Hans-Karl-Scharf

Please, consider this document being meant for studying purposes only; and therefore multiply it, as it might contain Crown Copyright

It has, however, to be noticed that the KV 2/xxxx serials originate from the 1950s, formerly these were known as PF 600,000 with additionally Vol. 1 ....

Further to my letter of 3rd May, we have now heard that Scharf is being sent to this country (England) by air from North Africa on or about July 23rd.

KV 2/207, page 4 (minute 21a)Private and Confidential for the Personal Attention of Mr. Hill (H.O.)

Further to my letter of 3rd May, we have now been informed that Scharf will be sent to this country by air from North Africa on or about 23rd July. The ETA will be communicated to you as ascertained at this end.

The reason is, that when aliens or Prisoners of War have to enter the U.K. that they necessitate a special Order, such as, for instance, 18 B or that like.

26.4.44 To S.I.S. in reply to 1a, stating that we have no trace of Scharf, Hans (2a)

From:- A.F.H.Q (American Forces Headquarters?) Algiers Recd. 2255 (hours) (date) 18 Jul. 44

(M.I.5) 14 July, by air about 23 July as French cannot release? Tocabens immediately. Will cable ETA

Security Service extremely anxious have opportunity interrogation Justin Tocabens and Hans Scharf soonest. Can you arrange their despatch to U.K. under escort by priority air passage. Security Service would arrange their early return North Africa. In this arrangement possible cable their E.T.A. U.K.

10.6.44 B.1.b. note re Hans Scharf (What do they have to keep hidden for us?) notice (F120 F120return)

With reference to our PF 600033/B.1.b.HLAH of 7th June concerning Justin Tocabens (KV 2/2451).

I have just been informed by S.I.S making almost names invisible who is in Algiers that it is difficult to arrange for this (French) individual to be sent to the U.K. as it is necessary for him to travel by air with high priority. Muggeridge has spoken to Crean who says that the best plan would be for you to telegraph A.F.H.Q. requesting that Tocabens be sent to the U.K. under escort with priority I. This should be done at once in view of the forthcoming move of A.F.H.Q. to Italy.

The same remarks apply to the case of Hans Scharf ho is urgently required by Milmo (M.I.5) and others. perhaps you could include him in any telegram you send to A.F.H.Q.

I would remind you that the French authorities are prepared to release these two individuals provided they are only absent from North Africa for one month, hence the absolute necessity to arrange for them to be sent back by air with high priority. Will you please let me know what action you have taken so that I may inform Muggeridge.

The history of Charles Bedaux from the time of the collapse of France is one of out and out collaboration. As early as 1937 he is known to have stated and he believed in the social superiority of the Nazi system over that of the Democracies. His attitude in 1940, when he supported the reorganisation of France on the Axis lines is therefore hardly surprising. He associated with all the leading members of the Vichy Government (not directly pro-German), and is also alleged to have been in contact with Otto Abetz, the German Ambassador in Paris. He was afforded full facilities for travel between the occupied and free zones (Vichy France) of France and priority passages in aircraft. he was further in charge of the organisation building the Trans-Saharan railway, and visit North Africa every two or three months.

In the Autumn of 1941 it is known from M.S.S. (Most Secret Source) that Bedaux visited high Abwehr officials in Berlin. This visit was carried out at the request of the German Embassy in Paris and apparently with the full knowledge and backing of Obst. Rudolf. Leiter ALST (Abwehr Leitstelle) Paris. The precise purpose of this journey is not clear from the ISOS (manual decode section) traces, but according to Bedaux's own statement it was to discuss the preservation of oil refineries in the Persian Gulf (partly occupied by Britain and partially the US). A certain Dr. Bensmann (KV 2/1328, PF 602110) of Nest Bremen also travelled to Berlin to partake in these conferences, and Bedaux was introduced at the same time of to a Professor Endrou of Berlin.

A short while after these meetings took place, M.S.S. (MSS) shows that Bensmann journeyed to Paris to discuss the "Caudron affair". This is presumably a reference to the manager of the French Bedaux Co. who has also been mentioned by Scharf.

Between this time and September 1942 Bedaux busied himself with a scheme to build a pipe line from the Niger river, in central Africa, to Colomb Bechar in Northern Africa. This pipe line was to be used to bring water through the desert, thus assisting in the construction of the Trans-Sahara railroad, and it was also to carry peanut oil from the Mossi country for shipment to Marseilles where it would be refined into edible products.

Bedaux stated that he sold the idea of the pipe line to the French authorities on the theory that it would unite French Colonial Africa and avoid dissidence on the part of the African peoples. This was not without considerable effort and took some time to ratify. The acquiring of German approval was, however, considerably more difficult, though it was eventually secured. To obtain the necessary support for this mission Bedaux enlisted the help of many highly placed French and German Officials, amongst them Pierre Laval and the Milirärbefehlshaber (von) Stülpnagel. Inspite of this considerable influence in governing circles, Bedaux was arrested on 24.9.42 together with all male American citizens between the ages of 16 and 65, and interned at Compiègne. He secured an early release, however, and succeeded in completing armistice commission in North Africa.

ISOS (manual codes) shows that on 7.11.42 Obst. Rudolf (Leiter Abwehr France) was informed of the various difficulties Bedaux was encountering with the French military authorities, who were opposing to supply him with less powerful wireless sets than those which it had been agreed he should have. Scharf is referred to in this message by his @ l'Huillier, and it is evident that he was to have been one of the W/T operators attached to the mission.

In support of this, Harlequin (@ Wurmann = Dr. Richard Heinrich Weis), states that at the beginning of November 1942 Bedaux presented himself at the H.Q. of the Verbindungskommando with a certificate from the Vichy Government bearing the stamp of the German military commander in Paris, which informed all French authorities in North Africa that they were to give all possible help and protection to Bedaux.

in his undertaking. Bedaux explained that his undertaking consisted of investigating and developing the possibilities of extracting vegetable oils from plants growing in those parts of French Africa which still belonged to the Vichy Government, and also the transport of these oils to the coast of French North Africa, with, as far as possible the aid of the Trans-Saharan railway, which was still under construction. The expedition consisted of a dozen or half a dozen people, some of whom had already arrived in Algeria and the rest (presumably including Scharf) were still expected. These persons were to be left behind at different points along the route taken by the expedition, from where they would separately take up their work or investigation. They were to have wireless communication with each other and with a coastal station, eventually Algiers. (It is here, presumably, that Scharf was to figure and the interference appears to be that for the establishment of a reporting service, in an area which was of particular interest at the time and which in ordinary circumstances it would be difficult to penetrate.

Bedaux apparently told Harlequin (Wurmann) (= Dr. Richard Heinrich Weis) that the Abwehr was interested in his organisation, and mentioned that he knew Admiral Canaris and Obst. Rudolf (Leiter Abwehr France), and claimed for himself the membership of the German Wehrmacht as a Sdf. B (= Major).

Harlequin (Dr. Weis) declares that he was sceptical of all this and states that he was from convinced that Bedaux was seriously considering placing his expedition in the service of the Abwehr/ He is inclined to believe that if Bedaux did do so, it was only either to get himself out of interment, or to gain on the French authorities to make them assist him in the matter of lorries and motor fuel for the expedition. Harlequin's (Dr. Weis') arguments are based on the following facts:-

(a) Bedaux arrived in Algeria without wireless set. These would have been essential for the use of the expedition by the Abwehr. Furthermore if the objective, from an Abwehr point of view, was the obtaining of information from the frontier areas occupied by the Gaulle or the allies, any sets which were to be used would have to be of considerable strength. These, however, would have been aroused the suspicions of the Deuxieme Bureau officials working at entry and customs control points, who were on good terms with the Gaullists. Bedaux appeared to have no idea how to obtain sets which would have been suitable for Abwehr work or how to get them through the customs. The Oberkommando was openly mistrustful and would only supply him with French military sets of short range and with incompetent operators. Harlequin (=Dr. Weis), therefore, on his own initiative, tried to have suitable sets despatched by courier plane and also sent a similar suggestion by wireless to ALSt Paris. He received no reply to any of these requests however and therefore remained for ever in doubt as to the authenticity of Bedaux's mission.

b) Bedaux with his exceptional intelligence and experience should have foreseen these difficulties and, considering the seriousness of this project, should have endeavoured to dispose of them before landing. This could easily have been done with the help of the Abwehrstellen in Algiers, Oran or Casablanca. These Stellen could have supplied suitable W/T sets, with the necessary camouflage, and also could have acted as relay stations for further transmission or messages.

Harlequin's (= Dr. Weis') final impression was, therefore, that Bedaux succeeded in interesting the Abwehr in his scheme, whilst cleverly avoiding any close ties, and that he never proposed placing the expedition in the service of the Abwehr or acting himself as a German agent. Furthermore, none of the of the other members of the mission in Algiers knew anything about his relations with the Abwehr, though more staff, amongst them Abwehr agents, were supposed to be arriving later.

