The Spy Who Duped Hitler | Washed Up | 2

The Spy Who

Wondery

History

4.6 • 669 Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Germany and Britain both want the same thing: to get Major Bill Martin’s briefcase into the hands of the Nazis. But will Operation Mincemeat’s ploy survive a reckless chauffeur, an inquisitive coroner and the rule-abiding Spanish Navy?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wonderry Plus subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy Who early and add free on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.
0:09.2	A quick note that this episode contains graphic descriptions of a dead body.
0:18.5	April 17, 1943, Hackney Mortuary, London.
0:23.6	RAF intelligence officer and double-cross committee member Charles Chumley
0:29.6	grimaces as he attempts to put military boots on the frozen feet of Glendor Michael's corpse.
0:35.6	It's no good, even with the laces undone. He throws the boot on the frozen feet of Glendor Michael's corpse. It's no good. Even with the laces undone.
0:40.1	He throws the boot on the floor in exasperation.
0:44.1	His colleague, naval intelligence officer, Ewan Montague,
0:47.8	frowns and removes the pipe from his mouth.
0:50.7	We can't go without boot.
0:52.2	Yes, I'm aware of that.
0:53.8	And what do you suggest is feet are
0:55.5	frozen solid. The two intelligence officers look at Michael's corpse. His body is now the
1:01.8	centerpiece of Operation Mincemeat. An ambitious con designed to fool the Germans into thinking
1:08.1	that the Allies are about to invade Greece and Sardinia
1:11.6	rather than Sicily. But right now, the plan could fail because the boots won't fit.
1:21.6	Chomley and Montague are interrupted by the arrival of Coroner, Bentley Purchase.
1:32.6	He supplied the operation with the body and kept it in cold storage for the past few weeks.
1:38.8	He notices that Glendor Michael's thin, emaciated corpse now wears a Royal Marine uniform,
1:47.7	a long carkey coat, an uninflated life jacket, and a St Christopher's medallion. Purchase smiles and shakes the dead man's hand. Well, well, how wonderful to meet you, Major William Martin. And very smart you
1:54.5	look too, not with bare feet, he's not. Montague grimaces as he closes the briefcase that will
2:00.7	be attached to the body with a chain.
	...

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