I WAS MONTY’S DOUBLE Page 12

  The Brigadier was appalled, but he coolly weighed up the pros and cons. He guessed that the skipper was painting the picture a little less black than it really was. If we came down in the sea there was not much chance of our survival, while if we landed in Spain my own fate might be grim in the extreme. If I were taken for Monty and I were subsequently found to be phoney, they might hand me over to the Gestapo. On the other hand they might discover at once that I was not Monty and the secret would be out. So the safest course was to come down in the sea and be drowned, and this was the course he decided upon.

  The end of the story was that we landed at Gibraltar with enough petrol left in the tank for another few minutes’ flying. Mercifully for me I was spared the agony of waiting for the engine to give the first tell-tale splutter; yet, as far as I can remember, the Brigadier, whose nerves must have been strained taut, seemed as unconcerned as if he were sitting in his armchair at home.

  I had a shave and a wash, and as we approached the Rock I tidied myself up for Scene Two.

  Just before landing there was something else to give the Brigadier a headache. Horrible sounds were heard from the back seat of the plane. Captain Moore, my second aide, was being air-sick. It was a terrible thing to happen because it struck a completely false note. Never in a thousand years would Monty, the Apostle of Physical Fitness, have had an aide who succumbed to such weakness of the flesh.

  I had already seen the admirable way in which Colonel Lester dealt with unexpected difficulties, and now I was to learn what Brigadier Heywood could do.

  “I’ll tell him to hide himself in the lavatory until he feels better,” be said tersely.

  The unhappy Captain was half led, half carried to the lavatory, and locked in from the outside. And there he had to remain until he had recovered.

  Chapter XII

  I MEET HITLER’S TOP AGENTS

  Far below us I could see the famous rock, no bigger than a mole-bill. We began to descend, skimmed the sea and made a perfect landing—two minutes late after a flight of seven hours.

  As the plane taxied along the aerodrome and came to a stop, the curtain went up again. I am tempted to say that by now I had become so completely identified with Monty that I played the part by a sort of second nature, but this is not strictly true. What pulled me through were the tricks of the trade which I had learned during my long years of training and experience on the stage. I am not exaggerating when I say that throughout the Impersonation I never ceased for a moment to retain a grip of myself, to force on body and mind the complete suppression of Clifton James and so to become General Montgomery.

  The scene before me now was strongly reminiscent of the Theatre. It was like the setting for one of those large-scale dramas which, in the old days, were staged at Drury Lane. In the background, like a vividly painted backcloth, rose the Rock. On the stage were the actors awaiting the entrance of the Leading Man. Behind were the troops, and on my left the high-ranking officers of the three Services drawn up to attention. On my right was another group and a line of cars with their drivers standing to attention beside them. There were even the ‘Villains of the Piece’, Hitler’s agents disguised as honest Spanish workmen.

  I thought of the hundreds of entrances I had made in the Theatre, some good, some bad, but all of them heavy with the feeling of stage-fright. Little had I dreamed that I should one day make an entrance like this one which would end either in disaster or in the saving of numberless lives according to the quality of my acting.

  I knew that there must be not only perfection of gesture, but, what was equally important, precision in timing. So often I have seen good performances ruined by faulty timing; so often have I watched great actors and realized that their wonderful sense of timing accounted as much as anything for their success.

  I should have to give the impression that I was in no hurry. With slow, easy strides I must walk towards those who were waiting for the General, greet them quietly, unconcernedly, perhaps dawdle a little, and above all take command of the situation.

  I heard the Brigadier’s voice behind me: “Don’t forget to let as many people see you as you can manage. If you get in a jam I won’t be far away.”

  The doors slid open and I stood on the top step. The senior officer of the Top Brass saluted. In the dead silence I gave the Monty salute, walked briskly down the gangway and over to the ranks of the high-ups.

  Moving over to the other group I asked, “Is Foley here?” At once an Army Major stepped forward and saluted.

  “Here, sir,” he replied.

  “Good,” I said. “We’ll get along to Government House right away.”

  All this may sound rather commonplace, but I had rehearsed it so often in my mind that when it actually happened it had a curious quality of unreality. It was as if everything were taking place in a dream.

  Major Foley led the way to the nearest car, with Heywood following me. As I got in I said in the breezy tones of Monty: “We had a jolly good trip. The weather was as calm as a millpond.”

  Presently we were gliding not too swiftly through the streets of Gibraltar, followed by Heywood in another car and a Security Officer in a third one. I kept up a hearty conversation.

  “How is the Governor?” I asked.

  “He’s very fit, sir, and looking forward to seeing you again.”

  “It seems no time at all since we were at Sandhurst together.”

  “No, sir.”

  As I had been told, Foley was in the know. That was inevitable. He had to organize the details of my visit, arrange my entrances and exits and my private meetings with Sir Ralph. But an armed escort was sitting beside the driver and I could see that both of them had their ears cocked.

  Crowds of Spanish civilians stood and watched us pass, their faces blank and expressionless. Among them, as I knew, were enemy agents who were ready to pass every scrap of information back to Berlin. Our own troops seemed to be equally curious. I could imagine them saying: “Monty! What the hell’s he doing here? Isn’t he going over the top from Dover?” I could also imagine one of the sinister-looking Spaniards who were scowling at me suddenly whipping out a gun and taking his chance of earning a fat reward from Hitler.

