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PrisonersofWarareoftenreferredtobytheacronymPOW.TheHongKonggarrisonwasamixedforceofabout14000British,Indian,Canadian,andChinesesoldiers.Defenceequipmentconsistedofafewanti-aircraftguns,sixairplanes,andafewsmallgunboats.TwobattalionsofCanadiansoldiers,theWinnipegGrenadiersandtheRoyalRiflesfromQuebec,totaling1975men,arrivedinHongKongonNovember16,1941,underthecommandofBrigadierJ.K.Lawson.Lessthanamonthlater,onDecember7,1941,theJapaneseattackedHongKongfromthelandwardside.ThedefendersresistedbravelybutwereforcedtosurrenderonChristmasDay.Alliedlosseswere2445killed,woundedandmissing.Canadianlosseswere267killed,includingBrigadierLawson,and290moreweretodieduring44monthsofoftenbrutalcaptivity.CanadianPOWswerefirstinternedonHongKongIslandandonmainlandChina.BetweenJanuary1943andApril1944,morethan1100CanadiansweremovedtoJapantoworkasforcedlabourers,mainlyincoalandironoremines.Onesurvivortellshisstory:“Oneofmyboyscaughtaratandcookedit,andhesavedmeasmallportion.Isatitontopofmyricewhileitwasstillhot,soIcouldtastethatflavorthroughtherice.Whenyou’restarving,anythingtastesgood.”

-CSMRedWindsor,POWJapan

Prisoners of War

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- Gotohttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/launch_ani_wwtwo_movies_soe.shtml

- PluginsomeearbudsandwatchthemovieanimationabouttheAllies’SecretOperationsExecutiveduringWorldWarII

- Respondtothequestionsonyourstudentworksheetasyouwatch.

Secret War – Online Flash Movie

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WeallknowthatmanyCanadiansfoughtwiththeAlliedforcestodefenddemocracyduringtheSecondWorldWar.Manyofthesepeoplewerekilledorwoundedandallmadetremendoussacrificesservingtheircountry.

Notsowellknownarethe contributionsmadebyasmall,butunique,groupofCanadianswhoservedthecauseoffreedominadifferentway—thosewhovolunteeredtobe“secretagents.”Thesebravemenandwomenworkedbehindenemylines,inGerman-occupiedEuropeandJapanese-occupiedAsia,supportingtheeffortsoftheundergroundresistancemovements.Theseresistancemovementsweremadeupoflocalpeoplefightingagainstfascistpowerstryingtotakeovertheircountries.

ManyCanadiansfoughtbehindenemylinesintheSecondWorldWarasagentsfortheBritishorganizationsthat,stealthily,slowlyatfirstbutwithgrowingeffectiveness,raidedcoastalGermanandJapanesedefenses,operatedagentnetworksandorganizedactsofsabotageinoccupiedcountries.Theyworenouniforms,andallknewwithoutexception,thatifcaptured,theycouldnotlookforthesmallestprotectionfromtheAlliedcommand.Manywerecaptured,tortured,andexecutedbyhostileforces.

MostCanadianswhobecamesecretagentsduringtheSecondWorldWarservedwiththeSpecialOperationsExecutive(SOE).Withalmost14000membersatitspeak,theSOE,wasanorganizationofhighlytrainedsaboteurswhichwassecretlycreatedbytheBritishWarCabinetonthe

Camp X

22ndofJuly1940.TheSOEwassoonunleashedbyPrimeMinisterWinstonChurchilltostrikefearintotheheartofAsiaandsetoccupiedEuropeablaze.

Withanurgentneedtotrainsecretagentsformissionsbehindenemylines,CampXwasestablishedona275-acrefarmborderingLakeOntariobetweenthecityofOshawaandtheTownofWhitby.ItwasthefirstsecretagenttrainingschoolinNorthAmerica.

TheCampwasthefirstexperimentofitskindinAnglo/American/CanadianintelligencecooperationandoperatedasoneofthehubsofintelligencetrainingandwartimecommunicationsfortheAlliedwareffort.

AgenttrainingatCampXwasextremelyrigorousandrannonstoparoundtheclock,winterandsummer.TheCamp’scurriculum,whichwasdesignedtomakeorbreakpotentialagents,coveredavarietyofintelligence/counterintelligenceandinfiltrationtechniques.Agentsenduredintensephysicalfitnesstraining,livefireexercisesandweretaughtthebasicsinsurvivaltraining,handtohandcombat(silentkill),useofsmallarms,parachutejumping,explosivestraining,mapreading,radiooperation,secretwriting,agentrecruitment,disguises,propaganda,andpsychologicalwarfaretechniques.

