Wulf Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Wulf Dietrich Christian Schmidt, later known as Harry Williamson (7 December 1911-19 October 1992) was Danish
citizen who during World War II
became a double agent working for Britain
against Nazi Germany
under the codename TATE.
He was part of the Double Cross System
, under which all German agents in Britain were controlled by MI5
(British counter-intelligence) and used to deceive Germany.
Schmidt was sent to Britain by the Abwehr
in September 1940, landing by parachute. He was captured immediately, as a previous captured agent had given away his coming, in return for a promise that Schmidt (a friend) would not be executed.
Schimdt broke down under interrogation and became a double agent, making contact with Germany by radio in October 1940. He was one of the longest running agents in the Double Cross System: his last contact with Germany was on 2 May 1945. He operated his radio himself until he became ill and had to be imitated by a British operator. Though he recovered, he was not allowed to operate thereafter. He did continue to assist in composing the messages sent to Germany.
TATE participated in many deception and counter-intelligence operations. As a working agent, he needed money. In 1941, the Germans used a Japan
ese diplomat to deliver some money to TATE, which revealed the extent of German-Japanese cooperation.
In July 1941, the Abwehr sent £20,000 to Britain, which was notionally received by TATE. With this huge sum (about $2,000,000 in 2011 terms), TATE notionally established himself as a rich "man about town" in London
, with easy access to black-market liquor and other luxuries. As such, he could plausibly make friends with military officers and civilian officials, and get intelligence from their loose talk, or even recruit them as agents.
At the same time, TATE reported to the Germans that to avoid military service, he was employed on a farm owned by a friend, and could only visit London on weekends. This provided an excuse for his not recruiting more agents or reporting as much as the Germans wanted.
Nonetheless, TATE participated in the Operation Bodyguard
deception which covered the Invasion of Normandy. He notionally went to work on a farm near Wye in southeastern England, where the imaginary "First United States Army Group" (FUSAG) was located. TATE provided the Germans with the schedules for rail transport of FUSAG troops to ports of embarkation for the invasion.
This apparent feat was highly regarded in Germany. For this and his other apparent successes, TATE was granted naturalization as a German citizen so he could receive the Iron Cross
First and Second Class.
In the meantime, Schmidt lived quietly in England, finding employment as a photographer. By 1945, he had even been registered to vote in that year's general election
.
TATE's last deception was in early 1945. German submarine
s ("U-boats") running submerged or with only the snorkel
up could not use normal navigation methods. But they found a way to fix their positions off southern Ireland
, where there was a distinctive conical seamount
. Using the depth sounder, a submarine could locate the peak of the seamount, which was a known position.
Rodger Winn
, head of the U-Boat Tracking Room, suspected this, and suggested laying a minefield at that spot. But no minelayer was available. So he approached the Double Cross team, and suggested telling the Germans through a controlled agent that there was a minefield there.
TATE was chosen, as one of his notional friends was a Royal Navy
officer who was a minelaying expert. TATE reported that his "mine-laying friend" had bragged to him about a new minefield near Ireland, with clues that should have alerted the Germans. However, nothing seemed to happen. Then, by coincidence, a U-boat was reported sunk off Ireland. TATE reported that his "mine-laying friend" had come by to celebrate this success. TATE added that he was angry and ready to quit: he risked his life for this intelligence, and a U-boat was lost because the Germans hadn't acted on it. Two days later, the German Navy ordered the U-boats to avoid a zone sixty miles square around that seamount - thus losing that navigation fix, and also providing a safe zone for Allied
ships.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
citizen who during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
became a double agent working for Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
under the codename TATE.
He was part of the Double Cross System
Double Cross System
The Double Cross System, or XX System, was a World War II anti-espionage and deception operation of the British military intelligence arm, MI5. Nazi agents in Britain - real and false - were captured, turned themselves in or simply announced themselves and were then used by the British to broadcast...
, under which all German agents in Britain were controlled by MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
(British counter-intelligence) and used to deceive Germany.
