Last year for Halloween, I wrote the blog, The Night Witches (click here to read the blog). It was then I decided to try and write an annual Halloween blog. So, this year I’d like to introduce you to the “Ghost Army,” a group of talented artists whose job it was to deceive and hide things from the enemy.
23rd Headquarters Special Troops – US Army: “Ghost Army” patch. Photo by anonymous (c. 2006). Institute of Heraldry. U.S. Department of Defense. PD-U.S. Government. Wikimedia Commons.
Prior to D-Day on 6 June 1944, Gen. Patton commanded the fictitious First United States Army Group (FUSAG). The FUSAG was created to convince the Germans that Patton was preparing for a cross-channel invasion at Pas de Calais. As part of the ruse, Patton commanded a group made up with dummy equipment. (Maybe that was his punishment for slapping a soldier or two.) However, known as “Operation Quicksilver,” Patton’s FUSAG was part of the larger deception scheme named “Operation Fortitude.” Along with the British network of double agents, FUSAG accomplished its mission and likely saved the lives of thousands of Allied soldiers (click here to read the blog, The Double Cross System).
Our blog today focuses on another secret group whose responsibilities were to deceive the Germans. However, most of their activities occurred after the invasion of Normandy. The unit and its mission were so secret the men were instructed to stay silent about their war time activities for fifty years and all files pertaining to the “Ghost Army” remained classified until 1986.
Image of Worcester Daily Telegram article written on the Ghost Army. Doesn’t appear to be classified back then does it? Photo by anonymous (c. August 1945).
When given the opportunity, I always like to recommend hiring a private tour guide when traveling. Whether you cruise to distant lands, hoof it on your own using the trains, or grab a car and take in the sites at sixty miles per hour, a private guide is always worth it and frankly, not that much more expensive than the cost of those cruise excursions. Everyone has a different interest but trust me, there is a guide available for each and every one of us and our particular passion. Sandy and I travel for history so naturally, we focus on finding guides who are experts in tours which focus on the historical subjects we want to dig into. Some folks are foodies and depending on the city you’re in, there are guides who can accommodate your tastes (pun intended). If you’re into fashion or shopping, I guarantee there are guides in Paris who specialize in those areas. The good guides will take you to offbeat places and get you into buildings and rooms no one is allowed in (I’ve mentioned in previous blogs about some of our exploits with Raphaëlle in Versailles and Paris).
So, today I’d like to tell you the story of Jacques and the day we spent with him in Normandy France many years ago.
Did You Know?
Did you know that clocks and watches use the Roman numeral IIII rather than IV? It’s a classic design but look at the four on your watch dial (assuming it uses the Roman design). We were all taught to use “IV” to denote the Roman numeral four (if you weren’t paying attention in school, I’m confident you at least learned this by watching the annual NFL Superbowl games). I know this question has been keeping you up at night even in the modern era of “Googling.” Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not because of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. The original Roman way to represent four was using IIII while the number nine was represented by VIIII. The “modern” version of four began to be used in Rome as part of the sundials and yes, even pocket sundials. By the thirteenth century, technology had advanced with mechanical clocks displacing sundials. Medieval clock makers decided to retain the Roman numerals but since the majority of people had no education, including rudimentary arithmetic, they decided to use IIII. The symbol IV required basic math skills – namely, subtraction – and that was considered too complex. So, we may ask, why was IX used since it presented the same obstacle? Actually, there are several theories to explain why IIII is used but I see my time is running out and I only have IIII more minutes to finish this blog. By the way, Big Ben uses IV ⏤ the English have always had a dry sense of humor.
Our Trip to Paris
Sandy had business in Hamburg, Germany and she suggested I fly from Nashville (we had just moved there from Southern California) and meet her in Paris at the tail end of her trip. Starting to sound like the beginning to a Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movie? So, I flew over in early September and we stayed in a wonderful small hotel on Rue Cambon next to Coco Chanel’s original retail store and her apartment (refer to blog Coco Chanel: Nazi Collaborator or Spy? [click here to read]). We were there a week and I planned a day trip to the Normandy beaches since Sandy had never been there. My last visit to Normandy and Paris was thirty-four years earlier in the summer of 1973 when I backpacked through Europe with a high school friend.
Exterior wall of Château de Caen, William the Conqueror’s Castle. Photo by Sandy Ross (2007).
One of the decisions I made was to hire a private guide to take us around Normandy and highlight the D-Day sites we could realistically see in one day. I actually found Jacques through American Express Travel. Sandy and I took the afternoon train from Paris to Caen and stayed at the Hotel Ibis Caen Centre. We were in the middle of the city and it was quite convenient for walking to the castle. The next morning, our guide was to pick us up in front of the hotel. Read More “Jacques & the Normandy Beaches”
This book presents three detailed walking tours and numerous metro station oriented short walks that identified significant occupation locations. Each location on the walk is fully explained. In addition, the author uses many sidebars to provide additional supporting information. The appendix provides a wealth of additional information and pictures that the novice and well read Occupation scholar will find helpful. Whether your first exposure to the Occupation or one of many books you have read, this book is a must read prior to visiting Paris. The format and size of the book make it easy to carry in your carry-on luggage. The book is the first of a three volume set. I can’t wait to see the information to be presented in Volumes 2 & 3.
Patrick from Albuquerque.
Patrick Morrissey, Amazon customer
Lavishly illustrated, gripping guide to the Paris that existed under Nazi rule.
This is a fantastic new book that provides extensive information for both those planning a trip and for armchair historians. While there are are walks that take you past famous places made infamous by Nazi rule, there is also a lot of detailed information. Stew Ross provides details about many topics that are not necessarily popular, including anti-semitism and collaboration. Photos add poignancy. Paris is haunted by its past, and these pages show you exactly why. The days of the Occupation and the Resistance are not that distant.