I write to confirm our conversation this morning concerning the German Hans Scharf who was captured by the French in North Africa early this year and whom the French Military Authorities have agreed to send to the U.K. for one month for further interrogation.

Yesterday we received for the first time a report upon the information which Scharf has supplied to date and it is evident that he is a most important agent who is in a position to supply us with a wealth of intelligence which may be of very considerable value in not too distant future. We have accordingly accepted the French offer and have asked that Scharf should be sent here with the minimum delay (AOB, remember that this file started already with this plan; hence, it wasn't so easy after all) by the quickest possible route, the project being to send him to Camp 020 via the Oratory Schools.

Scharf being a German national, can presumably be handled under the Royal Prerogative.

I have asked to be informed of the date and possible port of arrival of Scharf in the U.K. and will communicate this information to you as soon as it comes to hand.

Home Office (AOB: normally Aliens entering Britain necessitated a permit often designated an Order, like 18B, and therefore authorising such kind of endeavours)

I am astonished to find that a copy of Oran B.S.T. on Hans Scharf, captured early in 1944 at Port Say, has not been passed to you. A copy is enclosed herewith and for your information the French military Justice authorities in Algiers have agreed to send the prisoner to the United Kingdom for one month including travel both ways, for further interrogation.

Will you please let me know your views as to whether his presence here would be of interest to you?

Courtnay Young is interested in the Leibrandt Angle* of the case, a copy is enclosed for him also.

The link links might be designated by the British services, but they correlate to the data provided the roman number top left of the next page.

KV 2/207, page 87 (minutes 1Z) R.S.S. (RSS) intercepts "U" is pointing at Ultra, the code-name for most Bletchley Park decrypts.

ISOS Peninsular/1 (ISOS = manual codes) (But, in my perception, concerning mainly machine codes such as maintained by Enigma machines)

II/1 in the foregoing map this was also maintained in communications between Berlin and Argentine (on the far left-hand side of the map)

26.9.41 Madrid-Tetuan (Madrid to Spanish/Moroccan). Advises Nemo that proposed W/T traffic with Pila is to be tried out on Wednesday/Thursday at 1500 and 2200 hrs (CET) using the international Q code. If traffic is established the key will be forwarded from this end (Madrid), Traffic is to be kept short because of English Secret Service. (the way of spelling is added by the British cryptologists)

21.10.41 Madrid - Las Palmas. Pila has received key. Suggest traffic times by wire.

28.2.42 Paris-Madrid A large envelope was despatched today via Bianca (Biarritz) for ....

4.11.42 San Sebastian - Biarritz. For Ast Leiter I Marine Pila nail are arriving at your end on Friday at 0720 hours with a good deal of luggage Try and prepare 2 sleeping bags at your end. Fuente (= alias of Nest Leiter San Sebastian Uffz. Furch)

Somoza = alias of Sommer real name Freg.Kapt. Ernst Wilhelm Leissner, up to August 1944 Leiter Ast. K.O. Sp. Replaced since by Obstlt. Kleyenstüber.

25.7.44 From Camp 001 enclosing receipt from Capt. Carter who escorted Scharf from North Africa. (30a)

1. In this war men like Hans Scharf can be counted on one hand. In my recollection there were Jacobs (https://www.cdvandt.org/kv-2-24-27-jakobs.htm), and perhaps Finckenstein. These were Germans who spied for their country, Germans to whom money was a secondary consideration. related, maybe distantly, were Janowski, Richter (https://www.cdvandt.org/kv-2-24-27-jakobs.htm), Waldberg (https://www.cdvandt.org/seeloewe-espionage.htm#Seeloewe_2), and perhaps Goose. They too were Germans, but as Nazis they were unbalanced and foul, and it would be difficult to say that money to them was a secondary motive. (AOB, most of them had been executed in the mean time)

2. The war history of Scharf begins in May, 1940, when he received calling up papers for the notorious Brandenburg Lehrbattalion (Lehrregiment) z.b.V. 800. Thereafter, it seems he was employed with some regularity in a variety of missions that took him all over Europe, to South Africa (Kyloe/Leibrandt), Villa Cisnaron?, and finally Algeria. it would serve no useful purpose to repeat the saga of endeavours in his chronology, but the more important activities may be summarised with advantage: -

June, 1940 Sent to Nielles Barracks to recruit Bretons for the Breton Separatist Movement.

March, 1941 Appointed as W/T operator of the Kyloe expedition to South Africa. A companied was Leibrandt, the South African spy now under sentence of penal servitudes for life (actually more for the time-being). A contact was Elfrink, another known spy.

Autumn, 1941 Appointed W/T operator to the German agent Don Pablo, at Villa Cisneros.

November, 1042 Appointed W/T operator to Bedaux, the business economist and man of notoiety: in the ultimate a German spy with a mission to Algeria.

Augus, 1943 Set out for Rome an route for North Africa on an espionage mission, accompanied by Bitan?? and Rench?hausen/

November, 1943 The final mission to Algeria. A contact was Sauvage, another German agent.

17th November, 1943 Success of the landing by parachute of Scharf over Bir-Rabalou.

4th December, 1943, Arrested by two Arab policemen and escorted to Port Say for interrogation by the French authorities at Oran.

3. Scharf must be written down as a faithful servant of the German Secret Service. fundamentally the work did not appeal to him, but he carried it out from the sense of duty. At all times he was a potential danger: often he failed through no fault of his own. Personally, I think he would have carried out his least mission in Algeria had it not been for the accident to his W/T set. His arrest, I think, was fortunate. Indeed there is colour in that arrest and passage in the Report is worth quoting:-

"While he was resting. he was accosted by an Arab, who, noticing the rather old manner in which he wore his native dress, began questioning him as to his identity. Scharf, feeling that he could not depend upon bluff any longer, now lost his nerve and tried to run away, but being dog tired and hampered by his flowing garments, he collapsed after he had only covered a short distance, and was soon overtaken by the Arab. A small crowd of natives then gathered to see the fun, and Scharf, realising that he was in serious plight, offered the man a large bribe in exchange for his freedom. To that the latter replied that he could have accepted the money and kept his mouth shut if only Scharf had not tried to run away, but that the crowd of onlookers now made it impossible for him to do so. he accordingly had no alternative but to escort him into the presence of the local Caid. That functionary, however, replied that he had served the French Government faithfully for twenty-five years in exchange for an adequate salary, and that he had no need of additional money".

4. from an Intelligence point of view, the case is of real importance. Districtions are invidious, but unless these are drawn between the Algiersw report and the present Report, I do not see how the advance can be addressed:-

(a) Details are now available concerning Scharf's interrogations of prisoners of war belonging to the French minority movements. The Algiers report only refers to his visit to Lille.

(b) A fuller story of the expedition with Leibrandt to South African has now been obtained. The Algiers report only mentions that Scharf accompanied Leibrandt to South Africa and failed to land with him owing to a disagreement, and the South African report on Leibrandt states that he landed from a u-bat. Whereas we know that the yacht "Kyloe" was used for the expedition.

(c) details are now available of Scharf's activities in Rio de 'Oro, and a picture is present of German espionage in that colony. This is scarcely referred to in the Algiers report, → (page 12)

and no mention is made of the subsidiary mission in Africa which were suggested to Scharf.

(d) Particulars are now given of the Bedaux Mission which, again, is scarcely mentioned in the Algerian report.

(f) The Algiers report appears to confuse the mission to Tunis and Algiers, and fails to mention the journey to rome in connection with the former. These two missions are now presented in their proper perspective.

Finally it can be said that numerous other small items of intelligence information have been obtained by the interrogation at Camp 020, not at least of these being the reference to the V-Mann Georges who is, at present, believed to be transmitting from Northern France.

5. For these results credit must be given to Major Short and Captain Macalister who have handled patiently this intricate case.

6. An understanding has been given to the French authorities that Scharf will be returned to them within a month of departure from North Africa. Without that understanding Scharf would never have come into our hands. From an intelligence point of view, however, I am left with many regrets, because Scharf is a fund of information. Personally, I would like to add him to the Ambulatory Library at Ham.

On the 4th December, 1943, a European wearing an Arab Burnous, was apprehended by a native of the Douar Anabra, tribe of M'Sirda-Fouage, in the district of Marnia, Algeria. He was brought before the Local Caid of M'Sirds Fouraga who, after completing the preliminary formalities, handed him over to the Gendarmerie of Port-Say, near Oran. The prisoner, who was found to be carrying a foreigner's identity card in the name of Jaïme Toledo, a Spanish and Spanish Jew, stated that he he had arrived from Paris, having crossed Spain and Spanish Morocco fraudulently with the object of reaching the French Colony of Algeria, where he intended to settle. He was in possession of a considerable sum of money in Algerian 500 franc notes and gold Louis d' Or pieces.

