The Double-Cross System

The war was also operated at an unseen level and J. C. Masterson was in the midst of it–espionage. The Brits added another to it–double cross, in which they provided known German agents with false information, and were successful in convincing the Germans that D-Day landings would take place in the Pas de Calais.

The book is an authoritative account of their activities and the great nicknames they used to pull it off. Names like Snow, Celery, Biscuit, Charlie, Midas, Dragonfly, Tricycle, and what their responsibilities were. They also used letter-writing agents who were part of their deception to get… show more.

It s a clever scheme that was essentially controlled German espionage in Britain.

In this system, they fed German agents with false information that gave an edge to Allied military success. Perhaps most important of all, it was used to lead the Germans in believing the invasion would land at Pas de Calais. The Germans never learned about it until after the war.

Britain’s super spies were given great names to protect their identity, names like Tricycle, Treasure, and Lipstick. The book is a wonderful, factual account of a hidden world of the war no one knew about. It’s a… show more.

John Masterman’s diary of events as head of the Committee which orchestrated the Double Cross Deception of the Second World is a classic read. The British ran an elaborate network of around 120 double agents whom German Intelligence believed was working for the Third Reich, but in fact were being controlled by MI5—the British Security Service responsible for security and counter-espionage within Britain. The handling of these double agents, around 120 in total, was the responsibility of the Twenty Committee (XX), otherwise known as the Double Cross Committee. It was chaired by Masterman, the fifty-year-old ex-Dean of Christ College, Oxford.… show more.