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OperationTracer:TheSecretPlanToBurySoldiersAliveInside

TheRockOfGibraltar

ThegreatlimestonemonolithcalledtheRockofGibraltar,toweringover

thesmallBritishoverseasterritorynearthesouthwesterntipofEuropeonthe

IberianPeninsula,haslongbeenGibraltarsnaturaldefense.Morethan50km

oftunnelspermeatethismassivemonolith,andtheywereoncehousedwith

guns,hangars,ammunitionstores,barracksandhospitals.

AftertheendoftheSecondWorldWar,amythbegantocirculatethat

withintheRockthereisasecretcavewhichwasmeanttoholdsixmen,sealed

fromtheoutside.Themenwereexpectedtosurviveandobservetheactivitiesof

theGermansforaperiodofoneyearormore,shouldGibraltarfalltoNazi

forces.

Rumorsaboutthissecretchamberpersistedandmanypeopledevoted

considerableamountsoftheirtimetoexploringGibraltar'sexistingtunnels,

cavesandsheercliffsinthehopeoffindingit.Ittookyearsbeforethischamber

wasfoundandconfirmedasthelongsoughtaftersiteofOperationTracer.

In1940,FrancefelltotheGermans,andtherewasonlySpainbetween

HitlerandhisdesiretoinvadeGibraltarandtakecontrolofallnavalmovements

intheMediterranean.TheBritishIntelligencerecognizedthethreatand

OperationTracerwasborn.

RearAdmiralJohnHenryGodfrey,theDirectoroftheNavalIntelligence

DivisionoftheBritishAdmiralty,suggestedthattheyestablishatGibraltara
covertobservationpostconsistingofsixmenwhichwouldremainoperational

evenifGibraltarfellintoenemyhands.OnlyifGermanywasdefeatedwithin

thefirstyearwouldthemenbereleased.

Fortunatelyforthemen,AdolfHitlerturnedhisattentionawayfrom

GibraltarandtowardstheEasternFront,andOperationTracerwasnever

executed.Thesixvolunteerswerestooddownafterayear,thestoresand

equipmentremovedandthecaveblockedup.

In2008,BruceCooper,thelastsurvivorofOperationTracer,returnedto

Gibraltartoexploretherediscoveredchamber.Hewasabletoconfirmthatthe

chamberdiscoveredin1997wasthesecretchambermeantforhimandhisfive

companions.

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