Bridge Club
Monday, March 18 – N/S Michael M + Sheila Q; E/W Yvonne P + Fiona M
Bobby Allan Trophy Sims:
Tuesday, March 19 – (Howell) Archie H + partner. Wednesday, March 20 – N/S Gavin L + May C; E/W Philip H + Sheila Q. For further information visit our website.
Probus
Biggar Probus Club met on March 19 to hear Roy Johnstone speak about “The Man Who Never Was”.
Roy first came to speak to us in 2021 about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, and his latest talk described one of the most audacious acts of deception carried out by British Intelligence during the Second World War.
Allied Intelligence had a general ambition throughout the war to devise strategies to reduce military and civilian casualties. In the preparation for the invasion of Europe from North Africa in 1942, a diversion was needed to persuade Hitler that the seaborne invasion of Sicily was only a ruse, and the real invasion was to take place in Greece and Sardinia.
This became Operation Mincemeat, and it involved the planting of faked letters on the body of a naval officer whose plane had crashed in the Mediterranean off southern Spain. The body was dropped by submarine having been conveyed to Spanish coast from Greenock after detailed efforts were made to disguise it. The body was found by Spanish fishermen and conveyed to Madrid where it was examined and eventually declared to be genuine.
With the assistance of the British Military Attaché in Madrid the letters found their way to German Intelligence where after some doubts their veracity were accepted, and troops were diverted to defend Greece. When the invasion of Sicily came in April 1942 it was met with limited resistance and the Allied armies managed to reach mainland Italy and move northwards.
Diversionary tactics were also used in preparation for the Normandy Landings two years later.
Roy Johnstone spoke only from brief notes and gave as a fascinating and memorable account of this remarkable deception.
The vote of thanks was given by the President, Neil Ingram.
The next meeting is on Tuesday, April 2 in Biggar Municipal Hall at 10am, when we will hold our Annual General Meeting, to which all club members are invited.