I’ve been to the Imperial War Museum many times over the years, mostly as a visitor drifting toward the “Secret War” gallery out of habit. This time was different. With a London research trip on the horizon, I wanted to get behind the glass and into the Research Room to examine a few unexhibited items that might—just might—connect to Josef Jakobs and the Operation LENA landings.
Having spent enough time at the National Archives, I assumed it would be a straightforward process. It wasn’t. Access at the IWM is tightly rationed: limited hours, limited days, limited windows. You submit a list of objects, wait, and hope. When the response came back, most of the items I’d requested were already off the table. The weapons were an immediate no. The parachute canopy was “too large.” The suitcase wireless set was “off-site.” In the end, only three objects were approved, barely.
The one I cared about most—the Mauser pistol I’d found in their catalogue, very likely Josef’s—was flatly refused. Weapons can’t be handled, can’t be viewed, can’t be brought into the Research Room. Full stop.
I pushed back, politely but firmly. If I couldn’t see the pistol itself, could I at least examine detailed photographs? After some back-and-forth, they agreed to load high-resolution images onto a secure laptop for my appointment. Not the outcome I’d hoped for, but better than nothing. I was booked in for an afternoon appointment on 1 December.
Photographs and documents were easier. No objections there, and I received a second session for 9 December.
One thing puzzled me: why was the wireless transmitter not on display and currently in “offsite storage”? It had been part of the “Secret War” display for decades. So had two of the items I was being allowed to see. Had the gallery been rearranged? Retired? Or was it simply inaccessible for the moment?
That answer presented itself as soon as I arrived early for my appointment and wandered through the museum. The espionage display had vanished—either removed entirely or tucked away somewhere I couldn’t find. That, presumably, explained why a few pieces had suddenly become “accessible” via the Research Room.
Over the next few posts, I’ll dig into what I was actually able to see in the Research Room. Chiefly: whether the Mauser pistol in the online catalogue is the one Josef carried when he dropped into England; and whether the Luftwaffe helmet, overalls, and parachute harness show any traceable link to the LENA agents who came down over Britain in late 1940 and early 1941. Time—and the material itself—will answer that.