The Gallipoli Gazette OFFICIAL ORGAN of the GALLIPOLI MEMORIAL CLUB LTD

Home , Erich Fellgiebel, Fritz Thiele, Klaus Fuchs, Rudolf Roessler

Vol. 50, No.4 (New Series) SUMMER 2020

The Gallipoli Gazette OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE GALLIPOLI MEMORIAL CLUB LTD

WW2 spy Agent Sonya later stole Atom Bomb secrets

The incredible story behind probably the greatest female spy ever who altered the course of history in her decades as a Russian spy.

British housewife, Mrs. brother, Jurgen became a noted Ursula joined the German Ursula Beurton, was a devoted historian-economist who also Communist Party. wife and mother-of-three who dabbled in espionage. Also in 1926 she attended a epitomised rural British dom- This prosperous family lived librarianship academy and the esticity in her quiet Cotswolds in southwest Berlin. In 1918, following year was employed by village of Great Rollright during when aged 11, she acted in a the large Berlin publisher Ullstein World War Two. silent movie, The House of Three Verlag. She was sacked in 1928 She would wave to her Girls. On leaving school Ursula after participating in a May Day neighbours as she pedaled her was apprenticed as a book dealer. rally. bicycle through the Oxfordshire In 1924 she joined the left-leaning For nine months from countryside to gather scientific Free Employees League, the December 1928 she worked in a intelligence from one of the Young Communists and New York book shop. On country's most brilliant nuclear Germany's Red Aid. In 1926 returning to Berlin she married physicists and then transmit it to Rudolf Hamburger, an architect Soviet intelligence head- and fellow Communist quarters via the radio Party member. They set transmitter she was up the Marxist Workers' hiding in her outdoor Library that she headed privy. The quality of the until June 1930 when her scones she baked was husband was enticed to without question. Shanghai for five years by Far from a British a construction boom. housewife, Mrs. There she be-friended Beurton - born Ursula American journalist Kuczynski, and code- Agnes Smedley (1892- named 'Sonya' - was of 1950) who introduced German Jewish herit- her to another German age, a dedicated com- expatriate, Russian secret munist, a colonel in agent and “journalist” Russia's Red Army, and Richard Sorge (1895- a highly-trained spy. 1944). James Bond Ursula Maria creator, Ian Fleming, later Kuczynski was born in said “Sorge (alias Schoneberg, in the Ramsay) was the man Prussian part of whom I regard as the Germany, the second of most formidable spy in the six children born to history." the distinguished econ- Next year her son omist Robert Rene Maik Hamburger (1931- Kuczynski and his Jewish 2020 – later a noted painter wife Berta Shakespearian scholar) Kuczynski (nee was born. Gradenwitz). Her elder Agent Sonya is the exhilirating account of one woman's life; a life that encompasses the rise and fall of communism itself, and altered the course of history 1

The Russian security agency daughter Janina in GRU gave her the code name of April 1936. Rudolf Sonja" (which is ‘dormouse’ in Hamburger Russian) as she operated a acknowledged ‘Nina’ Russian spy ring under Sorge's as his own daughter, direction. however, the GRU Ursula sent Michael to live feared the affair with with her husband's parents (now Ernst might lead to the relocated from Germany to unmasking of both Czechoslovakia) when she was agents and she was sent to Moscow in 1934 where recalled with Rudolf to she undertook a seven-month Moscow in August training session. There she 1935. mastered various practical The next month aspects of spy-craft, learning they were both posted Morse Code, how to build and to Poland where, apart operate a radio and other radio from at least one more operator skills needed in the lengthy visit to world of espionage. Ursula had Moscow, they would concerns that if baby Michael had remain till Autumn accompanied her to Moscow he 1938. In the meantime, might inadvertently have blown Russia quietly awarded her cover later by blurting out her the Order of the words in Russian. On her return Red Banner for her Ursula Beurton (Burton) to China she was based from espionage work in China March to December 1934 in and promoted her to the rank of and early in 1940, while still in Shenyang, Manchuria which Colonel in the Soviet military. Switzerland, married her second Japan had occupied since 1931. Between Autumn 1938 and husband, English communist Len There she met the GRU's December 1940, as agent "Sonja Beurton (1914-97) to automat- chief agent who was working Schultz", she was based, still with ically gain an English passport. under the name "Ernst". Sonja her husband, in Switzerland The GRU said she could divorce and Ernst had a romance which where she was one of the so- him once she had the passport, would result in the birth of her called "red three", along with but the marriage lasted 50 years. Alexander Rado (1899-1981) Beurton also worked for and Englishman Alexander the GRU, and as with Kuczynski, Foote (1905-56). Her duties came with an unusually wide included being the radio range of names. On orders from operator who sent information the GRU the couple relocated to to Moscow from her house in England where she would remain Caux hidden high above for the rest of the 1940s. Her Montreux. Her marriage with second son was born in the late Rudolf Hamburger ended at this summer of 1943. They had time. Ursula collaborated with settled in north Oxford, but soon the Lucy Spy Ring and was moved on to the first of a involved in recruiting agents to succession of nearby villages, be infiltrated into Germany. settling initially in Glympton, then After the Nazi take-over of in Kidlington and in May 1945 in Danzig in Autumn 1939 she also the north Oxfordshire village set up a resistance group. of Great Rollright where they She divorced later that year remained until about 1950. Her second husband Len Beurton (Burton)

