Spy novels tell us about lucky scoundrels who are ready to do anything for a mission and (most often) a Queen. In-heel microphones, aston martins, and mix-but-not-shake vodka and martinis seem like absolute nonsense compared to the actual Allied operations during World War II.
Working at the front did not involve any aesthetic habits. There were no machine guns built into the umbrellas, and the notes were not transmitted using stuffed pigeons. But, there were much more crazy undertakings, which we will now tell you about.
Operation "Minced meat"
The Allied invasion of Sicily was a key plan to defeat the Nazi forces in this region. To divert the attention of the enemy from the island, the British came up with a bold and slightly insane plan. On the way of one of the German patrol boats, a dead vagrant was thrown, in whose pockets there were supposedly secret documents about the invasion of the Allied forces in Greece. Incredibly, the German command ate the bait without a trace - and after a week Sicily was occupied without any problems.
Dancing Josephine
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Josephine Baker was one of the most famous black dancers who fled from her native America to more liberal France. After the surrender of this country, Josephine remained on the stage and, at the same time, began to spy for the allies. The beauty took out secret data to neutral waters on music sheets, and attached important photographs directly to her underwear. The Germans never figured out the secret of Baker.
First American Commando
Lieutenant Jack Taylor may well be called the first "US SEAL". He worked at sea, on land and in the air, transporting weapons, spies and ammunition through Greece and the Balkan Peninsula. Taylor was able to scout the supply routes of German troops and regularly conducted single raids on the most important railway hubs.
Beauty Fifi
Marie Christine Chilver worked within the UK on a rather delicate issue. Her task was to check the rookie spies before sending them to the territory captured by the German troops. Hardly a third of all trained agents managed to pass this test - which speaks of both the quality of British intelligence and Fifi's outstanding skills.
One-legged saboteur
Virginia Hall lost her leg a few months before the outbreak of World War II. This injury ended her career in the Foreign Service. Instead, Hall decided to become a saboteur. During the occupation of France, Virginia slipped into the occupied territory, stealing a torpedo boat from her own commander. Here she trained as many as three battalions of French resistance and conducted several brilliant sabotage and reconnaissance operations. Her team destroyed over one and a half hundred personnel of the German army, destroyed four bridges and derailed 15 trains.