In1944,theCampceasedoperatingasasecretagenttrainingschoolbutsurvivedthetransitionfromtheWorldWartotheColdWarwiththeemergenceoftheSovietthreatandwentontoplayanimportantroleasatopsecretcommunicationsfacility(Hydra).

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Sneakersadaptedtoleavefalsefootprints:TheseshoesweredevisedforraidingpartiesintheFarEast.Theyleftprintsinthesandthatlookedlikethebarefootprintsoflocalpeople.Heavybootprintswouldhavebeenaninstantgiveaway.

Theseplasterlogsweredesignedtosmugglearmsandammunitionintoenemyterritory.Thearmsorammunitionwerepackedintocardboardcontainers,andsealedtoprotectthecontentsfromthedamp.Thesealedcontainerswerethenbuiltintodummylogs,whichwerecarefullymodelledonactualcommontreevarietiesoftheplaceofdestination.Theywerethenpaintedandembellishedwithmossandlichen,tomakethemlookevenmorereal.

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Itisnotknownwhetherthesleevegunwasactuallyusedinthefield.AccordingtotheSOEcatalogue,theassassinletsthegunslideintohishandandpressesthemuzzleagainstthevictim,whilstpullingthetriggerwithhisthumb.Asthegunisonlyafewinchesinlength,itcanthenonceagainbehiddenupthesleeve.Thebulletcartridgeremainswithinthegun,sothereisnotell-taleevidenceleftlyingaround.Thegunhadarangeofuptothreeyards,butallowedonlyoneshot.

TheSOEusedarangeofdisguisetechniques.Theillustrationshowswhatthecatalogueclaimscanbedonewitha'littleshading,atheatricalmoustacheandapairofglasses'.Theseminimalist,buthighlyeffective,disguisetechniquesweredrilledhometotheSOErecruitsbytheirinstructors.Inthefield,newdisguiseshadtobequickandeasy.Formoreradicaldisguises,someagentsevenunderwentplasticsurgerytochangetheirappearance.

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GustaveBieler–wasborninMontreal,andwasthefirstCanadianSpecialOperationsExecutive(SOE)agenttoworkinoccupiedFrance.Afterfourmonthsoftraining,BielerparachutedintoFrance,whenhisspinewasbadlyinjured.Evenso,heorganizedasabotagegroup.Theyderailedandblewuptrainscarryingtroopsandarms.Bielerwascapturedwithhisradiooperatorin1944.MonthsoftorturebytheGestapofailedtobreakBieler,andthiswonhimtherespectofhiscaptors.WhenBielerwasmarchedtohisdeathinSeptember1944,hewasgrantedtheunusual“privilege”ofbeingshotbyfiringsquadinsteadofbeinghanged.

HenryFung–HenryFungwasthefirstChinese-CanadianagenttobeparachutedintoMalaya,inJune1945.Only19yearsold,heworkedwithanSOEteam,blowinguptelephonelinesandrailwaybridges,andharassingJapaneseroadconvoys.Whenhefellillwithmalariaandjaundice,HenrywasevacuatedtoBritainandeventuallymadehiswayhometoCanada.Nevertheless,whenthewarendedhehelpedreceivethesurrenderofJapaneseforcesintheirjunglegarrisons.HenryFungwasoneofthehundredsofyoungChinese-CanadianswhovolunteeredforSOEserviceintheAsia-Pacific.

JoeGalleny–wastrainedasaneliteespionageagentandparachutedintoNazi-heldYugoslavia.Later,inHungary,Joewascapturedandtortured.Helost170pounds(77kg).Heescapedand,whilehidingoutinBudapest,helpedforgetraveldocumentsforfellowspiesandJewsfacingNazipersecution.WhentheRussiansarrived,theytookhimintocustodybuthewaseventuallyfreed.Hefelthehadagedtwodecadesinhistwo-yearstintasasecretagent.

FrankPickersgill–ofWinnipegwascapturedwhenhelandedinFrance.Nazidoubleagentshadgivenhimaway.Herefusedtobreakunderbrutalquestioning.Whenhiscaptorsswitchedfromthreatstobribery,hebrokeabottleonhisinterrogator’sdesk,slashedthethroatofanSSguard,andjumpedoutasecondfloorwindowbeforebeingstoppedby4bullets.Inprisoncamp,heorganizedresistance,helpingprisonersregainlostpride.TheNazisfinallyexecutedPickersgilland15otheragentsbyhangingthemfrommeathooksin1944.

FirstblueplaqueforBritishspyasWWIIsecretagentwhosurvivedGestapoishonoured

By NIALL FIRTH

WingCommanderEdwardYeoThomas,oneofBritain'smostfamoussecretagents,in1944Hisaction-packedlifewasthestuffofboyhoodfantasy.Asthefamousspycodenamed'TheWhiteRabbit',ForestFredericEdwardYeo-ThomasspenttheSecondWorldWarbehindenemylinesandwascapturedandtorturedbytheNazis.