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Editorial

Over the past two years we We also look at the Football competition held in the have included espionage stories ubiquitous Bailey Bridge designed notorious Japanese camp in linked to World War Two reveal- by British engineer Sir Donald Singapore and are introduced to ing tales about the people on Bailey and used in diverse Leslie Allan "Peter" Chitty who whom James Bond was based. In military and civilian tasks to this was awarded the hand-crafted this edition we meet Russian spy day. Changi Brownlow Medal as the Ursula Buerton (also known as Were there any women on best and fairest player in the Burton) who worked for the Gallipoli Peninsula during the competition. communist spy Richard Sorge, described by James Bond creator 1915 campaign? Bruce McEwen Long-standing Gallipoli Club Ian Fleming as ‘the most looks at the myths surrounding member, David Wilson, who is formidable spy in history.’ Ursula this matter. also an historian and battlefield was known by the name of Agent Many years ago, the Gazette guide, read the story in the last Sonya. As the war ended she carried a story about Changi Gazette about the huge mines continued to spy and passed on University started by tertiary detonated at Messines in June Atom Bomb secrets to Moscow educated prisoners-of-war. This 1917 and puts his interpretation before fleeing to Russia. time we switch to sporting pass- of the story. times and the Australia Rules

THE GALLIPOLI MEMORIAL CLUB LIMITED

Patron: Major General Arthur Fittock AO Board of Directors: President: John Robertson Senior Vice President: David Ford Junior Vice President: Ted Codd Hon. Treasurer: John Brogan Directors: Stephen Ware, Glenn Tetley, Scott Heathwood, Marc Higgins. Greg Hanchard Editor: Bob Lawrence

Secretary Manager: John Robertson

Club Ph: 02 9235 1533 Email: [email protected] www.gallipoli.com.au

When the Misses Became Myths on Gallipoli

Bruce McEwan notes that although there is no definite evidence that a woman visited the allied trenches at Gallipoli it appears there could well have been female snipers firing effectively from the Turkish side and an English nurse working in the military hospital on the Greek island of Lemnos is understood to have been permitted by the French to enter their territory at Gallipoli to lay a wreath on the grave of her husband

There were rumours One story circulated widely nurses tended to allied among the Allied troops about was that the Turks tied these casualties under canvas. these women and their deadly women to trees with rations of activities throughout the cam- food and water and left them to paign but official confirmation their fate. It seems certain that was never forthcoming. none were captured by the The most widespread allies because authentication of “Furphy” (invented story) was the practice would surely have that the Turks painted their become part of the Gallipoli women snipers green and had legend – along with Simpson them hide in trees – camouflage and his donkey!. was in its infancy among armed Most of the populations on forces at the time and on the islands around the Gallipoli allied side was usually in the region were Greeks and many form of heavy fish netting of them – women included – strung over artillery pieces and worked for the British army at forward command saps field hospitals like those on Lilian Doughty-Wylie (dugouts) at the trenches. Lemnos where hundreds of

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On bahalf of our Patron and Directors, I extend our sincere best wishes to our Members for a Happy and MerryChristmas and good luck and good health for the coming year.

John Robertson President

Presidents Report

Spring did indeed turn out to be a time of hope, with general lifting of some restrictions, with the exception of the Queensland border. The building committee has been able to have two site visits since my last report and I am happy to say that we are very pleased with progress. The internal restoration of the old club building is substantially complete. There is still some external stonework on the Loftus Street frontage underway as we go to print, but the building is looking remarkable. The full building committee is still unable to meet face to face with the AMP, but we are hopeful this will be resolved in the new year. We have had some obstacles in lodging the Development Application Loftus Street site for the museum space, but have been receiving very good advice and are confident that lodgement can proceed without much further delay. The Gallipoli Scholarship Pres- entation function which I mentioned in my Winter Report will now be held in December at Government House, Yarralumla no less. Although a somewhat smaller affair than what we would normally have, the students are quite excited about being hosted by the Governor-General. We are currently making arrangements for next year’s Art Exhibition which will also coincide with the scholarship presentation.

