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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.