AndintheFirstWorldWartheRAFfightercommandofficerwascapturedbytheRussiansandonlymanagedtoescapebystranglinghisguard.Today,morethan60yearsafterhereceivedtheGeorgeCross,Yeo-Thomas'slifewascelebratedwithablueplaqueoutsidehishome.OnasecretmissioninFranceduring

theSecondWorldWarheevadedcapturebytheNazisbyhidinginahearse.In1944hewascapturedbytheGestapoandtorturedbeforebeingheldatthenotoriousBuchenwaldconcentrationcamp.ThespyisrecognisedbytheOxfordDictionaryofNationalBiographyas'amongthemostoutstandingworkersbehindenemylineswhomBritainproduced'.

HeisthefirstsecretagenttobecommemoratedwithanEnglishHeritageblueplaquewhichwasunveiledatQueenCourt,GuildfordStreet,inCamden,London,wherehelivedwithhiswifeBarbara.Itwasunveiledbyhisniece,CarolGreen.Yeo-Thomas'biographerMarkSeamanwithmembersoftheaircrewfromNo47SquadronatRAFLynehamathishometodayAftercompletinghiseducation,undertakeninFrance,wherehegrewup,andinEngland,Yeo-ThomasjoinedtheAlliedarmiesintheFirstWorldWar.

ADVENTURESOFTHEWHITERABBIT

1920-CapturedbytheRussiansandescapesbystranglingguard1939-JoinstheRAF1942-JoinsranksoftheSpecialOperationsExecutive1943-DroppedbyparachuteintoFrancewherehehelpstoorganisetheResistance1944-CapturedandtorturedbytheGestapoandheldatBuchenwaldconcentrationcamp1945-Realiseshisdreamofreturninghometohiswife1946-AwardedtheGeorgeCross

ThiswasalsotheyearthathemetBarbaraDean,withwhomhewouldcometosharetheflatatQueenCourt,fromthedatesheacquireditin1941andthenthroughouttherestofthewaryears.AftercompletingmorethantwoyearsintheRAF,includingworkasanintelligenceofficerinFighterCommand,Yeo-ThomaswantedamoreactivepartinthewarandwantedtohelpliberateFrance.

In1942hejoinedtheranksoftheSpecialOperationsExecutive(SOE),actingasaliaisonofficerbetweenSOEandGeneraldeGaulle'sBureauCentraldeRenseignementsetd'Action.

In1943hedroppedbyparachuteintoFrance.AsecondmissiontoFrancelaterthatyearsawYeo-Thomasorganisingandplanningstrategywithundergroundgroupleaders,investigatingtheMaquis'surgentneedforsuppliesandavoidingcaptureconcealedinsideahearse.HereportedbackdirectlytothePrimeMinister,WinstonChurchill,onhisreturntoLondon,andensuredanincreaseinweaponsandsuppliesfortheresistanceinFrance.InFebruary1944,Yeo-ThomasleftQueenCourtonhisthirdmissiontoFrance-hishardest.

OnemonthlaterhewasbetrayedandcapturedbytheGestapo.Hewassubjectedtolongperiodsofinterrogation,tortureandimprisonmentinFrancebeforebeingdeportedtoBuchenwald.HeavoidedexecutionandsurvivedotherNazicampsbeforefinallyescapingandreachingtheUSlinesasthewarended.In1945hisdreamofreturninghometohiswifewasrealised.Forhisexceptionalcourage,Yeo-ThomaswasawardedtheGeorgeCross,theMilitaryCrossandbar,theCroixdeGuerre,thePolishcrossofmerit,andwasmadeacommanderoftheLegiond'honneur.AfterhelpingtobringtotrialseveralNaziwarcriminals,hereturnedtowork-ofallthings-inaParisfashionhousein1946andin1950joinedtheFederationofBritishIndustriesasitsrepresentativeinFrance,apositionhehelduntilhisdeathin1964.Hisbiographersaid:'HisstoryismoreextraordinarythananyfictiondreamedupbyanovelistorfilmedbyHollywood.'Asthetitleofhisbiographystates,hewasthe'BravestoftheBrave'.'

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EnigmamachineswereusedextensivelybyGermanythroughoutWWII.Enigmaallowedanoperatortotypeinamessage,thenscrambleitbymeansofthreetofivenotchedwheels,orrotors,whichdisplayeddifferentlettersofthealphabet.Thereceiverneededtoknowtheexactsettingsoftheserotorsinordertoreconstitutethecodedtext.Overtheyearsthebasicmachinebecamemorecomplicated,asGermancodeexpertsaddedplugswithelectroniccircuits.

