Astor, Hugh Waldorf (Oral history)

British civilian served as case officer with B.1A Division, MI5 in GB, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of period as case officer with B.1A Division, MI5 in GB, 1942-1945: use of double agents; support received from Prime Minister Winston Churchill; arrival of German agents in GB; opinion of efficiency of German agents; story of double agent Juan Pujol Garcia codenamed 'Garbo'; capture of Englishman working as agent for Germans; interrogation techniques; question of lack of use of physical means of interrogation; trial and imprisonment of German agents; question of whether fooled by German agents; difficulties running triple agent; information gleaned from Ultra; question of trusting agents; process of creating a double agent; details of how Germans were fooled over Normandy landings; work of agents Juan Pujol Garcia codenamed 'Garbo' and Roman Garby-Czerniawski codenamed 'Brutus' during Operation Fortitude, the deception plans for D-Day; how Pipe-Lines Under the Ocean (PLUTO) pipeline and Mulberry harbours facilitated Normandy landings. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of success of Roman Garby-Czerniawski; opinion of double agent 'Ranks'; question of risks of being a double agent; radio transmissions; actual role of double agent; question of German use of double agents; German penetration of Special Operations Executive networks; character of agent Eddie Chapman codenamed 'Zigzag'; question of whether Eddie Chapman was trusted. REEL 3 Continues: simulation of sabotage of De Havilland factory at Hadfield by Eddie Chapman, 29/1/1943-30/1/1943; question of whether Germans fooled by Eddie Chapman; how Eddie Chapman communicated with Germans; receiving information on V1 Flying Bombs and V2 rockets; question of accuracy of V1 Flying Bomb; how Germans were tricked into decreasing range of V1 Flying Bomb; details of how double agents reported V1 Flying Bomb and V2 Rocket landings to Germans; concerns about double agent 'Ranks'; comparisons between agents and double agents; question of trust of French Resistance groups and not putting agents lives at risk. REEL 4 Continues: comparison of risks taken by agents in the field and double agents; behaviour of German agents arriving in GB. REEL 5 Continues: contrast between how German and British treated captured agents; attempts to develop 'Brutus' network; question of relationship with double agents; impressions of German intelligence staff; support from senior army ranks for MI5 deception plan; question of how seriously Germans took 'Ranks' information; communication with Germany; cover employment of agents; explanation of how German questions were responded to. REEL 6 Continues: details of how a deception plan worked; comparison between Japanese and German approach to profited information; monitoring of wireless transmissions; maintain secrecy for operations; tense moments during work; adjusting to peacetime work; difficulties of Germans admitting agents were bogus.