John Robertson President

The Club development viewed from lower Bridge Street 5

The ubiquitous Bailey Bridge

Since it was developed in 1940-1941 Sir Donald Bailey’s portable prefabricated truss bridge has been a feature of reconstruction in wartime and in infrastructure rebuilding after natural disasters. The bridges have a link to the Sydney Harbour Bridge The Bailey Bridge was horizontal sections forming the across a field, about 0.6 metres developed by the British for bridge roads-way. Where historic above the ground, and several military use during World War stone bridge archways had been Mark V tanks filled with pig iron Two and was an engineering blow up across European rivers were stacked upon each other. standard for British, Canadian Bailey Bridges could be placed on The prototype of this was and US military engineering top of the remaining bases. used to span Mother Siller's corps. Bailey had proposed an early Channel, in an area of marshland The bridge assembly requires prototype for his Bridge in 1936, at the confluence of the River no special tools or heavy equip- but the idea was not acted upon. Avon and the River Stour. It ment, with its to wood and He drew an original proposal for remains there still. modular steel alloy elements light the bridge on the back of an To this day, Bailey Bridges enough to be carried in trucks envelope in 1940. In February are used extensively in civil and lifted into place by hand but 1941, the Ministry of Supply engineering construction projects were also strong enough to carry requested Bailey have a full-scale and to provide temporary tanks. prototype completed by May 1. crossings for pedestrian and During World War Two Work on the bridge was vehicle traffic. bridge components could be completed with particular The basic bridge consists of made in far flung factories, but support from engineer (Sir) Ralph three main parts. The bridge's they all slotted together. Freeman of Freeman Fox, the strength is provided by the The design’s success was due builders of the Sydney Harbour panels on the sides. The modular to the simplicity of the Bridge. units are three metre long and fabrication and assembly of its The design was tested at the 1.5 metre high cross-braced components, combined with the Experimental Bridging Establish- rectangles with a 3.7 metre ability to erect and deploy ment in Hampshire for several roadbed of wood planks or steel sections with a minimum use of months from December 1940. In plates (for tank use). heavy equipment. initial tests, the bridge was laid Individual parts could be carried by a few men, enabling army engineers to move more easily and quickly, in preparing the way for troops and defence materiel advancing behind them. Earlier military bridge designs needed cranes to lift components into place. The modular design allowed engineers to build each bridge to be as long and as strong as needed, doubling or tripling the supportive side panels, or on the roadbed sections. If longer bridges required supports, Bailey bridge sections could be erected Sir Donald Bailey was a British Civil Servant in the War Office, who vertically to bolt under the tinkered with model bridges as a hobby

They weigh 260 kg and so can be lifted by six men. The panel was constructed of welded steel. The top and bottom chord of each panel had interlocking male and female lugs into which engineers could inset panel connecting pins. After one section is complete at the bridge site it is usually pushed forward over rollers on the bridgehead, and another section built behind it. The two are then connected together with The original Bailey Bridge still straddles Mother Siller's Channel in an pins pounded into holes in the area of marshland where the River Avon meets the River Stour corners of the panels. Footways can be installed on November 1942. The Americans Eighth Army in Italy and with the the outside of the side-panels. soon adopted the Bailey bridge 21 Army Group in North West The side-panels form an effective technique, calling it the Portable Europe I could never have main- barrier between foot and vehicle Panel Bridge. tained the speed and tempo of traffic, allowing safe pedestrian A number of bridges were forward movement without large use. available by 1944 for D-Day, supplies of Bailey Bridging. During WWII, Bailey Bridge when production was accel- After the war, the Skylark parts were made by companies erated. The US also licensed the Rocket Launch Tower at with little experience of this kind design and started rapid con- Woomera was built of Bailey of engineering. Although the struction for their own use. A bridge components. parts were simple, they had to be Bailey Bridge constructed over The longest Bailey bridge of precisely manufactured to fit the Rhine at Rees, Germany in 788 metres was put into service correctly, so they were ass- 1945 was named "Blackfriars in October 1975 over the embled into a test bridge at the Bridge". At 558 metres including Derwent River in Hobart, factory to verify this. To do this the ramps at each end, it was Tasmania after a ship hit a efficiently, newly manufactured then the longest Bailey bridge support pylon of the Tasman parts would be continuously ever constructed. Bridge and the roadway crashed added to the test bridge, while at By the end of the war, over onto the riverbed. the same time the far end of the 600 firms were involved test bridge was continuously in the making over 200 dismantled and the parts dis- miles of bridges com- patched to the end-users. posing of 500,000 tons, Full production began in July or 700,000 panels of 1941 and the first bridge built in bridging. At least 2,500 a combat zone was in Tunisia in Bailey bridges were November 1942 over the built in Italy, and Medierda River. another 2,000 Bailey was knighted for his elsewhere. invention in 1946 and awarded In 1947 Field 12,000 pounds. The Dutch Marshal Montgomery Government awarded him the wrote, “Bailey Bridging Order of Orange-Nassau. made an immense The first operational Bailey contribution towards bridge during the Second World ending World War II. As War was built over the Medjerda far as my own River near Medjez el Bab in operations were A Bailey Bridge built over the River Arno in Florence Tunisia on the night of 26 concerned, with the during World War Two

