But it does, very probably, explain why there was a Luftwaffe “reception committee” waiting for this Hudson. A needless waste of 5 brave lives. And in my own quiet way I salute them!

Hi Resmoroh,
Thank you. There’s been much good work, mostly by others than I. You make some good, pertinent points, but the destination of the Hudson that night wasn’t Gilze-Rijen, and I cannot believe their route would pass near or over it – it was a well known major Luftwaffe night-fighter base, with notorious (and we see) effective flak defence. But I agree, that had the two agents been sucessfully delivered, they would almost certainly have gone streight into the German’s hands, a terrible result, and yet more wasted allied work.

Leo Marks’ book ‘Between silk and cyanide’ is a remarkable and tragic read.

Regards,