  Evidently word that Monty had arrived had flown round quickly, for as we drove on, crowds of troops came running from all directions, waving and shouting, “Good old Monty!”

  I kept on saluting and waving back while at the same time struggling on with my conversation with Foley. I commented on the alterations to the harbour since I was last at Gib., and the extensions to the docks. I even racked my brains to recall some fragments of the Rock’s past history; but all that came to my mind was a story I had heard of some monkeys which were treated as British subjects so far as rations were concerned.

  We drove in through some big gates, turned and drew up in front of Government House. A fair-sized crowd stood by the gates. There was a sharp word of command and the Guard of Honour came to the Present.

  I got out of the car and saluted. The doors of the building stood open, and in front of them I saw a tall, imposing figure, General Sir Ralph Eastwood, the Governor of Gibraltar.

  With a smile he held out his hand. “Hullo, Monty, it’s good to see you again.”

  “How are you, Rusty?” I replied, shaking his hand. “You’re looking very fit.”

  “You, too, Monty. Did you have a good trip?”

  “Excellent. Fine weather all the way.”

  In a familiar way I took him by the arm as we walked into the hall, followed by Heywood.

  As Sir Ralph led me to his study I began to get carried away by my part.

  “Before I forget it, Rusty,” I said, “Basil sends you his salaams. I expect you’ve heard he’s now got the 23rd Corps? You know, I believe he’ll do well. He knows his job and he’s keen on the new Plan.”

  Sir Ralph opened the door and we went in. He looked down the corridor, then shut the door carefully. In dead silence he took off his hat and sat down at his desk. To my
concern he sat there and just stared at me. Then to my relief a smile spread slowly over his face. Jumping up he came over to me, his face alive with excitement, and shook me warmly by the hand.

  “I wouldn’t have believed it possible,” he exclaimed. “You’re simply splendid.”

  Taking me by the arm he turned me slowly round, staring at me from different angles.

  “I can’t get over it. You are Monty. “I’ve known him for years, but you’re so much like him that for a few moments I thought he had changed the plan and decided to come here himself.”

  “I’m glad you think I look the part, sir.”

  “You certainly do. But how about me? Did I sound all right?”

  “I thought you were perfect.”

  “Do you really think so?” He seemed as pleased as a schoolboy at this piece of professional appreciation. “I felt a bit nervous to begin with. But you—you were wonderful. I’ve never seen acting like it. Do sit down and have a cigarette.”

  “I wish I could, sir, but as you know, Monty doesn’t smoke. What would happen if someone looked in through the window and saw me smoking?”

  Sir Ralph smiled wryly. “Good Lord, yes, I forgot. Do pull me up if I make any more mistakes like that.”

  He went on to explain the arrangements which had been made for me during my short stay at Government House. I was to have a private room so that I shouldn’t be too much under observation. Gibraltar, he said, was swarming with people who couldn’t be trusted. ‘

  He sent for Foley, and when the Major came in he said to him: “Take our friend along to his room, will you, and report hack to me. See that he has everything he wants.”

  Foley led me up a huge, ornamental staircase to a large and comfortable room where I saw a table laid for breakfast, an armchair and a handsome writing desk. Shutting the door he leaned against it and gave a low whistle.

  “Well,” he said, “I thought I had seen everything, but this beats the lot.”

  Coming over to me he gripped my hand. “Congratulations, James, you’re putting up a great show. Sir Ralph’s terribly pleased. It’s going over damned well.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  ““I’m certain of it.”

  He left me saying that breakfast would be along in a moment and that when “I’d had it he would come back and take me to the Governor.

  After he had gone I studied my face carefully in the mirror and refixed my false finger, which was bearing up wonderfully well. Yes, I was all right as far as my appearance went. Now that I was on the stage my nervousness had left me, and apart from a touch of weariness I felt fine.

  The next thing I had to face was the man who would be bringing me my breakfast—the man who had been Monty’s batman and had known him for years.

  Presently I heard a knock on the door, and a grey-haired orderly entered with a “Good morning, sir”. Pretending to be absorbed in some papers on the writing desk so that I was unconscious who had entered, I kept my back turned on him expecting every moment the opening shots of an awkward conversation. To my great relief he set down a plate of porridge and the coffee and left the room.

  As I discovered later, the real batman had been so eager to wait on his old master that they had arranged for him to be put on special duties during my stay in Gib. I think it was a long time before he got over his disgust at this seeming piece of ill-treatment.

  Having finished my breakfast, I waited for Foley to return, but ten, fifteen, twenty minutes went by and still there was no sign of him. The place was as quiet as a tomb. I could hardly stroll about Government House on my own. It was rather an alarming experience to feel myself marooned without any possibility of relief until someone chose to come along.

  Having nothing better to do I looked out of the window. Outside was a square with one or two taxis, and a few loiterers leaning against a wall. Happening to glance upwards a slight movement caught my attention. I looked more closely and it dawned on me that a man in a beret was up on the roof of an adjoining building holding what looked very much like a rifle.

