Operation Barclay
Operation Barclay
The aim of Operation Barclay was to distract German and Italian commanders from Operation Husky, the Allied landing in Sicily, which occurred on the night of 9-10 July 1943. In doing so, the Allies took advantage of Hitler's existing belief that the invasion would occur in the Balkans.
As part of Operation Barclay, attacks were carried out in France and the Balkans. In addition, a fictitious 12th Army, also fictitious, was created in the eastern Mediterranean with a strength of twelve divisions. Its existence was seemingly confirmed by increased communications traffic in the area. The hiring of Greek translators and the massive demand for Greek maps and banknotes reassured German analysts of the reality of the invasion of the Balkans. However, perhaps the most famous part of Operation Barclay was Operation Mincemeat - the fictional accident of the fictional Major Martin, whose body, along with fictional secret documents containing fictional invasion plans, was dropped off on Spanish shores.
The Germans and Italians really did assess everything the way the Allies needed to. The Germans sent more troops to the Balkans, and the Italian fleet concentrated on the Adriatic on the Greek coast rather than in southern Italy. The Allies thus gained the element of surprise in Sicily and faced a weaker opponent.
Source:
Bacon, Donald J.: Second World War Deception. Lessons Learned for Today's Joint Planner, Air Command and Staff College (Air University) Wright Flyer Paper No. 5, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1998
Operation Barclay
The aim of Operation Barclay was to distract German and Italian commanders from Operation Husky, the Allied landing in Sicily, which occurred on the night of 9-10 July 1943. In doing so, the Allies took advantage of Hitler's existing belief that the invasion would occur in the Balkans.
As part of Operation Barclay, attacks were carried out in France and the Balkans. In addition, a fictitious 12th Army, also fictitious, was created in the eastern Mediterranean with a strength of twelve divisions. Its existence was seemingly confirmed by increased communications traffic in the area. The hiring of Greek translators and the massive demand for Greek maps and banknotes reassured German analysts of the reality of the invasion of the Balkans. However, perhaps the most famous part of Operation Barclay was Operation Mincemeat - the fictional accident of the fictional Major Martin, whose body, along with fictional secret documents containing fictional invasion plans, was dropped off on Spanish shores.
The Germans and Italians really did assess everything the way the Allies needed to. The Germans sent more troops to the Balkans, and the Italian fleet concentrated on the Adriatic on the Greek coast rather than in southern Italy. The Allies thus gained the element of surprise in Sicily and faced a weaker opponent.
Source:
Bacon, Donald J.: Second World War Deception. Lessons Learned for Today's Joint Planner, Air Command and Staff College (Air University) Wright Flyer Paper No. 5, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1998