Fact vs Fiction in Family of Spies

I am currently creating a new website and will then have a separate tab for a Fact vs Fiction page for Family of Spies for easier access for readers. Until then, this is where you can find the details surrounding the background for my latest novel.

FACT VS FICTION

Family of Spies is loosely based on the mystery revolving around my Rhodes Scholar grandfather, Edward Hugh Martin Crawford. He was a pilot with the R.C.A.F. and was awarded an MBE based on his involvement in World War 2. Eighty years later, the details of his military career remain sealed. Our family lore of code-breaking, secret missions, and connections to Bletchley Park, fueled my imagination when writing this story.

Family of Spies blends truth with imagination. Here is a list of where fact and fiction met to create a story with verisimilitude.

CHARACTERS:

Edward Hugh Martin Crawford - born 1894 died 1972

Edward Hugh Martin Crawford Circa 1944

Fact:

Born at Benton, NL he attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar for Newfoundland and received a BA degree in Jurisprudence, Bachelor of Civil Law, and Master of Arts. He moved to Winnipeg and was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1921. He was made a King’s Counsel in 1939, and during the Second World War, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Wing Commander and received the Member of the British Empire (Military) Medal. His war records remain sealed.

Fiction:

His involvement with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) as a Spy Master.

General Carl -Heinrich von Stülpnagel - born 1886 died 1944

Fact:

He held many posts in Nazi Germany and played a role in the “July Plot” – a conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler— on July 20, 1944. The chief aim of the plot was to take control away from the Nazi party and seek peace with the Allies. General Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel stayed in Paris from 1942-1944. The assassination attempt was discovered and he was ordered back to Berlin to face trial for treason. He was sentenced to death and executed on August 30, 1944.

Fiction:

His meeting with SOE Agent Morah a.k.a. “Scout.”

Sir William Stephenson – born 1896 died 1989

Fact:

Master spy from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Code Name: Intrepid. Stephenson is believed to be one of the real-life inspirations for the fictitious master spy, James Bond. Stephenson was in charge of British Security Co-ordination in the Western Hemisphere, with headquarters in New York City. He set up an allied agent training centre near Oshawa Ontario called Camp X for infiltration into Nazi-occupied Europe.

Fiction:

Although our family if rife with rumour, his association with Edward Hugh Crawford, is a work of fiction.

  

Jean Moulin – born 1889 died 1943

Fact:

He was the leader of Armée secrète (French Resistance) and was captured in June 1943 when Germans raided a meeting of several resistance leaders. Moulin was interrogated by the Gestapo in Lyon and Paris and died, as a result of torture, on a train taking him to Germany.

Fiction:

His association with any characters in this book is fiction.

Harry Crawford – born 1919 died 1990

Fact:

Harry was Edward Hugh Crawford’s nephew and was a codebreaker in the (Royal Air Force) RAF at Bletchley Park during World War 2.

All Other Characters in the novel are fiction

The Special Operations Executive

Fact:

The Special Operations Executive was ordered by Britain’s Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, to “set Europe ablaze” in efforts to undermine German-occupied countries. The SOE’s primary task was to work with resistance movements, chiefly the French Resistance.

Fiction:

The SOE agents in the book are works of fiction, but based on research on real agents and the missions they undertook.

Physician Network

Fact:

This was a spy network organized by British SOE agent, Francis Alfred Suttill (Code Name: Prosper). The network was controlled by the SOE and was its largest network in France. The Physician Network was compromised and destroyed by the Germans in the summer of 1943.

Fiction:

Any connection to characters in the book.

Female Agents

Fact:

Female operatives worked for the SOE and were trained to handle guns and explosives, memorize complex codes, organize munitions and supplies drops, endure harsh interrogation, and, in some cases, were in charge of thousands of men.

LOCATIONS:

Hotel Du France

Fiction:

It does not exist; however, the German military did take possession of any building they desired to use as interrogation centres.

