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Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter
- Narrated by: Roger Davis
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
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Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter
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Summary
This is the incredible tale of Operation Fifth Column, a Second World War MI5 operation so secret that its existence was revealed by the National Archives for the first time only in 2014.
Throughout the war and even for a couple of years afterwards, 'Agent Jack' - in reality, a bank clerk named Eric Roberts - acted as a Gestapo agent to whom hundreds of British-based Nazi sympathisers and informers passed their secrets, thinking that he was sending them back to Germany. Many were put on a salary by what they thought was the Third Reich, and some were even 'awarded' Iron Crosses for their services to the Fatherland; they never found out the truth.
Among the secrets they tried to pass were: a tip-off about Bletchley Park; details of the deadly Mosquito bomber; and complete plans of a highly effective antiradar technology code named WINDOW. The larger-than-life characters who populate the book include Roberts himself, the deceptively ordinary-seeming bank clerk; Maxwell Knight, who recruited Roberts; Victor Third Baron Rothschild, Roberts' spymaster, who did a sideline in bomb disposal using his Cartier screwdrivers; Theresa Clay, the distinguished biologist who co-ran the operation with Rothschild, but because she was a woman was only ever classified as an 'assistant'; and Marita Perigoe, possibly the most dangerous of the fascists, who despite having her suspicions about Roberts, continued to recruit spies for him and pass him secrets to the end of the war.
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What listeners say about Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- theone901
- 24-09-18
Well worth a credit
A well narrated tale of a less well known dimension of Britain's war effort.If you like espionage this is a book right up your street as an unlikely bank clerk battles a potential fifth column in war time Britain . Links to the Cambridge spies and gives a picture of the class divide in British intelligence at the time.
It does however raise surprisingly inadequately answered questions regarding why some of these individuals such as Knight joined fascist organisations in the 1920's . All In all a very good listen though.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- RASCALL33
- 16-01-23
A mystery, a jigsaw and full of subterfuge
Full of interesting spy and counter intelligence activities carried out by the secret services during world war 11. A great listen.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- loonyspook
- 22-11-18
The Other Personal Side of History
In a different world, one people today cannot imagine, a single person takes it upon themselves to break convention and succeeds where no-one expected success to be found. This is a fascinating book for anyone with an interest in the reality of espionage, not just the glamour. These are real peoples lives but with such a twist. I truly enjoyed this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- R
- 24-07-19
A clever person working for us.
An outstanding tale that was still relevant even to most recent times, giving insight into the Cambridge spy ring Well put together and read well. This is a book I will re read to get the full meaning of the work and the major players that controlled our secret establishments through the war and into the cold war later.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 26-02-19
WORTHWHILE
interesting revelations about fascism in Britain - a little slow - could have been shorter
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mister Smallweed
- 05-09-19
Interesting declassified information
This is an account of one man's exploits running agents during the second world war. It's a good story and it paints a picture of a very good spymaster, with some excellent background information. This is slightly let down by the narrator's irritating habit of pausing before emphasising adjectives or other descriptors.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Andrew McMinn
- 05-11-19
Excellent
Great story, well researched and narrated. The volume could be a little louder though.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- little old me
- 08-10-20
Fascinating
If you have any interest in WW2, counter intelligence or just like a good spy story this is great!
It’s fascinating to hear the lengths gone to, to protect information and also the battle between doing what would be seen as the “right thing” to do in peace time and what is needed in war. I really enjoyed it
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Jude Uk
- 01-03-22
Very interesting
Amazingly researched & put together. Astonishing & eye opening. As more of these secrets are unclassified, I hope it will mean more books like this. Well done Robert!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Harpoman
- 24-10-19
An unusual take on wartime security, well narrated
When there is a lot of information to consume, as in this book, it helps if the narration is well presented, clear and interesting. The story throws light on a very little reported aspect of national security during wartime, that of home grown subversion, and it gently touches the overlaps with other branches of the Security Services, which puts its own position more clearly into context.
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