2016 marks the 75th anniversary of Josef Jakobs’ ill-fated espionage mission to England. On the evening of January 31, 1941, Josef parachuted down from a Heinkel 111 aircraft.
Having broken his ankle during his exit from the plain, Josef lay in agony for 12 hours before attracting the attention of some passing farmers on the morning of February 1. Less than 7 months later, Josef would be executed as a spy at the Tower of London.
In May 2010, I visited Dovehouse Farm near the village of Ramsey, Huntingdonshire. Winston Ramsey, founder and editor of After the Battle Magazine graciously offered to serve as chauffeur and tour guide. It was a most enlightening trip.
It is only when one stands on the windy fens around Ramsey that one truly gets a sense of the futility of Josef’s mission. A man dressed in the latest continental fashions, with a poor grasp of the English language, would have stood out like a sore thumb.
Josef’s mission ended before it really began.
