"Pam"
Description: MI5 staff member pictured on beach. This ordinary looking snapshot was taken and planted as part of a complex WWII intelligence plan known as Operation Mincemeat.
The intention was that this photograph would make other documents secreted with it seem more authentic. These documents, passed on to German agents after they were found on a body washed up on the coast of Spain (planted by British intelligence) suggested that the Allies were not planning an invasion of southern Europe via Sicily. This led to a weakening of German defence of Sicily which assisted the eventual Allied attack.
Date: c.1944
Our Catalogue Reference: WO 106/5921
This image is from the collections of The National Archives. Feel free to share it within the spirit of the Commons.
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Comments and faves
locus_imagination, annie_mo_ashley, monkeyfinger, Biggles Flies!, and 102 other people added this photo to their favorites.
sam2cents (38 months ago | reply)
Wow! Very pretty! Maybe Ian Fleming wasn't diverging too much from the reality of it all...
mick merwood (38 months ago | reply)
Postwar these events recorded in book and film as "The Man Who Never Was".
mange (38 months ago | reply)
An excellent rundown of the whole (and completely amazing) story can be found here :entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_ entertainmen...
This is a priceless photograph - bonus points for being an adorable snapshot.
richard thomson (38 months ago | reply)
Fascinating. Pam made sure she was well-wrapped.
This photo was invited and added to the Humanistic group.