HelpedbyitscloserlinkstotheGermanengineeringindustry,thePolesmanagedtoreconstructanEnigmamachine,completewithinternalwiring,andtoreadtheWehrmacht'smessagesbetween1933and1938.

WithGermaninvasionimminentin1939,thePolesoptedtosharetheirsecretswiththeBritish.Britain'sGovernmentCodeandCipherSchool(GC&CS)atBletchleyPark,Buckinghamshire,becamethecentreforAlliedeffortstokeepupwithdramaticwar-inducedchangesinEnigmaoutput.

Ahostoftopmathematiciansandgeneralproblem-solverswasrecruited,andabankofearlycomputers,knownas'bombes',wasbuilttoworkoutthevastnumberofpermutationsinEnigmasettings.

TheGermanswereconvincedthatEnigmaoutputcouldnotbebroken,sotheyusedthemachineforallsortsofcommunications–onthebattlefield,atsea,intheskyand,significantly,withinitssecretservices.TheBritishdescribedanyintelligencegainedfromEnigmaas'Ultra',andconsideredittopsecret.

The Enigma Machine

SourceC:

InFebruary1942theGermanshitbackbyintroducinganewfourthwheel(multiplyingthenumberofsettingsanother26times)intotheirNavalEnigmamachines.Theresulting'net'wasknowntotheGermansas'Triton'andtotheBritishas'Shark'.ForalmostayearBletchleycouldmakenoinroadsintoShark,andAlliedlossesintheAtlanticagainincreasedalarmingly.

InDecember1942Sharkwasbroken,butGermaninnovationsmeantthattheAllieshadtowaituntilAugustthefollowingyearbeforeNavalEnigmawasregularlyreadagain.BythentheAmericanswereactivecombatants,providingmuch-neededcomputerpowertoBletchley.

SourceA:Bletchley'sresourceswereconcentratedonbreakingEnigmacodesusedbyGermanU-boatsinthissphereofwar.IftheAlliescouldfindoutinadvancewhereU-boatswerehunting,theycoulddirecttheirships,carryingcrucialsuppliesfromNorthAmerica,awayfromthesedangerzones.

SourceB:ItsoonbecameclearthatthebestwayofkeepingupwithrapidchangesinciphersandrelatedtechnologywastocaptureEnigmamachinesandcode-booksonboardGermanvessels.AbreakthroughcameinMarch1941,however,whentheGermantrawlerKrebswascapturedoffNorway,completewithtwoEnigmamachinesandtheNavalEnigmasettingslistforthepreviousmonth.ThisallowedGermanNavalEnigmatoberead,albeitwithsomedelay,inApril,bycodebreakersatBletchley.

ThecaptureofthesupplyshipGedaniaandweathershipLauenburginJuneyieldedcodebooksforthefollowingmonth,andopenedthewaytothereadingofNavalEnigmaalmostconcurrentlywithevents.

TheambushofthreeGermanU-boatsoffCapeVerdeinSeptember,however,coupledwithadramaticfallinthenumberofAlliedshipssunkintheNorthAtlantic,ledtheGermanAdmiralKarlDönitztoquestionifthenavy'scipherhadbeencompromised.

SourceD:Charles“Checker”Tompkins,shownhereasamemberoftheRoyalCanadianOrdnanceCorps.AMétisman,speakingfluentCree,hehelpeddeveloptheCreecodefortransmittingvitalmessagesinWW2,oneofmanyCanadian“codetalkers”.

SeveralIndigenousCreefromwesternCanada–AlbertaandSaskatchewan–hadjoinedthearmyandweregivenaverysecretassignmentofcommunications.

TheCanadianIndigenouslanguagespeakerswouldtranslatevitalmessagesintoCreeandtransmitthemtoanotherCreespeakerattheotherendwhowouldtranslatethemessagebackintoEnglish.

OnedayhewassummonedtoCanadianmilitaryheadquartersinLondon,underunusualsecrecy,notevenhiscommandingofficerwastoldwhy.

Thereitwasexplainedhisnewroleasa“codetalker”.Becausemanymilitarytermsdidn’texistinnativelanguages,newtermshadtobemadeupforthingsliketanks,machineguns,andbombers.Amachinegunmightbecalled,forexample,a“littlegunthatshootsfast”,whileaMosquitofighter-bomberwouldusetheCreewordformosquito:“sakimes”.

Afteraweekofdevelopingnewterms,theywenttowork.TompkinswassenttoworkwiththeAmerican8thAirForce,andwassworntoabsolutesecrecy.

From:http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/07/15/the-unbreakable-canadian-code-of-the-second-world-war/