"This hyper-sensitive bastard"...

[pomme homme]

We're waiting - albeit impaitently!

[John]

So, what possible employment can the man be given? He wanted to be a pilot but didn't fancy the long training. He wanted to join another branch of the Free French but got 'the hump' with their treatment of him. I know, how about a secret agent type job with the Special Operations Executive? After all he's a multi-lingual, resourceful chap who wants to fight the Germans, and isn't averse to a bit of adventure.

A memo from MI5 (I can't find who it was sent to)..

I should regard DE LA FERE as a most unsuitable candidate for S.O.E. He came to this country in a canoe from Boulogne to Dover in March of this year. At the L.R.C. he told a story regarding himself, his family and his connections that was demonstrably false in many particulars. Subsequent intensive investigation established that he was a hyper sensitive bastard who in order to conceal the fact of his illegitimacy had invented a wholly fictitious story of his early life. On the whole however we came to the conclusion that he was probably telling the truth regarding his actual escape and agreed to release him on the terms that he went into the French Forces. He was however regarded by his interrogators as a weak character, highly strung and so obsessed with his troubles that an impression of mental instability might well be formed. He suffered for a considerable period of his adult life from decalcification of one of his legs which has probably emphasised an orignal (sic) morbid tendency. I should regard him as wholly unsuitable for S.O.E.

[Man of Kent1]

"HSB" or "Hyper Sensitive Bastard" is now, probably, an acceptable term to describe a patient's mental condition in order to bestow even more in benefits.
A 'calcified leg'? Ok, my late father-in-law, a canny Geordie (like his daughter !), used to use the expression "I've got a bone in my leg" in order to seek respite from his household toils and have a cup of tea.  Quick to learn any bad example, this is now a handy excuse for yours truly as well, and it generally works.
I think, however, to say I have a 'calcified bone in my leg' would not, I fear, sound quite so convincing.

MoK1

[chasg]

I heard of a woman who had a spine in her back...

[John]

Internal MI5 memo dated 22nd June 1944.

DE LA FERE

The B.B.C. have for some long time passed (sic) been most anxious to employ de la FERE for broadcasting purposes and have stressed the remarkable bababilities (sic) of this man. There has always been a very slight doubt as to the motives which prompted de la FERE to come to this country and the circumstances in which he left France were so remarkable as to occasion suspicion that the escape might have been engineered by the enemy. We were however virtually certain that he was O.K. Nevertheless during the period of exceptional precaution necessitated by the contemplated launching of the OVERLORD operation it was essential that we should take no risk whatever that could be avoided of prejudicing the security of that operation. It was in these circumstances that we advised that notwithstanding de la FERE's probable bona fides we could not allow him to occupy a position in which in a very few well chosen words he could inform the enemy of our intentions since the results might have been so catastrophic. The position now is different in that de la FERE would be unlikely to discover anything which he could pass on with disastrous results. I think therefore that the decision ought to be reconsidered and that if the B.B.C. are still of the same opinion their wishes can be given effect to.

[pomme homme]

What's happened to "his relationship with a female and his/her brushes with CID". You can be a tease at times, John!

[John]

Spooky - I was just typing some out, got ready to post it and saw this message. We must have some sort of cross-Channel psychic link going here    This is a letter from the Solicitor to the Metropolitan Police - and raises the question over how he could afford to retain them (a point that you've already raised!)