After preliminary questioning at the offices of the Gendarmerie at Port-Say, the prisoner was then transferred to Oran for detailed interrogation by officials of the Bureau de Surveillace du Territoire. At first he adhered to the statement made by him at the time of his arrest, but he finally broke under pressure and admitted that his name was in fact, Hans Karl Scharf and that he was an agent of the German Secret Service who had been parachuted in the region of Bir-Rabalou with a mission to gather military information. Scharf then went on to state that a radio transmitter was supposed to have been parachuted with him. but he declared that he was unable to locate it after landing. This wireless transmitter, he added, contained the balance of the money provided for his use by the German Secret Service. Finally Scharf gave his interrogators a fairly comprehensive account of his activities since the outbreak of war, and a description of his movements since landing in Africa.

At the conclusion of the investigation ar Oran Scharf was transferred to Algiers and thence to Bir-Rabalou, the scene of his landing, where he remained while a search was made for the missing radio set. This was eventually found intact by the French Authorities. from Bir-Rabalou Scharf was returned via Algiers to Oran where, with the exception of a six days' visit - in custody - to Casablanca, he remained until July 1944, being incarcerated in the Caserne du Vieux Chateau.

In due course copies of the French reports on Scharf were forwarded to the British Security Service in London, who were already in possession of certain information concerning the man, and perusal of these made it obvious that the prisoner must be in possession of a wealth of information of paramount importance, from the intelligence point of view, to the British Government. realising this, the French Authorities offered, during April 1944, to send Scharf to the United kingdom on a lease-lend basis for one month so that he might be further interrogated, and the offer was gladly accepted.

The necessary arrangements were duly made, and Scharf eventually left Algiers by plane on the 24th July, arriving at Lyneham Airfield on the following morning.

He was brought to Camp 020 on the afternoon of the same day. There the investigation of his case begun without delay, and the complete story of his activities, as obtained from him by interrogation is now set forth in the following report.

Hans Karl Scharf was born 6th July 1912 at Kneuttingen Lorraine, when the province was under German rule. His father, Peter johann Scharf, was a German foundry worker, and his mother, née Leismann, was also of German nationality. Both parents are still living, and reside at Hermann Göringstrasse 9, Kneuttingen where they share their home with their married daughter Marianne, the wife of a certain Herr Mertlick. from the age of six until his twelfth year Scharf attended the Volksschule in Kneuttingen. In 1924, however, he became a pupil at the Institut Saint Joseph in Neuscheuern (Lorraine) whence he transferred, in 1927, to the Institut Saint Florent at Zabern (Alsace). In the autumn of 1929, when he was eighteen years of age, Scharf was sent to the Klein Seminar at Montenich near Metz, where he finally completed his education in 1932.

After leaving college, Scharf returned to his parents' home in Kneutingen where he began to search for suitable employment. After a short time his efforts met with success and he obtained work as an employee of the firm of De Wendel & Cie., who owned a sheet-metal mill in the small township of Schreuningen only four kilometres from Kneuttingen. This work proved particularly congenial (pleasant), since a frequent tramway service between his home and place of employment made it possible for him to continue living with his parents.

Scharf was in the employment of De Wendel & Cie from 1932 until August 1939, and worked successively in the despatch office, the accounts department, the costing department and the purchasing office. His salary, which began at 600 Frs, 600 per month only rose to 12,00 per month during this period with the firm. and, as his parents were poorly off, he never had much money to spare for amusements. Scharf claims never to have been in the least interest of politics, and there is no evidence to show that he was ever a member of any political movement, either in Germany or in France.

In August, 1939, a warning was issued to all Germans living abroad that they should return to the Fatherland (Vaterland) with as little delay as possible, and as Scharf's sympathies lay entirely with Germany, despite the fact that Lorraine had been returned to France under the term of the Versailles Treaty, he forthwith applied for his eight days' annual holoday from his firm and went to Bad-Kontz, near Sierck on the frontier between France and Luxemburg. From there he reached Schleugen in Luxemburg territory and, after crossing the Stromberg, arrived at Perl, in the Reich, where he spent the night with friends. On the following morning he took the train and travelled via Trier to Walhausen, near Turkesmül in the Birkenfeld (Hundsrück), the township in which his mother's family lived, where he went to stay with an aunt. There he lost no time in registering with the Ortsbauernführer of the town, after which he announced his arrival at the Burgemeister's office in ~~Turkesmühl~~ (Türkismühle).

These formalities having been to, Sharf continued to live with his aunt while awaiting his call for military service, paying for his keep by helping her to look after her farm. In November he was summoned to Türkismühle for medical examination and was passed a fit for active service, but his life continued uneventfully until May 1940, when he received his calling up papers instructing him to report immediately for duty at Brandenburg Lehrbattailion z.b.V. 800 (special operations also concerned with sabotage, but not like was S.O.E. involved in liquidations). He joined his unit on the 23rd or 24th May (1940). Scharf presumes that he was posted to this special service battalion because it had been formed primarily for the incorporation of German citizens who had lived abroad. It was thus a nucleus of men who had particular knowledge of foreign countries and languages, and Scharf, as a native of Lorraine and one bilingual in French German, would have been regarded as a most useful recruit.

Scharf joined the unit as a pioneer private attached to the Staff company, and was placed under the immediate authority of an Uffz. (N.C.O.) by the name Dietrich. he has forgotten the name of his platoon officer, but states that the well-known Captain (Hptm.) Dr. Theodor von Hippel was the battalion commander. months later when the Lehr-battalion was given the status and establishment of a Regiment, von Hippel became first the regimental commander, but that occurred long after Scharf had left the unit to carry out other duties.

As a member of the Lehrbattalion Scharf received the usual weapon training, and he and his fellow recruits were also given particular reference to motor cycles. At the same time the 6th Company was being given training for paratroop work, and other sub-units were practising invasion exercises. Men were also given refresher courses in foreign languages, especial attention being paid to English, Spanish and French.

While Scharf was with the Lehrbattalion several men were sent to a large mansion outside Brandenburg for a special course of instruction. he himself paid one visit to this mansion, but apart from heaving musketry practice in progress, he had no idea what the course involved. No mention was ever made of sabotage.

After only eight or ten days' training at Brandenburg, Scharf was unexpectedly ordered to Berlin and travelled there in company with a sergeant and four other men. On arrival, he was taken to the Berlin Broadcasting Station (Masurenallee?) where he underwent a microphone test and was told that he was shortly to broadcast in French to the French troops, advising them to lay down their arms, as the war was over so far as they were concerned! he and his companions, however, returned to Brandenburg as soon as the test had been completed. Two days later Scharf was summoned again to Berlin for the purpose of actually carrying out the proposed propaganda broadcast, but on arrival, he found that a Frenchman from Stuttgart had been chosen in his instead, so he returned once more to Brandenburg, where he joined his company in the field in the field exercise which lasted for three of four days.

After the field exercises had been completed, Scharf → (page 18)→ received instructions to proceed to Lille on a special mission,

received instructions to proceed to Lille on a special mission, but he was told to report at the offices of the O.K.W. (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) in Berlin en route. he travelled to the Capital without delay and made his way to the O.K.W. on the Tirpitzufer (Abwehr H.Q.) where he was interviewed by Rittmeister (Hptm. = Captain) Graf von Stauffenberg and two of his subordinates, Sonderführer Dr. Kurt Haller (KV 2/769, PF 600726) and Sdf. Kaufmann. There he was told that he was, in future to work under the orders of Haller and make his report to him.

Haller now informed Scharf that he must set out on a mission forthwith, and that this involved travelling to Lille and making contact with a certain Major Maquart at the Abwehrstelle, from whom he would receive further instructions. Scharf accordingly left Berlin by train on the same day, and on reaching cologne, the first stage in his journey, reported at the Nebenstelle which, if he remembers rightly, was situated in the Weissenburgstrasse off the Riehlerstrasse. There he was interviewed by a lance-corporal (Gefreiter or an Obergefreiter) in uniform who allowed him to take two days' leave to visit an aunt at (Bad) Godesberg a/R. Südstrasse 4. His leave over, Scharf returned to Cologne and proceeded thence by road transport to Brussels, where he reported at the Abwehrstelle. he then continued by road to Lille (Rijsel), where he duly contacted Major Marquart at his office in a building which, he thinks, was situated at the corner of the Boulevard de la Liberté and the Rue Nationale. Maquart. who was expecting him, now sent him to the Nielles Barracks in the town, where there was a number of prisoners of war, with the instructions to question the prisoners and recruit as many Bretons as he could for incorporation in the Breton Separatist Movement. Scharf succeeded in recruiting some thirty of forty men for the movement, and Maquart approached to be satisfied with the result of his work.

