ABSTRACT
Earlier chapters have contained several examples of the combined use of sigint and deception, usually with sigint both monitoring the effects of deception already practised and suggesting the next episode. Although I had no hand in any deception scheme I have been interested in the subject ever since I learnt that my father had been involved in a particular version of deception in the 1914-18 war, serving as radio-operator on a Q-boat, the Helvetia. This was a converted and disguised trawler whose job was to discourage German U-boats from attacking unarmed fishing vessels in the North Sea. When a U-boat hove in sight and ordered them to abandon ship the Helvetia's crew, who had been carefully trained, gave a convincing imitation of panic. They lowered the ship's boat so ham-handedly that one end was submerged while the other dangled in the air with davit jammed. They rushed to and fro excitedly. The SOS message was bungled, and with luck the U-boat drew nearer to watch the pandemonium. When they were within range the order was given: one pull at a lever collapsed the hinged sections of the deckhouse, revealing a gun whose team hoped to sink the enemy before he sank them.
