Operation Mincemeat

[JOLovegrove]

Was I the only one that just watched the documentary about Operation Mincemeat on BBC2? I think this is a repeat, however I haven't seen it before, and found it extremely interesting!

Anyone else see it or has seen it before?

 

[Driver8]

I think most of us red blooded males may have been watching Victoria Pendleton on BBC1!

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Saw it let time so forced to watch superstar with her indoors.

Great story, clever buggers in room 13....

 

[JOLovegrove]

I think most of us red blooded males may have been watching Victoria Pendleton on BBC1!

Haha, was it just an hour of watching her?

 

[Driver8]

Haha, was it just an hour of watching her?

Yep.

 

[Uwinsc]

I have the book. Very interesting read would recommend it

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Being a military history fanatic I studied many operations in ww1 and ww2...(not medical ones you smartarses!).... I think this was one of the greatest deceptions of the war and saved many allied lives....

 

[JOLovegrove]

Being a military history fanatic I studied many operations in ww1 and ww2...(not medical ones you smartarses!).... I think this was one of the greatest deceptions of the war and saved many allied lives....

I had never heard of it before watching this documentary, but glad I stay tuned. Such a simple idea to plant a body, but was obviously very effective. Have you seen the show I watched?

 

[SeagullSongs]

Here's the iPlayer link if anyone wants it. I might watch it now

BBC iPlayer - Operation Mincemeat

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Some of the characters were wonderful. Charles Cholmondeley (pronounced Chumley) and his waxed moustache for one.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

I'm currently reading this and he spins a great yarn. Agent ZigZag was excellent too. I'm pretty much sold on Mr Macintyre's story-telling.

 

[Uwinsc]

I'm currently reading this and he spins a great yarn. Agent ZigZag was excellent too. I'm pretty much sold on Mr Macintyre's story-telling.

Agree he is a really good writer. Have you read double cross? Also by him (think it's reasonably new)

 

[Seagull on the wing]

I had never heard of it before watching this documentary, but glad I stay tuned. Such a simple idea to plant a body, but was obviously very effective. Have you seen the show I watched?

Yes did watch it,read the book....still have it somewhere...saw the film. HMS Seraph was mainly used for secret ops,besides 'Mincemeat' she was in Operation ' Flagpole'and the 'Ship with two captains, where she briefly flew the US navy flag. As a weapon of aggression she was not very successful sinking only small boats,Saw her in Portsmouth about 1957/8...

 

[keaton]

It's very good, as are all the Ben MacIntyre programmes.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Was I the only one that just watched the documentary about Operation Mincemeat on BBC2? I think this is a repeat, however I haven't seen it before, and found it extremely interesting!

Anyone else see it or has seen it before?

Yup, I watched it. It was a repeat, I have seen it before, but it is superly interesting. The film about this story is also good, and reasonably true to life, called "The man who never was" if I remember correctly.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Really enjoyed all of Ben Macintyre's books and the TV programmes too. The books go into much more detail but are a riveting read. The main characters are fascinating and really brave, whose stories are worthy of being told. Equally how gullible the Germans were in wanting to believe the bogus intelligence they were being fed.

It was interesting and sad to read the recurring sub-plot with Anthony Blunt's name cropping up in all of the books and giving the very chilling feeling that while 'our' spies and deceptions were brilliant, we were in turn fooled by the Russians and hadn't a clue for about 30 years. Blunt and cronies had been passing our secrets to the Russians since the 30's.

Went to a talk Ben gave shortly after the publication of Operation Mincemeat which was excellent. He alluded to further books that are in the pipeline about clandestine operations in WW11. He is certainly mining a rich source of historical treasure, long may it continue.

 

[simmo]

Definitely a repeat, seen it before but still a brilliant piece of deception and the way the SOE had the Nazis on a bit of string was beautiful...when it all loooked to be going a bit wrong sending a message that they knew would be deciphered and read by the Nazis, asking the British representative in Spain to make sure that top secret letter didn't get into the wrong hands, thus ensuring the Nazis gave it more precedence and that it did.

Genius. Probably saved hundreds if not thousands of lives.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Being a military history fanatic I studied many operations in ww1 and ww2...(not medical ones you smartarses!).... I think this was one of the greatest deceptions of the war and saved many allied lives....

Were the Germans ever able to outwit the British/Allies in any way ?

 

[ifuhatepalacestandup]

see a previous bbc documentry called the man who fooled hitler, or a black and white 1950s film called The man who never was ,

 

[Greavsey]

Were the Germans ever able to outwit the British/Allies in any way ?

That's what I'd be interested in. Now many years after the event surely we're able to look at things a bit more subjectively and it would be fascinating to hear the success stories from the enemy. There must be some instances surely!?