Scharf's work in Lille lasted for about a week, and when it was finished, he was instructed to travel to Luxemburg (City) and report to a certain Major Beck who had his office in the former Credit Lyonnais building. He was unable to journey direct, as all communication had been cut between Lille and the Grand Duchy (of Luxemburg) but after considerable delay he managed to travel by rail via Brussels and cologne only to find on his arrival, that Beck had grown tired of waiting for him and set out on a visit to Metz and Verdun. Scharf was received at the Credit Lyonnais office by lance-corporal in uniform, a man in civilian clothes, and a woman secretary. he spent the night in an hotel, the name of which he cannot remember, and on the following day applied for some money, as he was low in funds. To this the Lance-corporal (Gefreiter or Obergefreiter?) replied that there was some money for him in Beck's safe, but as the latter had been taken the key of his safe with him, it could not be touched. Scharf thereupon applied to the local military authorities who handed him RM 10 but were unable to advance him anything towards his expenses. After paying RM 4 for his room, Scharf then told the Lance-corporal that he could not remain any longer in Luxemburg without money, and the man agreeing, handed him a railway warrant for cologne.

On arrival there, Scharf reported once again to the Nebenstelle (Köln was not a real Ast = Abwehrstelle) and saw the same lance-corporal (Obergefreiter?) as on his previous visit. As before, he applied for permission to visit his aunt at (Bad) Godesberg, and the request was granted pending the receipt of instructions from Berlin. After he had been in (Bad-) Godesberg for two or three days he received a telephone message from cologne telling him that he was to → (page 19)→ report to Berlin immediately.

report to Berlin immediately. he accordingly travelled to the Capital, and on arrival, reported the results of his mission to Haller (Dr. Kurt KV 2/769) at the O.K.W. (am Tirpitzufer). Haller was in uniform on that occasion though Scharf did not often see him wearing it. After this interview at the O.K.W. Scharf was sent to a prisoners of war camp at Berlin-Lichtenfelde, where he contacted another man from the Brandenburg-Lehrbataillon. The two were now instructed to interrogate all Bretons, Corsicans, Flemings and Basques, to note their personal particulars, and gauge their feelings towards German occupation, as Scharf had done in Lille. Scharf's colleague in this work a lance-corporal, spoke good French, though with a marked German accent. After completing their work at this particular camp, the two men carried out similar duties at other prisoners of war camps, including Berlin-Oranienburg, and Limburg a/d Lahn, and they were thus busily engaged until August 1940.

During this period Scharf lived in private lodgings with a Frau beck at a house in the Passauerstrasse in Berlin. When their work was eventually finished ?? and his companion the results to Rittmeister Graf von Stauffenberg and Baron Mumm von Schwarzenstein in another building close to the O.K.W. Scharf then got in touch with Haller at his office and was told that, although the Commander of the Brandenburg-Lehrbataillon was asking for his return, he would not permitted to resume his military duties, as there was further secret work for him to do.

A few days later, during August 1940, Haller suggested to Scharf that he should take a course in W/T and introduced him to Baurath Salzbrunn, who was head of the (OKW/Chi III) section (Chiffrierstelle III0 of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht. Salzbrunn in his turn, then introduced him to Lieutenant Meyer, his best W/T operator, who, he said, was to be his instructor, and under this man Scharf studied morse transmission and reception from August until December 1940, with the exception of fourteen days leave during September which he spent with his parents in Kneuttingen. So efficient was this course, that by December, Scharf had attained a transmitting and receiving speed of 75 to 80 letters a minute. just before Christmas of that year Meyer introduced Scharf to a certain Ingenieur-Lieutenant Slavik, who gave him four or five lessons in the construction of wireless sets. These lessons, which were irregular, were given either at Slavik's house in Berlin suburb of Klein-Machnow, or at his office in the Reichspostgebäude, Berlin-Tempelhof.

While he was undergoing his wireless training, Scharf was given no hint by the instructors as to the type of work for which he was being prepared, but when, sometimes during January 1941, he was told that he must take English lessons at the Berlitz School of Languages, he came - not unnaturally - to the conclusion that he was destined to be sent to England when Germany invaded this country. There had, indeed, been a great deal of talk about invasion, which was expected at the end of 1940 or the beginning of 1941.

At the Berlitz School his teacher turned out to be an Englishwoman married to a German, and from her Scharf received daily lessons for about three weeks, after which she went on holiday and he himself was sent to (Bad) Godesberg and then to Kneuttingen for W/T practice.

For the purpose of this practice Salzbrunn gave him a small mains transmitter contained in a suitcase, and with it he successfully contacted Berlin from both places. He declares that neither his aunt nor his parents were aware of what he was doing. Scharf states that the wireless sets with which he practised were mains-operated and fitted with variable condensers. Slavik did, however, on one occasion show him how to construct a fixed crystal set, though he never learned much about this type of apparatus. All transmitters used during his training were of 1o Watts power, and had a sufficient range for him to contact Berlin from Kneuttingen.

While Scharf was receiving his wireless training, Mayer was evidently instructing other pupils. he came to this conclusions because Meyer frequently changed the times of his lessons, saying that he was a very busy man and that he had a lot of other work to fit in, but Scharf never had the opportunity of meeting any of the other trainees.

During the period of his wireless training, Scharf was paid at the rate of a Gefreiter (Gefr.) in the Army. He had been promoted to that rank, the equivalent of a lance-corporal (=Gefreiter), in january 1941, and always wore uniform. in addition to his ordinary pay, however, he received a supplement of 5 RM per day for expenses.

About the 10th March 1941, Haller (Dr. Kurt KV 2/769; PF 600726) summoned Scharf to his office and told him that it was proposed to send him on a secret mission to the union of South Africa. he was to go in company with another agent who spoke English perfect, and they were to contact a third agent who was already established in the Union. Scharf was given to understand that he himself was not expected to obtain information, but that he was morally to act as W/T operator for the other two (whom was the second one?). For this purpose he was to be given a code based on a pre-arranged phrase, and Haller told him that he was to be known by the cover name - Schneider. It was anticipated that he and his companion would leave for South Africa at the beginning of April.

A few days later, that is to say, between the 15th and 20th of March, Scharf was told to report to the Marine Kommandokompanie in a wing of the O.K.W. offices on the Tirpitzufer, where he would be introduced to the agent whom he was to accompany. he went, as instructed and was received by a Kapitän-Leutnant who forthwith introduced him to a certain Herr Kempf, whose real name later discovered was Leibrandt. Scharf himself was introduced as Herr Schneider. Also present at the interview was Leutnant zur See Niessen, who had been detailed to command the vessel selected for the secret transportation of the two agents to the south African Coast, and the Petty-Officer Kutsche who was chosen as a member of the crew. Niessen, Scharf learned had previously been instructed to make a reconnaissance flight round the coast of France in a Fieseler-Storch in order to find a small ship →(page 21)→suitable for taking the party out to South Africa,

suitable for taking the party out to South Africa, and had eventually found, and commandeered, in the harbour of Paimpol^* (Brittany), a British built yacht named "Kyloe" which belonged, at that time, to a Frenchman.

The yacht "Kyloe", it is interesting to note, is shown by the British Yacht register as having been registered in Porthmouth as the property of a certain Fred Kilburn. She was built by Camper Nicholson & Co.

of Gosport in 1932, and her dimensions are 62 bt 14 by 8.6 feet. She is equipped with an auxiliary oil engine in addition to the usual sails carried by craft of her type. Scharf describes her as being a vessel of some 27 tons.

having found a suitable ship, Leutnant zur See Niessen was entrusted with the task of selecting a reliable crew, and he eventually succeeded in engaging the men he required in North of Germany. (AOB, because they have likely more experience and acquaintance with the sea)

* From the small harbour of Paimpol the "Kyloe" left for their comprehensive trans-ocean trip towards a beach north of Capetown.

The trip towards the landing point of Robey Leibrandt, lasted ca. two months only! (notice next picture)

Scharf was now informed that the agent whom he and Leibrandt (@ Kempf) were to contact in South Africa was known as "Tom" and that he was a Dutchman (Elfrink, KV 2/202 PF 65880) and that he was Dutchman married in South Africa to a Boer woman. He had been recruited in Lisbon by Haller (Sdf. Dr. Kurt Haller, KV 2/769 PF600726) in 1940 and had since maintained communication with the latter via Lisbon - doubtless using a cover address in the city. "Tom" and Haller had, however, also discussed the possibility of employing W/T. Scharf was to be introduced to "Tom" by Leibrandt, and the meeting was to take place at a villa near Lambert's Bay**, their proposed landing place in South Africa. "Tom" was either the owner or the tenant (resident) of the villa, Scharf never learned which. Later on, during the voyage, Leibrandt showed Scharf a photograph of this agent. He has since been shown a photograph of Elfrink (now) an internee at Camp 020, and has declared the two be identical, and, he also recollects having heard Leibrandt and Haller refer to the agent "TOM" by the name of Elfrink.