  As far as I could see he was pointing it straight at me. I stood staring at him rather stupidly, wondering what I should do.

  The room where I was had two large windows, and where I stood, between these windows and rather far back in the room, I doubted if he could see me. But what would happen when I moved? I admit that my first impulse was to get out of the room as quickly as possible, but the next moment I remembered who I was supposed to be. In all his life Monty had never been known to show fear.

  A more sensible course was to ring the bell, but to get to the bell from where I was standing I should have to cross one of the windows. Even to move might draw the man’s fire. Cautiously I edged my way along until I was out of view, and then I thought how absurd the whole thing was and how I had exaggerated the danger. But the Colonel’s words flashed into memory: “By the way, James, the War Cabinet mentioned danger money.”

  Of course, I thought, the danger is much greater than they have let on to me. They might even expect me to be assassinated, for what could be better from the Allied point of view than the enemy’s conviction that Monty was dead and would not be directing the invasion?

  Cursing myself for such qualms I stood up and had another look across the square. The man was still there and it seemed as though he couldn’t miss me unless I lay flat on the floor. But I didn’t fancy Foley or someone coming in and finding me grovelling on the carpet.

  I remembered a play in which I had appeared years before when I had been in very much the same situation. As the Hero I had come to the rescue of a girl imprisoned by a villainous foreigner in a country house. Breaking in I had found the room empty. But the muzzle of a rifle pointed at me through the window, and I heard the Villain’s grating voice, “Too late, you English swine, you’ve walked into the trap!”

  Walking with splendid sang-froid to the window I had replied, “You think you’ve got me this time, Heinrich, but you’re wrong.” Down came the Venetian blind over the window, crash went the rifle, and I escaped unhurt.

  I couldn’t help smiling at the absurdity of this play, and that gave me courage to walk to the door. Passing the window I glanced upwards again and I suddenly realized that my fears were exaggerated. The man was trying to examine me through a thin telescope!

  At this moment Foley came in full of apologies. Something unexpected had happened and the Governor had been held up. He was free now and ready to see me.

  In his study Sir Ralph glanced at his watch and explained the next moves.

  “Twelve minutes from now, you and I will take a walk in the gardens at the back of the house. You will see some scaffolding. We are having some alterations carried out on the left wing. The work, of course, is being done by native labour.” He broke off, moved to the window and looked out of it sharply.

  “One of the men engaged on this work is an enemy agent!’’

  “Yes, sir, I guessed that.”

  “You guessed it? How do you mean?”

  “He was looking at me through a telescope.”

  “The devil he was! What damned cheek!”

  Sir Ralph paused and added in a different tone: “I mean, how obliging of him. This is what we want, of course. He wants to make quite certain that you’re the General.

  “The other point is that two prominent Spanish financiers, acquaintances of ours”—his eyes twinkled—“I would hardly describe them as friends—will be calling on Lady Eastwood and myself. They want to have a look at some ancient Moroccan carpets we have here. As they pass through the gardens on their way to the house I will introduce them to you.”

  He glanced at his watch again. “By the way, there’s a stone frieze on the garden wall. When I make some remark about it, that will be the alert signal that these chaps are due to come through the garden gates. The timing of this meeting is very important. From the enemy’s point of view it has got to be one of those extraordinary coincidences. After flying 3,000 miles from En
gland, General Montgomery decides to take a walk in the gardens of Government House at the precise moment when two high-born Spaniards come through these same gardens on their way to the house, and by pure chance the three of you come face to face. Come along, it’s time we got going.”

  At the door he said excitedly: “Good Lord, I haven’t enjoyed myself so much since I was a boy. I only wish I could act as well as you do.”

  “You would make a first-rate actor,” I assured him. He put on his hat and I put on my beret. He gave me a critical look, then taking me by the arm he led me along a corridor and out through a side door into the garden.

  The sun blazed down from a clear sky and a pair of ring doves cooed from a nearby palm tree. We strolled slowly between the flower-beds, stopping at frequent intervals to discuss some point of horticulture. Turning down a side path we faced the left wing of the house. Looking up, I saw scaffolding and a party of workmen on the walls.

  When we were close to them I said loudly: “I see you’re adding to the left wing, Rusty. It’s a wonderful old place. What a history!”

  I noticed the man with, the telescope, which was no longer in evidence, staring at me with a fearful intentness, but when I caught his eye he at once looked away and went on with his job.

  The Governor replied: “Yes, Monty, the old place grows on you. Our trouble has been dry-rot, but I think we’te getting rid of it at last.”

  We moved away and strolled between two rose-beds. Sir Ralph was a keen gardener and he had no difficulty in keeping up a glib conversation about flowers; but I who knew hardly anything about them had my work cut out to say something which sounded intelligent. I don’t know how long we had been talking when Sir Ralph pointed to a wall on the top of which was a large engraved plaque representing the Battle of Trafalgar, with Nelson’s flagship in the centre.

  “Do you remember this frieze?” he asked. “We’ve had it cleaned since you were here last, but really it needs an expert to renovate it properly.”