Theodore Goddard & Co.
5, New Court,
Lincoln's Inn,
London WC2

Wednesday, 17th May, 1944

Dear Sir,

Our client is now residing at 6 Hood House, Dolphin Square, which is the address of Miss Natalia Korel-Katzin, with whom our client is living. We are instructed by Miss Korel that about 12 noon on the 10th instant a Police Officer in plain clothes, whose rank she does not know but whose name she understands is Cain, accompanied by a uniformed Police Woman, whose name our client does not know, called at her flat. Mr. Cain produced his authority and informed our client that he was a Police Officer and that he wished to ask certain questions about M.de la Fere. This interview, we are instructed, lasted from 12 noon to about 1.45 p.m. and Mr. Cain does not appear to have conducted the interview with the greatest possible courtesy. He started off by making enquiries as to M.de la Fere's present occupation and was informed that he was at present working with the B.B.C. Mr. Cain asserted that according to the Police Records, M.de la Fere had no occupation and did not avail himself of our client's suggestion that he should telephone the B.B.C. until afterwards towards the end of the interview, although he was invited to do so several times. The Officer also seemed to be interested in M.de la Fere's financial resources, and also in Miss Korel's financial affairs. Asked by the lady on what ground he thought he had authority to ask such questions, he replied "because I find you here with this man". Our client although objecting to his attitude, had every desire to be helpful, and therefore, gave such information for which he had asked which included her occupation, source of her income, the name of her Bankers, how expenses were divided between Miss Korel and M.de la Fere. The Officer also took the opportunity to enquire into Miss Korel's past history, enquiring where and when she was born, in what countries she had travelled and also he was shown her passport which shows quite clearly, that Miss Korel being a citizen of the Union of South Africa, is a British Subject. The Inspector also referred to the fact that we were the Solicitors for M.de la Fere and made a suggestion that we were expensive people to employ and enquired who was going to pay our account.

Mr. Cain also suggested to our client that she was influencing M. de la Fere not to enter the Free French Forces. He also asserted that M.de la Fere should have gone to Moorgate to see Mr. O'Connor and when informed that this had been done, he appeared to doubt our clients word. He was invited to telephone Mr. O'Connor to satisfy himself of this point, but he did not avail himself of the opportunity, but later in the interview surprising suggestion to our client that M. de la Fere had been giving bribes to Mr. O'Connor. The Police Officer was also informed that M.de la Fere reported to the Police at Vine Street every week and saw a Mr. Gilbert, to which the interviewing Officer replied, "I have never heard of him." He was again invited to use the telephone to satisfy himself of the position. He did ultimately ring up Mr. Gilbert. He then asked Miss Korel if she was of Jewish origin and whilst making it clear to him that this was the first time that any such question had been asked of her since she had been in this country, she replied that she was. Mr. Cain then saw fit to remark, "Can you imagine anyone of Jewish blood helping the Nazi's?" to which Miss Korel replied, "No, can you imagine a Frenchman doing so?" to which the Officer replied "Yes" in a loud voice. The Officer also saw fit to ask if our clients were living together and to comment on the fact that Miss Korel is 18 years older than M.de la Fere. He also made the suggestion that M.de la Fere was a young man of very weak character and that Miss Korel was harbouring and encouraging him. On leaving, he told our clients to "go on as they are until they heard from him further." Asked to elucidate this remark, he merely replied, "I said go on as you are until you hear from me further."

M.de la Fere assures us that he has complied with all the requirements set out in your letter of the 3rd April last and in the circumstances our client is somewhat at a loss to understand the purpose of this visit, and we shall be obliged if you could kindly inform us of such purpose.

Yours faithfully,
(Sgd.) Theodore Goddard & Co.

[pomme homme]

The Inspector also referred to the fact that we were the Solicitors for M.de la Fere and made a suggestion that we were expensive people to employ and enquired who was going to pay our account.

I assume that M. de la Frere had pockets a little less deep than Wallis Simpson, another client of Theodore Goddard. Thus in light of his involvement in the legal aspects of the abdication crisis of 1936, no doubt his fees were not cheap in 1944. For how long M. de la Frere remained an active client of the firm, I do not know. But if he remained so until 1963, he might have experienced another fee hike when the firm acquired another high profile client - John Profumo!

[John]

NOTE:

Mr. Newton of the Home Office rang me up this afternoon. He read to me a letter which he had received from DE LA FERE'S Solicitors complaining somewhat bitterly at the interrogation of DE LA FERE by Special Branch, and the manner in which it was carried out. Mr. Newton told me that in the ordinary course he would send the letter, or a copy thereof, to Special Branch and ask for their comments. He asked me if we had any good ground for objecting to this course being adopted; I could think of no good ground for so doing which I could put to Mr. Newton, and I told him that I thought that he should follow the ordinary course.

Mr. Newton is sending me a copy of the Solicitor's letter.

E.B.Stamp
B.1.B.
19.5.44

[Man of Kent1]

  Did they 'waterboard' him, do you think?

[John]

Inspector Cain's character comes in for a bit of a slating from MI5..

[pomme homme]

This just gets better!

[pomme homme]

Is there any more to come?

[John]

This is just about all..

[pomme homme]

........so it seems that we will never know what became of the interesting Claude de la Fere. C'est si triste!