Hotel Raphael

Fact:

High-ranking officers of the German command lived in this luxury hotel. During the attack on Adolf Hitler, General Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel and some of the other conspirators used Hotel Raphael as a headquarters.

Fiction:

It is not known if General Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel resided in this hotel during his time in Paris.

Madame Bellerose’s house

This is a completely fictional home on a fictional street.

The Rental Apartment

The location of the apartment where Ford, Ellie and Gavin stay while in Paris is close to an actual rental location. When writing apartment scenes, I referred to photos of that apartment to capture details.  

Fact:

All other locations

The Queen's Rum Runner

I've started the research phase of my next book, which is an historical fiction based on my grandfather. He was a fascinating man, who died when I was only three.

The few memories I have of him are questionable. Do I truly remember my grandfather or are my memories only copies of the photos I've seen of him holding me as a toddler?

Every family has one person of interest. Someone who is unusual or extraordinary for varying reasons.  
My grandfather is our family's legendary member.  

With my grandfather, it is his war years that interest me most. But I can't look at that period of time in a vacuum; I must examine his entire life to try and understand the entire man.

His name was Edward Hugh Martin Crawford and he was born in Newfoundland in 1894. My grandfather didn't speak until he was seven years old - and as family history retells it, his first word was actually a full sentence. He was a brilliant student, leading his classes in academic achievement and earning the Rhodes Scholarship in 1914. He studied law at Oxford University and flew for the RCAF in World War II from 1941-1946.

When he returned to Canada after the war, he brought home an MBE (Member, Order of the British Empire), a serious alcohol addiction (which he later overcame), and experiences never shared with us.

When asked what he did during the war his simple answer never changed.

"I ran liquor to the troops."

Many soldiers don't speak of their time at war, and this was even more true of that generation. Proper manners of the time, pushed common curiosity aside. But curiosity abounds in me. It always has.

To stoke my burning curiosity, several years ago, my mom found his wartime flight log. Strange trips were recorded. And might I add, no mention of rum running.

Rumours of his involvement with famous spy, William Stephenson - "Intrepid" - abound. 

They both were Winnipeggers. Both geniuses. Both in the Royal Military.

Our quest to find out the truth has led my brother and cousins to request information from the RCAF. Every request has been denied and his records resealed.

Why? What don't they want us to know? 

This is what I've discovered so far:

"CRAWFORD, W/C Edward Hugh Martin (C5251) - Member, Order of the British Empire - No.2 Air Command Headquarters - Award effective 13 June 1946 as per Canada Gazette of that date and AFRO 660/46 dated 5 July 1946. 

Born in Newfoundland. Home in Winnipeg; enlisted there 10 May 1941 in Administration Branch; appointed Flying Officer, 14 June 1941. At No.7 AOS as of 18 September 1941. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 25 March 1942. To AFHQ, 30 June 1942. Appointed Judicial Officer, No.2 Training Command, as per RCAF Routine Order 1731 dated 30 October 1942. Promoted Squadron Leader, 1 February 1943. To Northwest Air Command, 31 May 1944. To No.2 Training Command Headquarters, 2 September 1944. Promoted Wing Commander, 1 November 1944. To No.5 Release Centre, 5 January 1946. Retired 14 January 1946. Award presented 30 October 1948.

This officer has displayed outstanding devotion to duty and intense interest in the Service throughout his career. His wide experience in legal and administrative matters has been applied most diligently to the benefit of the Service, his brother officers and all other ranks. His attitude towards his Service obligations has been exemplary and has been reflected in the work of all those with whom he has been associated."
- Airforce Association of Canada 

This doesn't tell us too much about his day-to-day activities, does it? Certainly doesn't give us any clues as to what he was involved in, that 77 years later, the military still won't release information. What is the big secret?

My limitless imagination is working on overdrive.

Now I begin to dig through old letters, newspaper articles, read countless books on Intrepid and WW2, and consider our old family stories. Then comes the really fun part - weaving together historical fact with a fictional story line.