Mining Operations at Messines – 1917

Historian, Battlefield Guide and long-standing Gallipoli Club member, David Wilson, wishes to put his views on huge mines detonated at Messines in June 1917 after reading an article in the last edition of “The Gallipoli Gazette” Stories about the Messines against the German-held salient from the Germans. A tunnelling explosions have mistakenly on the Wytschaete-Messines company establishment in late become bigger than the exp- ridge south of Ypres had begun in 1915 comprised 14 officers and losions themselves. We need to early 1915. The British Exped- 307 other ranks. Also, there were look at two of these stories to itionary Force General Staff plans to raise those establish- analyse their origins and put realised that operations in this ment levels to more than 500 them in correct context. Perhaps sector would require more than men in 1916. Each company was even more alarming is that some infantry attacks and artillery supplemented with infantry of these WW1 mines still exist bombardments to dislodge the personnel who effectively under quiet Belgian farmland. Germans from their strongly-held doubled the numbers of a After reading the excellent trenches and pillboxes. Tunnels company while on task. One of article in the last edition of The and mines would hopefully give the main jobs for the infantry was Gallipoli Gazette about Australian the allies an edge in the fighting, to assist with dispersal and pioneer Walter Peeler, VC it is so the Royal Engineers were camouflage of the spoil which probably appropriate to re- given the task of creating came out of the ground. As well examine the mining operations at Tunnelling Companies, initially as British companies, Canadian, Messines, the role of Australian made up of ex-miners to achieve New Zealand and Australian miners there and provide some these tasks. Tunnelling Companies were up-to-date detail on the casual- From the beginning of 1915 formed, with the 1st Australian ties caused by the massive ex- until mid-1917 a total of 26 major Tunnelling Company taking over plosions used to begin the tunnels were dug in the Ypres operations at Hill 60 in November Messines assault. Sector in anticipation of the 1916. Tunnelling operations offensive to re-take that salient

Location map of the mines laid for the Messines Offensive in June 1917. The nineteen mines actually fired on the morning of 7 June are shown in red. The six unfired mines are shown in blue. (Wikipedia.com) 8

