Operation Hardboiled

Operation Hardboiled was a deception operation during world War II designed to trick the Germans into believing that the Allies intended to attack occupied Norway.

Background

In October 1941, the Joint Planning Staff of the British War Ministry decided that a special organisation should be set up to plan and execute deception operations. They considered that such a body should operate as part of the existing operational planning staffs. The controlling officer of this organisation would be responsible for both planning and executing these operations using existing machinery. Intelligence authorities, security authorities and the armed forces themselves would be available to implement these actions. The Chiefs of Staff approved of this plan, and chose Colonel Oliver Stanley, MC, as Controlling Officer for Deception Operations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.^[1]

Operation

Operation Hardboiled was the first plan submitted by Colonel Stanley. He had been appointed in the darkest day of the war for Britain. With the British offensive in the Western Desert being checked and the Japanese assault in the Far East, it was hard to make the enemy believe that a serious offensive was being planned.^[2]

Operation Hardboiled was one of the many feints planned by Stanley and his office over the next 3 years. Troops were allocated and trained, plans were drawn up with Stavanger as the objective and Norwegian currency was stockpiled. The operation was freely gossipped about in London, and double agents reported some of the gossip to the Abwehr.

Although Hardboiled was never intended to go ahead, it was planned as meticulously as if it was real, and had real troops assigned to it. It gave the Stanley's office some useful experience in planning deception operations, and allowed the double agents to build up some credibility with the Abwehr.

Although the Germans appeared to take the bait and reinforced their Norwegian garrisons, Hardboiled died a quiet death as the troops trained for it were used in an amphibious operation against Madagascar in July 1942.^[3]

References

1. ^ Howard, Michael Eliot and Hinsley, Francis Harry. British Intelligence in the Second World War . Cambridge University Press, 1990. ISBN 9780521401456, p. 22
2. ^ Howard, Michael Eliot and Hinsley, Francis Harry. British Intelligence in the Second World War . Cambridge University Press, 1990. ISBN 9780521401456, p. 23
3. ^ Crowdy, Terry. Deceiving Hitler: Double-Cross and Deceptions in World War II. Osprey Publishing, 2008. ISBN 9781846031359