** Lambert's Bay, the site where the "Kyloe" set-off Leibrandt in a German "Schlauchboot"

A few days prior to the date fixed for the departure of the mission from Berlin, Scharf received two wireless sets from Sonderführer (Sdf.) Haller which the latter had obtained from the Berlin Funkstelle (Stahnsdorf). Both were 40 Watt mains operated transmitters of the portable type, but while one was fitted with crystals for the purpose of determining the wave-lengths and was a transmitter only, the other a combined transmitter and receiver, was equipped with variable condensors. Scharf was instructed to purchase American made Hallicrafter shortwave receiver on his arrival in South Africa for operation with the first mentioned set, (AOB, strange, because in the South African description of Leibrandt's set they noticed that the receiver was a Philips receiver. I consider this most likely, as to keep the system portable by a single person, could only have been in the Philips "Philetta" series U203 or U204) (notice also G115 G115return) and was handed either 6000 or 12,000 dollars with which to by a motor generator at the same time.

After giving him the wireless equipment, Haller told Scharf that he must now familiarise himself with the operational code which he was to use when transmitting messages from south Africa, and sent him forthwith to a certain Uffz. Blum at the O.K.W. (Stahnsdorf) who was his instructor. This code, which Scharf is unfortunately unable to reconstruct owing to the lapse of time, was based on the phrase "Washington Post", and he understood that it had been invented specially for the South African Mission. he learned it satisfactorily in two or three lessons.

On 28th March, 1941, Scharf left Berlin in company with Haller, Kutsche and a certain Obstlt. Schulz who was an army paymaster (for the 10,000 dollars). They travelled by train to Paris, where they arrived after dark, and drove immediately to an hotel, the name of which Scharf is unable to remember. They remained in Paris for two days, and Scharf, who had never visited the French Capital before, amused himself by sight-seeing and making small purchases in shops. he did not call at the Abwehrstelle (situated in Hotel Lutetia) and was not aware his companions did so. At eight or nine o'clock on the morning of the second day after their arrival in Paris, the four men boarded the Paris-Brest train and travelled as far as a certain station in brittanym the name of which Scharf is unable to recall, where they alighted and continued their journey to Paimpol by car. They arrived at the port during the course of the afternoon.

The party remained in Paimpol for just over a week, being accommodated in a private pension situated on a rocky hill just outside the town. The proprietress of this establishment was a Frenchwoman. During this period of waiting Scharf spent the greater part of his time walking in the district, though he did occasionally go on board the yacht, which was undergoing it final provisioning and fitting out in the harbour. The weather was at the time cold and, as the pension was entirely unheated Haller and various other members or the party paid frequent visits to Brest. Scharf, however, was never invited to accompanied them. (AOB, the apparent difference between regular service men and the class of officers)

On the last day their stay at Paimpol, a Obstlt. (name unknown) arrived arrived from Brest in company with an army Captain (Hptm.) , and in the evening a farewell dinner was held in the town in honour of the expedition. At the table they numbered twenty-five in all, and the guests included the crew of the "Kyloe", the military Commandant of the port, the Harbour Officials, and certain contractors who had been concerned with the fitting and rigging out of the yacht.

Scharf states that the crew of the yacht consisted of six men including himself and Leibrandt, and the following is a list of their names: -

All these men had had previous experience in small boats (Hein Garbers successfully managed a sailing trip to New York), and two Niessens and Kutsche (they neglect Hein Garbers; whom also was a member of the Hamburg Yacht Club) had been interested in racing similar craft prior to the outbreak of war and had, in fact, been members of the Hamburg Yacht Club. They also visited England together in connection with yachting, and ~~Kutsche~~? (but certainly Hein Garbers) was known to have taken part in the new York-Bermuda Ocean race before the war, as a member of the crew of the well-known vessel "Roland Von Bremen".

Leutnant zur See Niessen had, Scharf understood, been associated with the German secret service for some time prior to the planning of the expedition to south Africa. he spoke perfect American-English and was reputed to have landed German agents on the lonely stretches of British coast during 1940.

After the farewell dinner in Paimpol Scharf and Leibrandt received their final instructions fro Haller. These simply amounted to a repetition of the manner in which they were to contact "Tom" (Elfrink) in the neighbourhood of Lamberts/s Bay, but Haller stressed that "Tom" would have further orders to give them when they finally met.

At this point also, Scharf's cover name was unexpectedly changed. It will be remembered that Haller told him in Berlin that he would be known as "Schneider" while carrying out espionage with Leibrandt, but this namen for some obscure reason, did not please Leutnant-zur-See Niessen (Captain of the Kyloe), who specially requested Haller to alter it to "Doerner". Haller agreed to this change without quibble, but it is highly probable that Leibrandt, the leader or the expedition, was never told of it. Finally Scharf was informed that, for the purpose of the expedition, he had been temporarily transferred to the Marine Kommandokompanie, and he and Leibrandt were duly provided with the uniform of naval ratings so that they would be undistinguishable from the other members of the crew during the voyage.

The yacht "Kyloe" sailed from Palmpol on the 7th or 8th of April 1941, and Niessen, in order to avoid allied war vessels, set a westerly course which would take them north of the Azores. Very rough weather was encountered the first part of the trip, but the voyage passed without incident and the yacht eventually reached a point within 150 miles of Pernambuco (Brazil). There Niessen turned the vessel into the trade winds and set course for the Cape of Good Hope. While at sea all members of the crew wore German naval uniform, and the German ensign was flown from the masthead. (AOB, curious, known is that the Passim sailed under constantly changing identities (flags). When in the vicinity of Portugal is kept the Portuguese flag. The Passim, was often camouflaged as a "tune-fishing vessel" It all might have worked as long as there did not exist a regular, Ocean-wide, air-reconnaissance) (The advantage, though was, that in case of being captured by the British the crew were automatically becoming a P.o.W.)

On about the 10th June the South African Coast was reached in the neighbourhood of Port Holleth (their journey took ca. 2 months only), and Niessen dropped anchor at a safe distance from the shore. here an event occurred which destined to prevent Scharf from taking any further part in the mission. Leibrandt, who had been becoming increasingly irritable during the voyage began to grumble at Scharf, maintaining that he did not know sufficient English to carry out espionage work on land, and commenced giving him further tuition. Scharf, however, retaliated by saying that his standard of English had been well known by Haller in Paimpol before the departure of the expedition, and blamed the officials of the O.K.W. (meant Amt Ausland/Abwehr) for giving him better instructions in the language. he further pointed out that it was understood that he should endeavour to pose as a Frenchman (Scharf actually was bi-lingual French-German) while on South-African territory, and that there was really no need for him to know English (quite stupid). Leibrandt nevertheless continued to grumble, saying that it would have been better if Scharf had never joined them on such a dangerous undertaking, and went on to protest that he was not even a member of the Nazi party. (AOB: German military personnel was considered not to be a Party member!). finally he suggested that Scharf should →(page 24)→return to Germany and become a Party Member before considering coming to South Africa,

return to Germany and become a Party Member before considering coming to South Africa, and as a result of this proposal the atmosphere on board the yacht became so tense that pistols were drawn by the two men and peace was only restored by the intervention of Leutnant-zur-See Niessen (the Captain) Scharf now found himself in a very awkward position, for his instructions were to go ashore at Lambert's Bay with Leibrandt and make contact with "Tom", and Leibrandt flatly refused to take him with him. He dared not endeavour to carry out his mission on his own, for his poor knowledge of English would swiftly have led to his arrest, so he resolved, after careful consideration, to remain on board the "Kyloe" and return with her to Germany (via France).

Leibrandt now decided to leave the yacht without delay, and asked Niessen to make arrangements to land him at the first available opportunity. The Captain, therefore, after waiting for nightfall, brought the "Kyloe" to within six or seven kilometres of Port Nolloth?, and a small collapsible dinghy (Schlauchboot) was launched. Into this Leibrandt climbed, taking with him his personal suitcase and one of the W/T sets, and he pulled away into the gloom, muttering that "blood would flow in Johannesburg and Pretoria" after his arrival. The landing was carried out on a calm moonlight, and that was the last that Scharf ever heard of Leibrandt.

The "Kyloe" now weighted anchor and took a northerly course, for the Captain felt that they had a slender (small) chance of reaching Germany without being intercepted by Allied naval patrols. All the members of the crew were in a status of depression when they left Port Nolloth?, since not only they been upset by the quarrel between Scharf and Leibrandt, but also they had heard rumours of the possible entry of America into the war in the near future, After they had been sailing for a few days and had experienced further rough weather which, incidentally, prostrated Scharf with sea-sickness hauled down the mainsail leaving only the jib, in the hope of passing unnoticed, and the United States flag was run up to the masthead. The German naval ensign was, however, kept in readiness for hoisting in case they were boarded. despite their precautions, the cruiser sighted them, and approaching to within 700 metres, asked them who they were and whither they were bound. Leutnant-zur-See Niessen who, it will be remembered, spoke excellent American-English, thereupon replied through a megaphone that they were Americans and that they were bound of new Portsmouth in the U.S.A. from Australia. On hearing this the Captain of the cruiser abondoned all suspicion and, wishing them a good journey, allowed them to proceed on their way.