Working in great secrecy, assertion and it is here we turn to had been killed by the ensuing twenty-six tunnels were prepared some forensic analysis conducted massive artillery bombardment. for the Messines offensive, some by British military historian, If the Germans had indeed more than 600 metres long and author and battlefield guide suffered such huge numbers of more than 35 metres deep, Simon Jones who is a leading dead on that morning, it would containing a total of 600 tonnes authority on World War One have been well recorded in their of ammonal explosive. Boxes of mining and chemical weapons Official History and become a explosive were stacked in operations. topic of much discussion both chambers at the end of each Jones has traced the original then and now. But this is clearly tunnel, wrapped in tar paper, as statement to the 1998 book not the case. were the detonators and “Pillars of Fire” by Ian Unfortunately, the electrical cables to keep out Passingham in describing the statement about the 10,000 water seepage. On the eve of the Germans’ 10,000 casualties after German dead has been circulated offensive twenty-one of these the battle, many ‘were undoubt- far and wide since 1998 and it mines were designated for use, edly vaporised or blown apart by now appears in many print and although only nineteen were the effects of the mines.’ on-line publications including actually fired. The Birdcage Perhaps Passingham did not several Wikipedia articles which Mine, consisting of four cham- mean that to be so broadly need to be corrected. It has been bers about 150 metres apart at misinterpreted, but his words repeated so often that it has the southernmost end of the have gained unintended traction. regrettably become ‘fact’ when assault frontage was kept in Officers of the Royal talking about Messines. A more reserve. Engineers conducted their own accurate way of representing ‘Zero Hour’ was set down for assessments at crater sites on the these casualties in its correct 3.10 am on 7 June 1917 with morning of 7 June. Based on the context would be to include the detonation of the mines being casualties they found, the time frame to reflect the German the key element of surprise. number of German dead was records, something along the Despite popular belief, the estimated between 380 and 500, lines of: “In the 21 days up to 10 explosions did not occur a number far, far less than the June 1917 the Germans suffered simultaneously, but were spread alleged ten thousand quoted around 10,000 casualties at out with 20-30 seconds between today. Another complicating Messines, including 7,200 taken them. To those nearby, each factor was that it was difficult to prisoner and 2,800 killed by both individual explosion was a determine who had been killed the mine explosions and artillery tremendously noisy event, by the mine explosion and who fire.” accompanied by flames and huge columns of earth. The nearby Germans were shocked and bewildered, many believing it was a rippling earthquake. Now we come to the con- temporary and widely circulated statement that “10,000 Germans were killed in this explosion”! This is an extraordinary and highly questionable figure of so many dead in one short event. Where did that number come from? If ten thousand Germans were actually killed, where are the mass graves? Both British The location of this warning sign is not known but it may have been placed over the and German military records of Birdcage mines after the Battle of Messines. (Australian War Memorial H15258) the day do not support the

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The Changi Brownlow Medal

Leslie Allan "Peter" Chitty BEM on March 1, 1941 before being (March 12, 1912 – March 27, stationed with the Australian 1996), who was born in Corryong, General Hospital in Malaya. He Victoria, was an Australian Rules was captured at the Fall of footballer with the Victorian Singapore in March 1942 and Football league team, St Kilda. reported missing on March 26, Chitty grew up on the family 1942. His family endured the living dairy farm and with his brother hell of so many families of were the backbone of the local Prisoners-of-War in that it was 15 Cudgewa football team in the months before they were advised Ovens and Murray valley League the was still alive. That horror was and then in Albury with the Border echoed in the case of his brothers. United Football Club. His three brothers served in St Kilda recruited him for the the North Africa campaign. Private 1936 season but injuries restricted Arthur Chitty served with 2/23 his career to just two games. Battalion and Ronald and Phillip Chitty returned to his farm, with 2/2 Field Ambulance. Arthur Leslie Allan 'Peter" Chitty BEM but when World War Two was was killed in action at El Alamein declared he and his brothers, on July 22, 1942 while Ronald and League, a fierce Australian rules Arthur, Ronald and Phillip enlisted. Phillip were taken prisoner by the competition for inmates. Peter signed up on July 25,1940 in Germans. They were repatriated in Chitty played for "Geelong" Caulfield, Melbourne and was 1943 and visited their brother's (all sides were named after VFL assigned the number VX48347. grave in North Africa in September clubs). With 15,000 Australian After initial training he was posted that year. prisoners to choose from including to 2/2 Motor Ambulance Convoy in Peter Chitty was transported a lot of South Australian, West January 1941 and promoted from to Changi Prison’s Selerang Australian and Victorian country Private to Acting Corporal. He was barracks, where he became and suburban players, the League posted to the 2/9 Field Ambulance involved in the Changi Football was reportedly very strong and Convoy and was sent to Singapore featured a number of players from leading leagues around the country. The chief organiser was Wilfred “Chicken” Smallhorn. Chick and a couple of other prisoners convinced the Japanese to let the POWs play a ‘season’ of Aussie Rules. Chick had played for Fitzroy and won the Brownlow Medal in 1933. They also created their own administration to oversee clearances to other teams and a Tribunal. Sides keenly offered players inducements to change teams, such as extra rice portions. Ron and Phil Chitty in 1943 at the graveside of their brother Arthur, who was Chick’s health was poor so killed in the Battle of Alamein. The two brothers were taken prisoner after the fall of Greece but released two years later. They knew Arthur had been killed, but it he didn’t play. but took one of came as a surprise to find his grave in the Alamein Cemetery. the two umpiring roles.