Schmidt was sent to Britain by the Abwehr
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
in September 1940, landing by parachute. He was captured immediately, as a previous captured agent had given away his coming, in return for a promise that Schmidt (a friend) would not be executed.
Schimdt broke down under interrogation and became a double agent, making contact with Germany by radio in October 1940. He was one of the longest running agents in the Double Cross System: his last contact with Germany was on 2 May 1945. He operated his radio himself until he became ill and had to be imitated by a British operator. Though he recovered, he was not allowed to operate thereafter. He did continue to assist in composing the messages sent to Germany.
TATE participated in many deception and counter-intelligence operations. As a working agent, he needed money. In 1941, the Germans used a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese diplomat to deliver some money to TATE, which revealed the extent of German-Japanese cooperation.
In July 1941, the Abwehr sent £20,000 to Britain, which was notionally received by TATE. With this huge sum (about $2,000,000 in 2011 terms), TATE notionally established himself as a rich "man about town" in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with easy access to black-market liquor and other luxuries. As such, he could plausibly make friends with military officers and civilian officials, and get intelligence from their loose talk, or even recruit them as agents.
At the same time, TATE reported to the Germans that to avoid military service, he was employed on a farm owned by a friend, and could only visit London on weekends. This provided an excuse for his not recruiting more agents or reporting as much as the Germans wanted.
Nonetheless, TATE participated in the Operation Bodyguard
Operation Bodyguard
Operation Bodyguard was the code name for a World War II military deception employed by the Allied nations during the build up to the 1944 invasion of north-western Europe. The aim of the operation was to mislead the German high command as to the exact date and location of the invasion...
deception which covered the Invasion of Normandy. He notionally went to work on a farm near Wye in southeastern England, where the imaginary "First United States Army Group" (FUSAG) was located. TATE provided the Germans with the schedules for rail transport of FUSAG troops to ports of embarkation for the invasion.
This apparent feat was highly regarded in Germany. For this and his other apparent successes, TATE was granted naturalization as a German citizen so he could receive the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
First and Second Class.
In the meantime, Schmidt lived quietly in England, finding employment as a photographer. By 1945, he had even been registered to vote in that year's general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
.
TATE's last deception was in early 1945. German submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s ("U-boats") running submerged or with only the snorkel
Submarine snorkel
A submarine snorkel is a device which allows a submarine to operate submerged while still taking in air from above the surface. Navy personnel often refer to it as the snort.-History:...
up could not use normal navigation methods. But they found a way to fix their positions off southern Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where there was a distinctive conical seamount
Seamount
A seamount is a mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface , and thus is not an island. These are typically formed from extinct volcanoes, that rise abruptly and are usually found rising from a seafloor of depth. They are defined by oceanographers as...
. Using the depth sounder, a submarine could locate the peak of the seamount, which was a known position.
Rodger Winn
Rodger Winn
Sir Charles Rodger Noel Winn, CB, OBE, QC, was a British judge and Royal Navy intelligence officer who led the tracking of German U-boat operations during World War II.-Early life:...
, head of the U-Boat Tracking Room, suspected this, and suggested laying a minefield at that spot. But no minelayer was available. So he approached the Double Cross team, and suggested telling the Germans through a controlled agent that there was a minefield there.
TATE was chosen, as one of his notional friends was a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer who was a minelaying expert. TATE reported that his "mine-laying friend" had bragged to him about a new minefield near Ireland, with clues that should have alerted the Germans. However, nothing seemed to happen. Then, by coincidence, a U-boat was reported sunk off Ireland. TATE reported that his "mine-laying friend" had come by to celebrate this success. TATE added that he was angry and ready to quit: he risked his life for this intelligence, and a U-boat was lost because the Germans hadn't acted on it. Two days later, the German Navy ordered the U-boats to avoid a zone sixty miles square around that seamount - thus losing that navigation fix, and also providing a safe zone for Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
ships.