On New Year’s Eve 1943, Joan and I gave a party at Chatsworth Court. People dined early in the war, so the big restaurant in the basement there was usually clear by soon after eight o’clock. I arrangement with the management that, when the last diners had gone,it should be handed over to me , and invited our guests for nine.

We had over 100 people. Pug Ismay, Jack Slessor and a dozen other Generals, Admirals and Air Marshalls, Desmond Morton, Tommy Thompson and other members of the PM’s entourage; all my own colleagues except Johnny Bevan, who was on leave, several members of ISSB and MI5, and most of the officers of the STRATS and FOPS; also, of course, such wives as had remained in London, although the majority had been sent by their husbands, with their children, to live more safely in the country.

Thanks to the mass of stores I had laid in we were able to give them not only lashings of champagne, but a splendid spread, including such things as foie gras, which by that time was almost impossible to obtain; so the party went with a swing.

It was not until after three in the morning that our last guest left, and by then I had something else to think about. Johnny Bevan being on leave, Ronald Wingate, who had been made Deputy Controlling Officer, was temporarily my chief.

Before leaving he drew me aside and said ‘Dennis, I’ve a special job for you. It’s just up your street. This month there is to be a high-powered conference at Casablanca. The President is coming over to meet the PM there. For the first time he will be crossing to our side of the Atlantic; so it is super-super secret. This afternoon I was charged to prepare a cover plan to prevent anyone from getting wind of the fact that the President is coming over, and that the PM, the Chiefs of Staff and all the rest of them have left England. Don’t come into the office tomorrow. Spend the day quietly here, thinking it out. I’m sure you will produce the answer.’

What a charming and clever old fox Ronald was. By his flattery he could get the best out of anybody; and how wise he was to give the job first to one person and tell him to take the day off ... ... ...

‘The Deception Planners’ pp 109- 110