Following the close of the After the game the standing in conduct and devotion ‘season’ in which Geelong won “Brownlow”, crafted from a to duty under difficult circum- the ‘premiership’ a match was soccer medal, was presented to stances.' organised between a combined Chitty. In 1943, Chitty was After being repatriated at Victorian team against the Rest of transferred to Burma where he the end of World War II, Chitty Australia. Chitty captained spent eighteen months on the was aboard the Largs Bay Victoria and Chick umpired. Over Burma Railway. During this time, returning to Australia when the 10,000 prisoners turned up to Chitty carried a fellow soldier 1945 VFL Grand Final between watch the match. An enormous who was dying of malaria more South Melbourne and Carlton cheer went up for Chick when he than 200 kilometres (along the was being played. As Chitty's ran on to the ground in his all- Railway, partly for which, in brother, Bob, was captaining white uniform. He had been in March 1947, he was awarded the Carlton, Chitty organised a terrible pain for the previous two British Empire Medal. syndicate with his mates and days but still managed to officiate they bet everything they had, throughout the game – the next His citation read: namely beer, on a Carlton win. In day he had to have his appendix an upset, Carlton defeated South removed. 'L/Sgt CHITTY was a prisoner Melbourne and Chitty and his Peter Chitty led ‘Victoria’ to a of war in Japanese hands from mates enjoyed their beers. victory 14.9.93 to ‘The Rest’ Feb 42 to Aug 45. In 1943 he was Chitty arrived back in 10.5.65. a member of an AIF party Australia in October 1945. After engaged in the construction of two months recovering in the Burma-Siam railway. During hospital, he was discharged on various long marches through the December 5,1945. jungle under extremely difficult Chitty died in 1996, aged 84, conditions L/Sgt Chitty set an survived by his widow, Lillian, outstanding example of unselfish two sons, Lindsay and Roger and conduct and courage two daughters, Dawn and Roslyn. continuously helping the sick by In 2004, Lillian Chitty presented carrying their kits as well as his Chitty's Changi Brownlow to the own and helping them along and Australian War Memorial. constructing shelter for them Smallhorn died in 1988, when halted. By these means he becoming known to younger undoubtedly saved lives. During generations of Australian Rules the whole period that he was in followers for his years as a Burma-Siam and subsequently in television commentator on the Malaya L/Sgt Chitty was out- sport.

The Changi Brownlow is a small circular sterling silver medallion with a decorative scroll attached to the top. It was made from a modified soccer medal found in a Singapore store and engraved with his details. The front of the medallion has a hammered finish with a gold shield in the centre. The shield is surrounded by a wreath and a scroll which is engraved with the words 'GEELONG FC'. The reverse of the medallion is hallmarked with the maker's details (R.P, a lion passant and the date letter E), indicating it was originally made by silversmiths Robert Pringle & Sons in Birmingham in 1929, and engraved '1943 Changi POW Brownlow Medal WON BY Sgt L A Chitty "BEST & FAIREST"'. 11

Continued from page 9.

The 19 mines exploded Second Army’s assault on the Belgium and a farmer’s field near under the German lines did Messines-Wytschaete Ridge. This the small village of Le Pelerin achieve the objective of creating sustained bombardment erupted in a huge explosion that shock and panic among the continued for some hours left a crater 40 metres wide and German defenders. afterwards. The Times published 20 metres deep. The only Another often-quoted a correction article two weeks casualty was a cow, but an inaccuracy is that British Prime later after receiving reports from electricity pylon was destroyed Minister Lloyd George heard the two Royal Engineers officers who and windows were broken in explosion from his home in actually witnessed the mine nearby houses. The explosion Surrey at 3.10 am on the morning detonations. One said that at had been caused by a lightning of 7 June. two miles distance, the noise was strike on the electricity pylon, This was reported widely and ‘not so very great’ and a second erected in the late 1940s which inaccurately in the UK Press after officer commenting on the noise acted as a conductor. The an initial article in The Times on 8 being heard as far away as lightning charge plunged down to June which talked about ‘The Big London said it was ‘bunkum or the sealed-off chamber of No 3 Bang’ being heard at No 10 wishful thinking!’ Birdcage mine and set of the Downing Street. But the story of the Messines charge. Photos exist of the locals The truth was somewhat less mines does not end with the inspecting the 1955 crater, but it spectacular. The rumble that was Armistice in November 1918. was very quickly filled in and definitely heard in southern One of those unexploded mines returned to crop production. The England was in fact the noise of mentioned above came back to Belgian authorities then and now more than 2,000 artillery pieces haunt the battlefield area thirty- are only too aware that more which used the firing of the eight years later. On the evening unexploded mine chambers exist mines as the ‘Zero Hour’ signal to of June17,1955 a large in this area and remain potential open fire in support of the thunderstorm crossed southern hazards.

