Operation Copperhead
Encyclopedia
Operation Copperhead was a small British-run deception operation run during World War II
.
It was one of many deceptions run prior to the invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord
). For instance, General Patton was supposedly in command of a fictitious army massing for a crossing to Calais
. This was one aspect of a deception called Operation Fortitude
.
An Australian actor, M. E. Clifton-James, depicted Field Marshal Montgomery on a well-publicised visit to Gibraltar
and North Africa
. This was to suggest to the Germans that the Allies were planning to invade Southern France.
On 25 May 1944 Clifton-James flew from Northolt
to Gibraltar
on Churchill's
private aircraft. At a reception at the governor-general's house, hints were made about Plan 303, a plan to invade southern France. German intelligence picked this up and ordered agents to find out what they could about Plan 303.
Clifton-James then flew to Algiers
where over the next few days he made a round of public appearances with General Henry Wilson, the Allied commander in the Mediterranean theatre. Clifton-James was then secretly flown to Cairo
where he stayed until the invasion in Normandy was well underway. He then returned to his job after an absence of five weeks.
This operation was the subject of the book and movie I Was Monty’s Double. In the movie Clifton-James appeared both as himself and as Montgomery.
Some sources wrongly refer to this operation as Operation Hambone, the name used in the book for the operation.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
It was one of many deceptions run prior to the invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
). For instance, General Patton was supposedly in command of a fictitious army massing for a crossing to Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
. This was one aspect of a deception called Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude was the codename for a World War II military deception employed by the Allied nations as part of an overall deception strategy during the build up to the 1944 Normandy Landings...
.
An Australian actor, M. E. Clifton-James, depicted Field Marshal Montgomery on a well-publicised visit to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. This was to suggest to the Germans that the Allies were planning to invade Southern France.
On 25 May 1944 Clifton-James flew from Northolt
Northolt
Northolt is a town in the London Borough of Ealing, England. The town has London Underground and Network Rail stations and is on the A40 road...
to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on Churchill's
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
private aircraft. At a reception at the governor-general's house, hints were made about Plan 303, a plan to invade southern France. German intelligence picked this up and ordered agents to find out what they could about Plan 303.
Clifton-James then flew to Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
where over the next few days he made a round of public appearances with General Henry Wilson, the Allied commander in the Mediterranean theatre. Clifton-James was then secretly flown to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
where he stayed until the invasion in Normandy was well underway. He then returned to his job after an absence of five weeks.
This operation was the subject of the book and movie I Was Monty’s Double. In the movie Clifton-James appeared both as himself and as Montgomery.
Some sources wrongly refer to this operation as Operation Hambone, the name used in the book for the operation.