to London soldiers stationed in France,

Now there

Paris ard 40,000 U.S. that more PX dollars will be minent with all the things one used before he was sent abroad. Hiere Servicemen here, and the PX used to make purchases in despite the shadow cast on her figure, whole

five weeks

(for Pest Exeliange) han mush- France; or the imposition of life by her father's trial and Ofice, Wednesday 21st That

lovely

golden day

roomed, from modost suppliers duties on PX Imports into execution. She remaina fervently we spent together oh I THE Bloodhound has left his off

I cigarettes, toothpaste and soap France.

and outspokenly loyal to him. know it's been said before, but kennel for half an hour sa into a vast merchandising con- Altogether they would prefer Intelligent" "and with Virost hero I am scribbling nonsense rern which imports goods from a more adequate share in this charm, she always remembers you again. Your lettorell over Europe and the USA booming dollar trade, Malang her, father's last words to heri, zamo this morning just as I The U.S. Coldier or his wife Five million dollars is all very "Defend me, but do it without was dashing out-madly lalel can walk into a FX and order a wall-but: the annual tax-frog ruñcour,”

We decided he "was" a rather brilliant young man.

and an expert on landing craft, hener the reason for hia being

spectally flown over to North Africa,

He was, However, somewhat careless, and besides losing his original identity card was still carrying a pass to Combined Operations . Q. which he lat allowed to get just out of date. He was also a gay young mon and fond of a good time; he had

tu enjoy OFO.

if only time would sometimes

stand still just for

a minute.

But that line of thought "la too pointless. Pull your socks

It is

tu

social

weighs only 8 lb. Truly portable.

so small

fits easily into a brief case!

so economical.

sturdy-costs only $340.

HERMES

BUT IT GIVES ́BIG MACHINE performance

see it at:

OFFICE EQUIPMENT DEPT.

20 Stanley St.

Spalinger's

Tel. 32785

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