The Caterpillar Crater, the result of 70,000 pounds of explosives laid 100 feet beneath the German lines. It is one of the 19 Messines mines detonated at 3.10am on 7 June 1917

Continued from page 2.

In each property Agent Royal Air Force and a British from the city of her birth, she Sonya installed a radio receiver specialist in submarine radar. She turned up back and transmitter. was also able to pass to her in Berlin. Meanwhile, Klaus Fuchs The Beurtons' Oxfordshire Soviet employer information finally identified her as his Soviet village homes were also close to from her brother, her father, and contact in November 1950. Fuchs the UK's Atomic Research other exiled Germans in England. was jailed for 14 years. The Centre at Harwell, and to It was, indeed, her brother Jürgen espionage-related aspects of her Blenheim Palace, where a large Kuczynski, an internationally friendship with Melita Norwood part of the British intelligence respected economist, who only began to emerge several service had been relocated at the originally recruited Klaus Fuchs to decades later. start of the war. spy for the Soviets at the end of Once behind the safety of the In Oxfordshire, together 1942. Iron Curtain, Agent Sonja gave up with Erich Henschke, she worked Many years later “Ruth the espionage game. Twenty on infiltrating German Comm- Werner” (as Agent Sonja had years was enough, she told her unist exiles into the US Intell- become known) recalled that she Soviet bosses and, as a mark of igence Agency. By Autumn 1944 was twice visited by MI5 rep- her achievements, Ursula Beurton she and Henschke had succeeded resentatives in 1947,and asked was allowed to come in from the in penetrating UK activities of about her links with Soviet cold. the US Intelligence Service (OSS). intelligence, which Werner After undertaking journalism The Americans were at this refused to discuss. Werner's and other writing work, she time preparing an effort called communist sympathies were no became an author. In 1950, she Operation Hamme" for para- secret, but it seems that British was appointed head of the chuting UK-based German exiles suspicions were in-sufficiently Capitalist Countries Division in into Germany. Ursula Beurton supported by evidence to justify the Central Department of was able to ensure that a sub- her arrest. Foreign Information in the stantial number of the para- Her visitors were unaware Government Information Office. chuted OSS agents would be of, or unconcerned by, her She was later fired, reportedly reliable communists, able and periodic, and apparently casual, because she forgot to lock a safe willing to make inside intelligence meetings with Fuchs in door! Between 1953 and 1956 from the "Third Reich" available Banbury or on country cycle she worked in the Chamber of not merely to the US military rides. At that time the British Commerce for Foreign Trade. in Washington, but also to intelligence services seem to Moscow. have been disinclined to From 1943 she also worked follow up their concerns. as a courier for the USSR's However, two years later "Atomic spies", Klaus Fuchs detonation of the first Soviet and Melita Norwood, who was atomic bomb refocused later described as "both the most priorities within MI5. important British female agent in Klaus Fuchs was arres- KGB history and the longest ted towards the end of serving of all Soviet spies in 1949. Britain. In January 1950 he was Agent Sonya thus hastened put on trial and confessed the development of the Soviet that he was a spy. The day atomic bomb, successfully tested before his trial started, in 1949. In addition to the fearing that she was about (retrospectively) high-profile to be unmasked, Agent spies Fuchs and Norwood, Sonya Sonya fled England with her was the GRU handler for (among children. In March 1950, others) an officer of the British after two decades away Klaus Fuchs

Between 1958 and 1988, she questions remained unanswered. She died in Berlin on July 7, produced a succession of books With the fall of the Berlin Wall, 2000. under her new name, Ruth the German Democratic Repub- Her loyalty to the lost cause of Werner. Most were story books for lic ended. Ruth Werner was one of communism never wavered — nor children or suitably expurgated the few to defend it. She add- did her devotion to her children memoirs of her time in espionage. ressed tens of thousands of people which, surprisingly given their dis- Her autobiography appeared in at a meeting in the Berlin rupted childhoods, they returned. East Germany in 1976 under the Lustgarten (pleasure park) on the From planning an assassination title "Sonjas Rapport" (Sonya's subject of her faith in Socialism attempt on Hitler in Switzerland, Report). It became a bestseller, but with a human face. to spying on the Japanese in there was no mention of Klaus She seems never to have Manchuria, and helping the Soviet Fuchs or Melita Norwood, who regretted or seen the need to Union build the atom bomb, Sonya were still alive. apologize for her espionage. Even conducted some of the most An English language version when, in 1956, USSR leader Nikita dangerous espionage operations of appeared in 1991 and a Chinese Khrushchev made public the darker the twentieth century. Her story translation in 1999. An uncensored face of Stalin’s Russia she was has never been told - until now. German language version came out reluctant to join the criticism of the only in 2006, although many Soviet wartime leader:

