Gang Spies

During World War II, posters were put up everywhere warning against spies. They carried slogans such as: 'Walls have ears', or 'Careless talk costs lives', or 'Be like Dad, keep Mum'.

The danger of careless talk was even reflected in Tommy Handley's popular radio show ITMA (It's That Man Again) where a menacing German spy would frequently appear with his heavily-accented catch-phrase, 'Dis ist Funf speakink'. Because of all this, newcomers to a community were often treated with reserve, not to say suspicion.

We, the children of the epoch, were certainly impressed and we sometimes indulged in excited bouts of patriotic spy-hunting. This book describes one such comically cockeyed episode.