A Special Duty

A Special Duty


A dead soldier cannot hate any enemy.
He cannot hear orders or carry a gun.
He cannot give his life for his home or country.
And cannot smile as the victory is won.

All men who join up to go fighting
Pledge valor and courage each day.
They show friends that their trust is most worthy,
Plus their respect is an unspoken pay.

Every commander deals with countless decisions.
He knows that ultimately, many men go to battle and death.
Some suffer the enemies’ revenge or cruel torture
And divulge secrets in their cries and last breath.

But if the commander can ever be cunning.
If he can truly save the loyal blood from being spilt,
He would trade his whole chest full of medals
And look at his brave warriors without any guilt.

In England, the plan was to control the Mediterranean.
Strategy required that Sicily would be the best place.
The hope was to confuse the proud Germans
And make Operation Husky a plan most would embrace.

Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu was in the Royal Navy.
With his team, they created a grand ruse.
They would plant false information on a body
So a wrong site for the invasion the enemy would deduce.

The body would be made into a soldier.
A Royal Marine was the identity, they agreed.
He came from Wales to serve in the Headquarters.
A young man, who looked special was their need.

Top secrecy would make this plan foolproof.
German spies could pick out a good fake.
The plan was for the man to have death by a drowning.
Clever thinking had to prevent any mistake.

Major Martin was thus formally created.
Special bogus items would substantiate a real man.
Ticket stub, love letters, and a fiancée’s photo
Matched everything to create an accurate time span.

The prized papers would need to be found quickly.
A courier’s style attachment on the briefcase let nothing drift away.
A big joke about ‘sardines’ to a high admiral
Meant Sardinia was the target intended that day.

Major Martin looked sophisticated in his official battledress.
Dry ice preserved his body for the final long trip.
His departure was in a steel canister.
The submarine, HMS Seraph needed no escort or battleship.

The Seraph’s Commander was experienced in circumventing.
He told the crew that the canister contained an important weather device.
Psalm thirty-nine was the good-bye prayer for William Martin.
He was about to make the important formal sacrifice.

In a small coastal town of Spain called Huelva.
A poor fisherman let history’s deception play out.
Soon Germans were excited about their great findings
That would give this ‘Operation Mincemeat’ a very big clout.

Adolf Hitler was convinced that the plan was authentic.
The Spanish coroner reported that Martin died from drowning, in an airplane’s sea crash.
Axis troops moved to Sardinia to get ready for battle.
The expectations were for a bloody invasion in the anticipated clash.

The Allies won the real victory far away in Sicily.
Major Martin was laid to rest in the town of Huelva, Spain.
His real name and life is for all those in eternity.
There came hope, from a chance that some thought was insane.


The code name for this ruse was Operation Mincemeat. The invasion that this plan was a part of was called Operation Husky. The plan was considered a success.