Two days later the "Kyloe" passed within 200 metres of another large vessel flying the British flag, but on this occasion only greetings were exchanged and they were not challenged. After two such encounters, however, Niessen firmly decided that it would be wise to get rid of the second wireless transmitter which was still in Scharf's possession, and it was accordingly thrown into the sea.

Niessen was by now very worried as to what their chances would be worth if America entered the war on the side of the Allies (not yet due to happen), so→(page 25)→after turning the problem over in his mind, he decided that it would be best to abandon all thought of returning to Germany by sea, and to make for the port of Villa Cisneros in the Spanish Colony of Rio de Oro.

after turning the problem over in his mind, he decided that it would be best to abandon all thought of returning to Germany by sea, and to make for the port of Villa Cisneros in the Spanish Colony of Rio de Oro. The yacht's course was therefore changed and the vessel reached Villa Cisneros safely on or about 25th July, 1941. The "Kyloe" entered the harbour flying the German naval sign (Kriegsflagge) and the crew were given a warm welcome by Lieut. de Herce. the Governor's representative, and captain Varela of the Spanish Navy, who was the local commander of the Coastguard. Niessen explained their arrival, to these local commander of the Coastguard. Niessen explained their arrival to these two officials by saying that they had come from south Africa and that they had broken down their journey at Villa Cisneros before proceeding to Germany. The crew were now invited to go ashore and enjoy the hospitality of the local government authorities and, to their joy, they were given the good news that there was a German agent known as Don Lopez Cantero living in Villa Cisneros.

Scharf made this man's acquaintance shortly after their arrival in Rio de Oro, and he proved to be a German national who was known as Don Pablo locally, but who carried out his espionage activities under the cover name "Pilla". he never disclosed his real identity, but Scharf believes, having seen Herr Schmidt (or Schmitt) referred to on certain files in don Pablo's office, that he was, in fact, so named.

Leutnant-zur-See Niessen (the Captain) duly left for home eight days after the yacht's arrival in Villa Cisneros, but before departing, he handed the balance of Scharf's money to Aage Niessen to be used to pay the fares of the other members of the crew when their turn came to leave. The next to go were Kutsche and Temme about a fortnight later, and they were all followed about ten days afterwards, by Hein Garbers (the future Captain of the Passim) and Kuddel (Kueddel?), the cook.

Scharf now remained alone with Aage Niessen, with whom he was on very friendly terms, and the two lived on board the "Kyloe" in the harbour until the beginning of October 1941. Between the date of their arrival in Villa Cisneros (July 25th) and October of that year Scharf and his companion had nothing whatever to do save look after the yacht, and →(page 26)→much of their time was spent in the Spanish Officers' Mess, where they were frequently treated to drinks by Don Pablo. Scharf was, however, not yet familiar with the details of Don Pablo's espionage work, merely knew him to be a German agent.

much of their time was spent in the Spanish Officers' Mess, where they were frequently treated to drinks by Don Pablo. Scharf was, however, not yet familiar with the details of Don Pablo's espionage work, merely knew him to be a German agent.

Scharf describes the settlement of Vila Cisneros as being dreary in the extreme. The town, if it could be called, consisted merely of the garrison building, where Captain Nunez, the Spanish governor, lived, and three of four blocks of houses. There were no harbour installations, and Captain Varela, the coastguard Commander, had his office in the garrison H.Q. The total population of the settlement amounted to only fifty or sixty people. Don Pablo Lopez Cantero lived in a small house which also contained his offices, and a Spanish family shared the premises with him. His ménage was run by an Arab servant.

During the first week of October 1941, Sdf. Dr. Haller arrived unexpectedly in Villa Cisneros by air for the purpose of having personal talk with Scharf. He did not express any anger at Scharf's failure to carry out his mission in South Africa, but said that Leibrandt had sent him a plausible explanation of the circumstances of the quarrel by letter. Haller now told Scharf that instead of returning immediately to Europe, he wished him to remain indefinitely in Villa Cisneros and act as wireless operator for Don Pablo, the head of the German Stelle in the settlement. At the same time he could look after the "Kyloe", which was to remain anchored in the harbour. This Scharf willingly agreed to do, and Haller, after staying for a week in the Spanish Officers' Mess, returned to Europe by plane, taking Aage and Niessen with him?. (AOB, I understood that they had left already some months before)

Scharf was now destined to remain in Villa Cisneros until March (1942) of the following year, during which period he acted as one of Don Pablo's operators for W/T. Don Pablo, who specialized in the obtaining of meteorological information, received his weather reports from the local Spanish meteorological office, through Captain Nunez, the Governor of the Colony, and these be coded into telegrams containing groups of five letters before handing them to Scharf for transmission to either Paris or Madrid. Thus Scharf was familiar with the text of what he was sending. he states that the Paris Stelle was the one most usually communicated with, since Don Pablo was attached to Paris and not to Madrid. Some messages, however, had, for some reason or other, to be transmitted to Spain, doubtless because they directly affected the work of the German Secret Service in the Iberian Peninsula. All the coding was done on a special machine (Enigma?)

During his stay in Villa Cisneros Scharf was paid by Don Pablo at the rate of 600 pesetas a month, and he worked turn and turn about with a Spanish W/T operator by the name of Juan Martinez who had formerly been a guardia civil in Pontevedra, North-West Spain. As a German V-Mann Martinez used the cover name Mendez, while Scharf for his part, continued to employ the name Doerner, which had been given him for the South African expedition. As a rule Martinez transmitted in the .. ending here as:

I would like to skip some pages, as these being, in my perception, not really essential in our Survey

Scharf finally left Villa Cisneros on about the 3rd of March, 1942, and flew in a Spanish army plane to Cape Juby in the northern territory of Rio de Oro. (travelling for Germans and some Spanish people was not possible, as all ships had to call at Gibraltar and had been seriously searched by British specialists; the danger of being caught was very likely) On arrival there, he found that the "Iberia" 'plane for Madrid, which only left on Tuesday and Fridays, had just gone, and he therefore obtained accommodation in the lacal Officer's Mess until Friday, March 6th, when he continued his journey to Spain. his fare had been pre-paid by Don Pablo.

On arrival in Madrid, he reported to Korvetten-Kapitän Gude (once Leiter I M K.O.Spain) (in those days K.O.Spain was housed in the premises of the Embassy) and handed him a sealed packet of correspondence from Don Pablo, after which Gude sent him toe the German Consulate. The consulate staff duly found him accommodation at an hotel of which he has forgotten the name, in the Calle Arce de Nunez, and he remained there for five or six days, reporting each day to the Embassy (actually the annex where the K.O.Spain was situated) to have his travel pass stamped. (Abwehr personnel 'en route' necessitated a clear documentation on nearly daily basis, this could sometimes being of life-saving, maybe not in Spain; as to prevent someone of being a deserter) While he was in Madrid he was paid 600 pesetas by a certain Herr Schott, an attaché of the Embassy, and assumed himself with visits to cinemas and sightseeing. On about the 12th March Scharf was given a railway ticket and told to travel to San Sebastian where he would be met. The journey by night and arrived at San Sebastian early in the morning, where he was contacted by a German who gave his name as (Uffz.) Senor Fuente (real name Furch).

After breakfast, Fuente drove him in his car to his house on the north-eastern outskirts of the town, where they remained talking for about an hour. This house was in all probability in the neighbourhood of Pasajes, and the only other person Scharf saw there was a Spanish charwoman. Fuente was not appear to be married. (AOB, according [551] Obgefr. Erich Schröder's diary; whom was engaged for almost a year as Fuente's W/T operator. Erich Schröder was also sometimes invited to Fuentes family home, in San Sebastian). After leaving the house, they continued their journey to Irun and thence over the French frontier to Hendaye, where Fuente handed Scharf either 200 or 300 Francs for his expenses and took leave of him. Scharf now lunched at the restaurant attached to the international (train) station, after which he amused himself in the town until the evening, when he caught the train to Paris.

Scharf arrived in Paris on the morning of March 14th and, in accordance with instructions which had been given him by Don Pablo, went straight to Hotel Lutetia (Abwehr France H.Q.) in the Boulevard Raspail, where he reported to Obstlt. Waag, the Leiter of Gruppe I (espionage).

