POLITICAL WARFARE EXECUTIVE

Whilst the preparations for D Day provided more than enough to occupy those in authority, domestic problems still had to be attended and in May, Bracken had consulted with Lockhart about a P.W.E. burglary. The police, however, lacked sufficient evidence to arrest the suspected chauffeur. Then, in another instance, courtesy of a local policeman a P.W.E. housemaid gave birth to an illegitimate child. Arrangements were swiftly made for the offspring and the maid was bound over for two years. As always, P.W.E. remained anonymous!

The Regional Directors having, on June 4th, been taken into confidence regarding the D Day landings, for a week before D Day, deliberately isolated in the country, B.B.C. translators were kept at an exhausting pace, translating the proclamations of Eisenhower and the national speakers into all the Western languages. With four days to go until the planned invasion, two printing presses and their staff then came under strict security for the production of the D Day leaflets and all but two were produced by P.W.E., in conjunction with the American O.W.I. Especially leaflets were targeted at the French and Belgium transport workers, German troops in the landing zone, German reserves moving up and the Polish soldiers in the German army. Also printed was an 'imminent danger' leaflet for the French population in the operational zone. These were dropped on D Day, an hour before the intensive bombing began. Two days after the Invasion, the success of the landings caused an urgent demand, from the front line Divisional Commanders, for leaflets so worded as to induce a German surrender. Stating the advantage of being taken prisoner, P.W.E. had anticipated the need for such a document and were so able to produce substantial examples from immediate stock. The following day, 1 1/2 million were then dropped onto front line targets by Bomber Command and of the effectiveness, the P.O.W., feedback proved their effectiveness, confirming a high awareness and influence. Indeed, Allied Safe Conduct Leaflets carried a high barter value in the German lines. For the immediate period 32 million leaflets were prepared, translated into German, French, Belgium, Dutch, Danish and Norwegian, for distribution by all means possible. Translation of the Eisenhower statement into all languages had foremost priority, as also the statements of the Governments for Norway, Belgium and Holland.

German revenge.

Yet the Germans still held the terror of their V weapon campaign and launched on June 13th, the first V1 landed near Gravesend. Soon the missiles rained in at the rate of 100 a day and for Bush House, a near miss exploded in the Aldwych, by the Air Ministry building, on June 30th. 40 members of staff sustained minor injuries and 3 were serious casualties. Yet ,even in the light of this, during June, 1944, 'C' had requested the whole of Woburn Abbey and the associated accommodation for other purposes but P.W.E., resisting this, now at least had a valid reason for retaining their rural interests, remote from the new perils in London.

From July, 1944, the dissemination of the millions of leaflets dropped during the immediate invasion period was helped by the introduction of a metal cylinder, replacing the previous paper type. That month P.W.E. asked the R.A.F. to use the new container but only at the end of the year did they actually agree to do so. Thereon Bomber Command began dropping eight a day, later increased to 400 a month. Yet even this figure was small, compared to the activities of the Americans who, throughout their involvement with the propaganda war, dropped the greater part of the total leaflet production