Failed actor faked top Brit General to dupe Nazi spy

A failed Australian actor duped a Nazi spy into thinking he was a top British general during the Second World War,de-classified documents have revealed.

According to the documents,released by British spy agency MI5,Meyrick Clifton James volunteered to entertain the troops overseas during World War II in 1944 but he instead got wounded in Leicester.

And,when in the run-up to D-Day,the British hit on the idea of using an actor to impersonate top General Bernard Montgomery Monty to give a false impression of his whereabouts to enemies,James was offered the job,8217;The Times8217; reported.

In February 1944,it was announced that General Monty had arrived in Britain to take command of the land forces for the coming invasion of Europe as a ploy just to mislead German agents who would do their best to watch his movements.

8220;Supposing he were to be seen somewhere in the Mediterranean a day or two before the Normandy invasion,the Germans would take it as a certain indication that they had at least a week or more to wait before the landings,8221; according to the documents.

The apparent presence of Monty in the Mediterranean would also divert German attention from the impending assault on Normandy. So,the British spread false information that he was coming to North Africa,via Gibraltar,to discuss plans for the invasion of southern France before the main invasion.

On May 26,the bogus Monty 8212; actor James landed on the Rock,where the Governor,Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph 8220;Rusty8221; Eastwood,was waiting with a reception committee.

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A classified report described the scene: 8220;The Governor himself was waiting for the visitor,and played his difficult part with expert skill. 8216;Hello,Monty,glad to see you8217;,he called out as the distinctive black beret emerged. 8216;Hello,Rusty,how are you?8217; came the answer from James.

A Nazi employ,Major Ignacio Molina Pérez,who was liaison officer between Spanish government and the British authorities in Gibraltar,was also invited to Government House for a meeting with the Colonial Secretary,and was left in a room with a view,where he could not fail to spot the fake figure being received by an honour guard.

The operation was executed as planned.

After a breakfast in which the Governor congratulated James on his performance: 8220;You are Monty. I8217;ve known him for years8221;,the counterfeit took his leave. 8220;This was the climax of the act,8221; the intelligence report has claimed.