I came across a few interesting sites that document the abandoned RAF Upwood base near Ramsey, Huntingdonshire. German spy, Josef Jakobs, landed near Ramsey on January 31, 1941 and MI5 speculated at the time that he might have been sent to snoop around the airbase. While Josef had a Shell Touring Map of England in […]
The Ruins of RAF Upwood Read More »
Given that Josef Jakobs and Karel Richter trained together in Hamburg under the Abwehr, I am always interested in information on Richter. Sifting through the internet the other day, I came across a rather odd article and even odder site that mentioned Richter. The site is called the Online Publishing Company (OPC) and is run
Karel Richter at the Centre of a Conspiracy Theory Read More »
Last week, I wrote a blog in which I tried to figure out the 1941 parachute landing site of German spy Karel Richter. A map drawn by Camp 020 officer, D.B. Stimson, gave some clues but also had its fair share of problems, most notably a mysterious row of houses and an odd North direction.
Landing Site of German Spy Karel Richter Read More »
2016 marks the 75th anniversary of Josef Jakobs’ ill-fated espionage mission to England. On the evening of January 31, 1941, Josef parachuted down from a Heinkel 111 aircraft. Having broken his ankle during his exit from the plain, Josef lay in agony for 12 hours before attracting the attention of some passing farmers on the
Capture of German Spy, Josef Jakobs – 75th Anniversary Read More »
Near the town of Ramsey, Huntingdonshire, is a historical treasure, the Ramsey Rural Museum. The Museum is managed and maintained by volunteers and is both quaint and informative. Housed in renovated 17th century farm buildings, the Museum exhibits include over 200 years of local history. I visited the Museum briefly in 2010 and while I
Ramsey Rural Museum Read More »
Recently I’ve reestablished contact with Martyn, grandson of Horace Jaikens, the police officer who was in charge of the Ramsey Police Station when Josef was captured. Martyn is a war history buff and a great source of information on Ramsey and the surrounding area. Last week, Martyn sent me some information from a book that
German Spy equipped with Two and a Half Pounds of Chocolate Read More »
On 1 February, 1941, German spy Josef Jakobs was apprehended by members of the Home Guard, after he shot a pistol to attract attention. Having broken his ankle during the parachute descent, Josef was searched and taken into the custody of the Ramsey Police. A farm cart transferred Josef to the Ramsey Police Station on
The Unchanging Ramsey Police Station Read More »
After Josef Jakobs was executed on 15 August, 1941, his post mortem was conducted by two men: London Eastern District Coroner W.R.H. Heddy and renowned pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury. Both men likely took meticulous notes but trying to track those notes down has proved to be a wild goose chase. In 2008 and 2009, a
Pathologist Spilsbury’s Notes at the Wellcome Library Read More »
During World War 2, almost all of the captured German spies were taken to Cannon Row Police Station (often spelled Canon Row) in London for a preliminary interrogation/statement. Josef Jakobs, who arrived via parachute on January 31, 1941, was no exception. After a cold night in a potato field near Ramsey, nursing a broken ankle,
Josef Jakobs visits Cannon Row Police Station Read More »
During his time in England, Josef was held, or taken to, various locations in Cambridgeshire and London. In the interests of clarity, I have created a Google Map with these locations marked on it. If you follow the link to the map, you’ll find that it is interactive. Zoom in and click on the various
Retracing the Footsteps of German Spy, Josef Jakobs Read More »