His brief interview with Waag over, he dressed himself in uniform and reported at the Kommandantur in the Place de l'Opera, where the officials arranged free accommodation for him at the Hotel des Deux Mondes in Avenue de l'Opera, an establishment which was to be his home whenever he was in Paris in the future.

Scharf now enjoyed a period of inactivity. He reported→(page 33)→each morning at the Hotel Lutetia,

each morning at the Hotel Lutetia, but was allowed to please himself as to what he did the rest of the time. he was paid when needed money by Sdf. Stockmann of the finance department at the Hotel Lutetia, and amused himself by sightseeing and visiting cinemas and theatres.

Pablo, who was a member of Eins Marine, had instructed Scharf to get in touch with Korvetten-Kapitän Huebner Chef of the Referat I. M. (Marine), and he duly did so, giving Huebner a detailed verbal report on the situation in Villa Cisneros. He also saw Waag from time to time, and on one occasion was taken out to lunch by Waag and Huebner when the two wished to discuss the work being carried out in Rio de Oro.

After he had spent about eight days in Paris, that is to say, on approximately March 21st, Scharf was granted a month's leave which he spent with his parents at Kneuttingen. He had been sworn to secrecy concerning his work for the Secret service (Abwehr) and therefore, while at home, merely told his family that he had been serving the army.

He returned to Paris at the end of April (1942) and found that there was a great deal of discussion going on as to his future. Dom Pablo, it seemed had expressed a wish for him to return to Villa Cisneros, and thus to be transferred to Eins Marine (I M), but Haller and Eins Heer (I H) (to whom Scharf was really attached) were very reluctant to part him. Eventually Scharf was, in fact, transferred to Gruppe I (espionage) Marine, for it was felt that even if he did not return to Rio de Ora, he could most usefully be employed in North Africa in that Section of the Abwehr.

The question of Scharf's mission to Arouinit, which had already been broached by Don Pablo, was now brought up again, and a Spanish Colonel from the Ministry of Information in Madrid, who had travelled to Paris especially for the occasion. Captain Hereda (or Heredia), who acted as Spanish liaison officer at the Paris Abwehrstelle, was also present. At this discussion the Arouinit scheme was carefully considered, and the matter was finally submitted for the approval of the Madrid Government who, however, insisted upon it being abandoned. During this conference Scharf learned that Oblt. Nagel whom he had heard on one occasion seen at the German Embassy in Madrid, was acting as liaison officer for the Paris Abwehr in the Spanish Capital.

After the return of the Spanish Colonel to his own country, Scharf was introduced to a certain Sdf. Gastl at the Hotel Lutetia, to whom he was instructed to report each day. He told Gastl that he was tired of doing nothing in Paris and asked to be sent to the front line, but the latter replied that he must be patient, as the Abwehr had more important. he was granted more leave and set out for Kneuttingen in approximately the second week in May. After being home for about three weeks, however, he suddenly received a message through the Metz Abwehrstelle summoning him to Paris. On his return, he learned that the question of suitable employment for him had not yet been settled, but was told that it had been proposed that he should go on a special mission to the Rio Muni Territory of Spanish Guinea. As in the case of Arcuïnit, the idea was that he should set up a radio station from which he could transmit items of information concerning→(page 34)→each morning at the Hotel Lutetia,

the French Sphere of West Equatorial Africa (former Cameroons), and he was informed that he would receive full assistance and cooperation from the Spanish Colonial Authorities. In this connection Gastl mentioned a certain Herr Baum (there existed two Baum's, both were brothers; but the smartest one was situated in Lisbon, he possessed even a Dr. degree; in contrast to his brother in Madrid) who had, he said, just returned from Spanish Guinea, where he had lived for a long time. This Baum, whose real family name was unknown to Scharf, had been born in Spain of German parents, and had, it seemed, retained Spanish nationality. During his stay in Spanish Guinea, "Baum" had paid an official visit to Brazzaville in French Equatorial Africa, where he had been entertained in a friendly way by the French Military Authorities. They, however, were quite unaware that he was being groomed for service with the German Abwehr. In point of fact, "Baum" did not make direct contact with the German Secret Service until after his return to Europe from Spanish Guinea, and he was not sent back to that colony as a trained W/T operator until the end of 1942 or the beginning of 1943.

Gastl also mentioned the possibility of sending Scharf on a secret mission to Spanish Morocco. As, however, all Germans in that territory were regarded with the deepest suspicion both by the Spaniards and the Ceuta and the British at Gibraltar, it was suggested that he should be landed secretly near Tangier from a German U-boat with instructions to fend for himself and establish radio communication with the Paris Stelle.

In the end of Gastl's proposals materialised, and Scharf remained in Paris with nothing to do until October, 1942, when he was told to go to III Marine (counter-espionage) for an interview with Hauptmann Graf von Ledeburg (https://www.cdvandt.org/rudolph-ledebur-case.htm)

He reported to Ledebur (KV 2/159 PF 600201) as instructed, and the latter outlined to him the proposed mission. He was, it seemed, to travel to Algeria with an agent in the German pay by the name of Bedaux (AOB, to what I know, Bedaux was a rich man, possessing quite some in the oil industry; maybe now not always assessable), for whom he was to act as wireless operator, transmitting all items of information which Bedaux wished to send to his chiefs in Paris. (Bedaux originated from Holland) Bedaux, he was told, was identical with the well-known man of that name who had acquired US citizenship and become chief of the concern known as "Bedaux Undertakings Incorporated" in America. He had also acquired fame by lending his house near Paris for the marriage of H.H.R. the Duke of Windsor to Mrs. Simpson. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallis_Simpson)

The mission was being undertaken ostensibly for the purpose of surveying a projected pipe line which was to convey vegetable oil from French West Africa to Algeria, and it had received the blessing of De Brinon and other members of the Vichy Cabinet, who were affording Bedaux all possible assistance. The Germans for their part, however, wished to make use of the admirable cover for the purpose of obtaining military information, and the Hotel Lutetia officials had decided to send two Abwehr W/T operators with the expedition who could carry out the necessary Secret Service work. Scharf unfortunately never learned the precise nature of the secret information which was to be obtained, though he suspected that it was to be, to a certain extent, economic as well as military.

After the plan had been briefly outlined, Hptm. von Ledebur took Scharf to a private Hotel in the Avenue Foch, which had formerly been the property of the well-known Greek financer, Sir Bazil→(page 36)→Zaharoff, and there introduced him to Bedaux.

Zaharoff, and there introduced him to Bedaux. The discussion was now carried on in French, though Bedaux occasionally conversed with Ledebur in what seemed to Scharf to be perfect English. Scharf was now told the the expedition was to be split up into two groups. The first of these, under command of Bedaux himself, was to cover the territory boarding the projected railway line from Colomb-Bechar to Gao in French Sudan, while the second, under leadership of a colonel whose name Scharf never learned, was to operate along route Colomb-Bechar, via Tibesti, to Gao. The party was to consist of some fifteen to twenty men, and as they were to travel as much as possible in cars and lorries, the Germans had been approached with applications for the necessary petrol and tyres.

Bedaux was scheduled to set out for North Africa at the beginning of November 1942, and he, Scharf, Georges (the second W/T operator) and Gaudron, a technical expert, duly left Paris for Lyons take them to Algiers. On arrival in Lyons, the found that they had three days to wait, so Bedaux obtained accommodation for himself at the Carlton Hotel, while Scharf put up at the Grand Nouvel Hotel. Before the time fixed for the departure of the expedition, however, Scharf was unexpectedly recalled to Paris, where Gastl informed him that he would be? unable to accompany Bedaux, as Hptm. Burckhardst of the Hotel Lutetia? (Abwehr HQ in France) had a more important mission for him. he heard later on that Bedaux and Gaudron caught the 'plane as arranged (AOB: thus before the 9th November as at that moment the Americans had landed at Oran and the Germans were about to invade (occupy) Vichy France) whilst Georges, the ??? V-Mann followed them by sea from Marseilles. The remaining members? ... the expedition were, of course, already in North Africa. (AOB, we also should consider that the men travelled as early as in October 1942)

Before leaving the subject of the Bedaux mission, it should be pointed out that Scharf was instructed to operate under the cover name of "André L'Huillier", and give a code based on a French novel of Pierre Benoit. This code was operated by means of a grid, but unfortunately Scharf is unable to remember the name of the particular novel which he was to us with it.(ø). His instructor was Uffz. ~~Fitzentum~~ (Vizethum) of the Funkstelle at Hotel Lutetia.

