Month: April 2015

Today in 1941 – April 30 – Major Robin W.G. Stephens pushed Josef’s case in the direction of the Treachery Act

Today in 1941, the Commandant of Camp 020 (Latchmere House), Major Robin W.G. Stephens wrote a report on the progress of Josef Jakobs’ interrogations. Stephens was skeptical about most of Josef’s story and had no doubt that Josef “came over here as an active and willing spy for the Germans”. The day previously, Lt. G.F. […]

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The Mystery of the Vanished Spies

Did the British Security Service (MI5) capture every single one of the German spies who parachuted into England during World War II? That was the claim made by John C. Masterman, chair of MI5s Double-Cross Committee, in his classic book published in 1972. Today, MI5 still claims that the only spy to evade their net

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X-ray Images of Josef Jakobs’ broken leg

Within the National Archives at Kew, London, Josef Jakobs’ KV 2/24 file contains copies of his medical records from Dulwich Community Hospital. The medical records have the original x-ray images of Josef’s fractured leg. These images naturally do not photocopy well but the National Archives has helpfully digitized some of these x-rays. The National Archives

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A Brief Internment in Brixton Prison for German Spy Josef Jakobs

Condensed timelines of Josef Jakobs’ time in England generally have him landing in Ramsey, Huntingdonshire, being transferred to Ham Common (a.k.a. Camp 020) on the outskirts of London and then being executed at the Tower of London. In truth, Josef was transferred between several London locations from February 1 to August 15. On February 1,

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Today in 1941 – April 17 – German spy Josef Jakobs wrote his Third Statement to Camp 020 Interrogators

Today in 1941, Josef wrote his third statement about his life and handed it to Captain George F. Sampson, one of the Camp 020 interrogators. On 17 April, Josef typed up a third statement in which he gave the reason for his journey to England. Josef spoke of how horrible life was under the Nazis.

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Today in 1941 – April 16 – German spy Josef Jakobs wrote his Second Statement to Camp 020 Interrogators

Today in 1941, Josef wrote his second statement about his life and handed it to Captain George F. Sampson, one of the Camp 020 interrogators. On 16 April, Josef typed up a second statement in which he tried to prove that he had not come to England as an enemy. He spoke of how he

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Today in 1941 – April 15 – Josef Jakobs was returned to Camp 020 and wrote a statement about his life

Today in 1941, Josef was returned to Ham Common (a.k.a. Camp 020) from Brixton Prison Infirmary. Upon his arrival at Camp 020, Josef was handed over to Captain George F. Sampson who induced Josef to make several statements. On 15 April, Josef typed up an account of his life which was handed in to Sampson

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R.A.F. Short – Travel Clerk and Interrogator at Camp 020 during 1941

In researching the lives of the Camp 020 interrogators, it has become abundantly clear that few of them were chosen for their prior experience with interrogation or intelligence work. They were drawn from the ranks of diplomats, tailors, former soldiers, dentists, historians and even travel agents. In his history of Camp 020, Stephens touched on

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D.B. Stimson – Tailor and Administrator at Camp 020 during 1941

In researching the lives of the Camp 020 interrogators, it is always nice to across an individual with a rich history. Such an individual is Douglas Bernard Stimson, “Stimmy” to his colleagues. Although technically not an interrogator, Douglas was in charge of Administration at Camp 020 and had interactions with the prisoners. Early Life Douglas

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