Posted on 02/05/2007 12:06:12 PM PST by Stoat
More than 60 years after the end of the Second World War, a retired doctor from Preston has been named as the chamber's last survivor, as researchers struggle to unlock its remaining secrets.
"I had a telephone call one day and they came over," Dr Bruce Cooper said yesterday. Only now has the 92-year-old broken his silence on the mission whose existence was one of the war's best-kept secrets.
The young British navy doctor was called in to see Surgeon-Commander Murray Levick while on shore leave and told they were looking for a doctor "to do something special". Commander Levick said: "I cannot tell you what it's all about yet but you will need an accomplice." Dr Cooper recommended his friend Arthur Milner, a fellow doctor, and the team was put in place. It included the two medical officers, the executive officer "Windy Gale" and three junior seamen, who would function as radio operators.
The team were warned before they left for Gibraltar that they may have to be sealed inside the operation post for as long as a year, although they were aware that it could be longer. The operation was so secret that not even Whitehall knew about it.
Once in Gibraltar, they lived under cover for two and a half years with the prospect of being moved up to the operation post to be sealed inside. At the end of the war, the team was disbanded and its members resumed civilian life. The Rock was never captured.
Today, my guess would be that the New York Times would instantly print full details of this on their front page and, as justification, denounce it's 'inhumanity' to the brave doctors involved, while reminding us that the Nazis posed no real threat and how the war is all America's fault anyway.
It would be interesting to get some additional details, like how one monitors Germans while sealed in a cave. Electronic listening post perhaps? Periscopes?
So...if they were going to be SEALED inside, how would they monitor anything?? Radio transmissions? And will radio signals penetrate solid rock?
You are absolutely right about the NYT my FRiend, not only would they have blown the secrecy around such an operation, they would have published complete blueprints, details, and radio frequencies to be used by those doctors, and probably put out some inane poll to ask readers if they "thought it was inhumane, as inhumane as the Nazis, to bury allied soldiers inside the Rock of Gibraltar".
Clucking their treasonous tongues, and flapping their f'in gums all the way.
Foxholers ping
Foxholers ping
Agreed. Hopefully the survivor whose story this short article is based upon will be willing to provide more details. It's such a compelling story, this short article mainly serves to make the reader wish for more.
Electronic listening post perhaps? Periscopes?
Probably both, and everything that was technologically available at the time. They had years available to set up the facility, so it was most likely planned quite thoroughly.
I'm no radio expert, but I believe longwave transmissions will penetrate rock. Also, lines could be laid beforehand to external disguised antennae or to remote repeaters. "Sealed" in this context can also be taken too far in that they would obviously need to be supplied with air at least, assuming adequate food and water stockpiles inside the facility.
I'm certain the mission would planned out better than that, but your post does raise a funny image!
DAY 83: It's still dark in here. Using the laterns sparingly to avoid further fouling of the air. Thought we heard several diesel engines pass by above us somewhere, but hard to be sure. Still uncertain if any of our transmissions are being received. End Report.
He even had campaign ready if the German Army had established a beach head in England and was moving forward. It would have been called "You can always take one with you".
The Chicago Tribune printed right after the Battle of Midway that we knew the Japanese plans, dispositions, and order of battle before the battle occured.
Apparently the Japanese never noticed the article and thus never understood we'd broken their naval codes.
But in general the "good ol' days" never seem quite as good compared to today as people think.
Dedication of New Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center Set for June 6, 2007
bttt
DAY 156: We are getting really tired of canned beans. We can no longer light the lanterns for fear of an explosion.
"More beans, Mr. Taggert?"
"I'd say you've had enough!"
"I'd rather eat Johnson, Sah! Jenkins has a gammy leg!"
Yes, indeed ... some brainless moron (traitor) in the newspapers of the day reported that our submarines were capable of diving deeper than the Japanese believed to be the case, thus rather handily evading depth-charge attacks (in deep water). The IJN did find out about that one, and promptly set their depth charges for a deeper explosion.
ping...
There was a Peter Sellers movie called The Blockhouse that was similar. Supposedly that was also based on a true story.
Please don't sully this thread with such trifles. We have no need for facts here, especially when we have such excellent opinions.
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