E153 - Sicilian Deception

Bletchley Park

July 2023
In 1943, when the guns fell silent in Tunisia, a lull fell over the war in the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the work of the intelligence services continued unabated. An Allied amphibious assault somewhere in the Mediterranean was inevitable. The question for the Germans was “where?” – and the Allies were eager to supply the answers. But how much could the Allies mislead the enemy, and how far could Bletchley Park prove those deceptions were working?
When they came, the landings in Sicily in July 1943 marked the opening of a new front against the Axis in Italy, with far-reaching strategic consequences.
In this ‘It Happened Here’ episode, Bletchley Park’s Research Officer Dr Thomas Cheetham leads us through Operation Husky, and Bletchley Park’s role in its execution and success.
Many thanks to Dr Ben Thomson for voicing our archival documents.
Image: © US Army Green Books (Public Domain)
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