Today in 1941 – July 24 – German spy Josef Jakobs was charged under the Treachery Act

Today in 1941, Lt. Col. Hinchley Cooke visited Josef Jakobs at Wandsworth Prison and formally charged him with an offence under the Treachery Act (1940).

1941 07 24

Hinchley-Cooke was accompanied by the Deputy Provost Marshal (London District), Lt. Col. Charles Robert Tolver Michael Gerard.

Hinchley-Cooke charged Josef with:

“committing a civil offence, that is to say, Treachery, an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Treachery Act, 1940, in that at Ramsey in the County of Huntingdon on the night of 31st January/1st February, 1941 with intent to help the enemy did an act designed or likely to give assistance to the naval, military or air operations of the enemy, or to impede such operations of His Majesty’s Forces, namely did descend by parachute in the United Kingdom.”

After reading out the charge in English, and then in German, Hinchley-Cooke explained the legal procedure to Josef. There would be a Summary of Evidence and then the court-martial. Josef would be provided with a defence attorney. In the event that the court found Josef guilty, he would be executed by firing squad.

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