The Lucy Spy Ring

In WW2 espionage, the Lucy spy ring was an anti-Nazi operation headquartered in switzerland. It was run by Rudolf Roessler, a refugee from Nazi Germany and ostensibly the proprietor of a small publishing firm, Vita Nova. He was employed by Brigadier Masson, head of Swiss Military Intelligence as an analyst with Bureau Ha, overtly a press cuttings agency but in fact a covert department of Swiss Intelligence. Roessler was approached by two German officers, Fritz Thiele and Rudolph von Gersdorff, who were part of a conspiracy to overthrow Hitler, and had been known to Roessler in the 1930s.[ Thiele and Gersdorf wished him to act as a conduit for high-level military information, to be available to him to make use of in the fight against Fascism. This they accomplished by the simple expedient of equipping Roessler with a radio and an Enigma machine, and designating him as a German military station (call-signed RAHS). In this way they could openly transmit their information to him through normal channels. They were able to do this as Thiele, and his superior, Erich Fellgiebel (who was also part of the conspiracy) were in charge of the German Defence Ministry's communication centre, the Bendlerblock. This was possible, as those employed to encode the information were unaware of where it was going, while those transmitting the messages had no idea what was in them. At first Roessler passed the information to Masson at Swiss military intelligence, who chose to pass some of this information to the British SIS. Some also went to the allied USSR. Roessler's first major contribution to Soviet intelligence came in May 1941 when he was able to deliver details of Operation Barbarossa, Germany's impending invasion of the Soviet Union. Though his warning was initially ignored - as Soviet intelligence had received multiple false alarms about an impending German invasion - Roessler's dates eventually proved accurate. After the invasion in 1941, Lucy was regarded as a top-level source. In the summer of 1943, the culmination of "Lucy's" success came in transmitting the details of Germany's plans for Operation Zitadelle, a planned summer offensive against the Kursk salient, which became a strategic defeat for the German army—the Battle of Kursk gave the Red Army the initiative on the eastern front for the remainder of the war. Roessler was unaware this was also going to the Western Allies. The Lucy spy ring came to an end in the summer of 1944 when the German members, who were also involved in other anti-Nazi activities, were arrested in the aftermath of the failed July plot to kill Hitler. 14

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The Ottomans did make use Australia for some eight years withering Turkish rifle fire on of many women from nearby prior to the war and this was April 25, 1915 before being towns and villages – especially regarded as “special circum- fatally shot. His fellow officer, Canakkale -- as nurses, cooks, stances” when they were Captain Garth Walford, who died cleaners and seamstresses for reunited on the island. at his side, was also awarded the fabricating equipment such as Although convention VC. tents. demanded that Clarice should be The Doughty-Wylies had met One of the stories about returned to Australia after the and married in South Africa in women snipers referred to a union she was allowed to remain 1900 during the Second Boer woman who had continued to on Lemnos until after the War. He had been wounded and live in her farmhouse on Cape Gallipoli withdrawal. she nursed him back to health in Hellas and who was said to have There is certainly support for the hospital where she was shot allied soldiers from her the story that one British woman, working. windows. One rumour went so Lilian Doughty-Wylie, a nurse on It is interesting to note that far to allege that this woman had western front in France and the before the Great War, the been captured, tortured, raped widow of VC winner Lt. Col. Doughty-Wylies had lived on the and killed by Irish troops. But Charles Montagu ‘Richard’ south coast of Turkey where he despite many efforts since 1918 Doughty-Wylie, came ashore on had served as the British Consul by investigators and researchers the landing beach at Gallipoli on in Mersin and later they managed no truth about this has been the night of November 17, 1915. a Turkish hospital in uncovered, She was said to have walked up Constantinople that treated One true story concerned the steep hillside to her late soldiers wounded in the Balkan nurse Clarice Daley and Sergeant husband’s grave where she Wars of 1912-13.Doughty carried Ernest Lawrence who were placed a wreath. only a cane when he was killed, granted permission to marry on Lt. Col Doughty-Wylie was having refused to carry arms Lemnos. Reportedly, they had awarded his Victoria Cross against his former friends. His known each other back in posthumously for having led his name is still revered in Turkey soldiers up the slope against today.

The grave of Lt. Col. Charles Montagu 'Richard' Doughty-Wylie