A brief note is desirable at this stage on Georges, the W/T operator who accompanied Bedaux to Algeria, as he is still known to be working for the German secret Service. When first introducing this man to Scharf, von Ledebur mentioned that he had formerly been established with his wife in a villa on the coast of Normandy or Brittany, where he had set up a wireless transmitter for communication with the Paris Stelle. Considerably later, during 1943m the same von Ledebur (Austrian Count) who had in the meantime been transferred from Gruppe III (counter-espionage) to Gruppe I (intelligence), told Scharf that Georges had returned safely via Spain after having satisfactorily carried out his duties for Bedaux, and that he had re-established himself in his villa with a view to remaining as a W/T agent behind the Allied lines in the event of invasion of the continent. In the circumstance, therefore, it is desirable that this expert agent be located at the earliest possible opportunity, and arrested.

After it had been decided that he was not to accompany→(page 37)→Bedaux, Scharf reported to Hptm. Burckhardst? in accordance with Gastl's instructions.

Bedaux, Scharf reported to Hptm. Burckhadst? in accordance with Gastl's instructions.

Burckhardst told him that he wished him to go forthwith to Toulouse to find out how the demobilisation of French Troops was progressing (AOB: remember - that since November 1942 Vichy Franch had been liquidated and their troops being dissolved or made P.o.W.) and if there were any special incidents to report (bearing in mind that: Scharf was bi-lingual French - German). Also, he was to acertain the significance abd meaning of the slogan "Le Combat", which was believed by the Germans to be the name of a subversive underground movement. Scharf accordingly set out for Toulouse, and, after reporting at the Abwehrstelle there, which was housed in the Hotel du Midi, he obtained accommodation for himself at the Hotel Cambetta. So successful was his mission that he was able to return to Paris some eight days later and report to Burckhhardst that demobilisation was being satisfactorily carried out and that "Le Combat" was the name of a communist newspaper published by the Underground movement.

As December (1942) was by now well advanced, Scharf asked if he might be granted leave for Christmas, but was informed that, as half of the Hotel Lutetia staff was to be away at Christmas and the other half at the New year, he himself would have to wait and go with the second shift.

At the end of January 1943m Waag sent for Scharf and told him he was to go to Barr in Alsace and find out what had become of a German Secret Service agent name Oberle. The latter, a French Army Lieutenant who had been working for Germany sine before 1939, had been sent out to North Africa by the Abwehr and nothing had been heard of him since. Scharf duly travelled to Barr and contacted Oberle's father-in-law, a man named Heller, who was the local station-master. From him he ascertained that Oberle had gone to Algeria via Toulouse and Marseille and that, after spending some time in Aumale, he had made his way via Sidi-Bel-Abbes to Perregaux, and thence back to Sidi-bel-Abbes. Heller added that he was worried, as Oberle had made arrangements for his wife to to follow him to Africa, and, in case the Germans refused her permission to leave the country, had told his family to communicate by letter with a certain Lina Montfort at Villingen in the Black Forrest (Schwarzwald). he realised that this was merely a cover address for his son-in-law's chief, but had been filled with consternation when a letter forwarded to Villingen had been returned by the post office marked "Unknown" (Unbekannt). Being unable to find out anything further about Oberle, Scharf now took three days "French leave" with his parents in Kneuttingen, after which he returned to Paris and reported the result of his inquiry to Waag.

A day or two after his return from Barr to Paris, Scharf happened to meet Don Pablo Lopez Cantero in one of the boulevards. The latter, who seemed rather surprised to see him, told him that a German agent who had recently been landed on the West African Coast from a German U-boat, had been interned by the French at Port Etienne, and that Governor Nunez, fearing that it might be Scharf himself, was anxious to get in touch with the imprisoned man with a view to contriving his release.

From the date and circumstances of this occurrence, it would seem that the agent was in fact, none other than the Frenchman Lallart who was subsequently brought to Camp 020 for interrogation prior to being returned to the French Authorities in Algiers.

At this meeting Don Pablo als told Scharf that Ribero and Oubina would shortly be leaving their home at Las Palmas in order →(page 38)→to devote themselves entirely to fishing off the coast of Rio de Oro in their own ship,

to devote themselves entirely to fishing off the coast of Rio de Oro in their own ship, a remark which suggests that the Germans had at last been able to recruit the two Spanjards as full time V-Männer.

While Pablo was giving Scharf the above mentioned information the two men were walking in the direction of the Hotel Lutetia, and on their arrival, Scharf heard his companion mention to a certain Leutnant-zur-See in I Marine (I M) Section (Referat) that Kapitän-Leutnant Behrend ~~Schuckmann~~ Schuchmann (KV 2/1491; PF 600250) was about to set out on his mission from Vigo (Spanish harbour north of the northern Portuguese border). Unfortunately Pablo did not disclose what this mission was, so Scharf is unable to supply any more information concerning it.

During March 1943m shortly after Don Pablo had returned to his Stelle in Villa Disneros, Scharf was sent for by Burckhardst who informed him, that he was to proceed to Rouen, obtain suitable accommodation for himself, and set up a secret radio station with a view to remaining behind the Allied lines in the event of an invasion of Northern France. Scharf was given no hint as to when or where invasion was expected, but Burckhardst mentioned that W/T agents has been posted in strategic positions all over the country.

He travelled to Rouen, therefore, and on arrival did his best to find accommodation. Unfortunately all available premises had been commandeered by the Wehrmacht and, as so much of the city had been totally destroyed by Allied air attacks, his search proved of no avail. He even tried as far afield as Sotteville, outside Rouen, but again met with no success. The only temporary accommodation he could find during his brief stay in Rouen was in a chateau belonging to a certain Marquis de Coursel, but this, too, had been taken over by the German Army, and he was unable to remain there permanently.

After about eight days of fruitless searching, Scharf returned to Paris, where he contacted Burckhardst and reported his failure to find suitable living quarters. Then, being tired of having no really important work to do, he called on Gastl and urged him once again to have him transferred to the Russian front, where he wished to join the artillery unit in which his brother-in-law was serving. Gastl, however, refused to do anything about it, and during the next month Scharf had nothing whatever to do save translate documents from German into French for the benefit of V-Männer whose knowledge of languages was not good.

At the end of May or beginning of June. 1943, the Hotel Lutetia received from Hitler's special emissary, general von Unruh, who was inspecting all the various non-combatant organisations in France, such as the Abwehr, Sicherheitsdienst and Todt units, with a view finding out if there was any superfluous man-power available for the transfer to more active theatres of war. Scharf pointed out to Gastl, that this was an admirable opportunity to put forward his application to be transferred to the Russian front, but again Gastl declined to take any steps to assist, simply telling him that he would have to wait patiently until a suitable assignment materialised for him.

Scharf stated that, in July 1943, a man named Kell, who belonged to the Abwehrstelle in Paris, set out on a secret mission. kell, who had been working in Referat Eins Heer (I H) ever since Scharf's arrival from Rio de Oro, had been born of German parents in the Spanish Zone of Morocco, and had lived there until the outbreak of war. As a result of his long residence, Spanish had become his second mother language, and from his appearance, also, he could easily have been taken for a Spaniard. Scharf therefore presumed that Kell's mission was to Spain or to some other Spanish-speaking country, but he unfortunately never learned the details of it. He did, on one occasion, question the man's sister, who was working as a secretary at the Paris Abwehrstelle, but she would only say that it was officially known that her brother had arrived safely at his destination.

Towards the end of July of the beginning of August, 1943, Scharf was suddenly sent for by Burckhardst, who gave him instructions to report at four o'clock in the afternoon at No. 4 rue general Dubail, where he would meet an agent with whom he was to carry out a mission to Tunisia. (The German Forces capitulated on 13th May 1943, in Tunis)

On arrival at this address, Scharf found three men waiting for him, namely, a certain Max, whose cover name in the Sicherheitsdienst (S.D.) was "Marti", (Sdf. von Nowitzky), and a Tunisian native by the name of Lucien Bitan, the agent whom Scharf was accompany. The mission was then discussed, and proved to be one primarily designed for the purpose of obtaining military information. The intelligence side of it was to be in the hands of Bitan, and Scharf was merely to act as W/T operator for this man. Bitan, it seemed, was to gather and forward to Hotel Lutetia information concerning the following: -

On about the 10th of November, 1943, Burckhardst told Scharf that the plans had been changed and that he was now to go to Algeria instead of Tunesia. On hearing this, Scharf pointed that he was rather a useless man to choose, since he knew no Arabic, but Burckhardst replied that he would not need to play a lone hand, since he would be contacting an agent named Jacques Sauvage who was already established in the country. Sauvage's address was Rue Edgar Quinet, 15, Algiers, and in the event of Scharf being unable to find him there, he was to go to the man's uncle at Avenue Pasteur 15. Scharf was also instructed to endeavour to get in touch with Oberle who, the Germans →(page 43)→presumed, was still at Sidi-Bel-Abbes.

Scharf's mission was now discussed and as in the case of Bitan, it was stressed that he was to act as a W/T operator rather than a collector of information. He was told that he could leave the problem of military espionage to Sauvage, who would be his senior, and that he himself was to concentrate more on the obtaining of political information. in this connection he was to study the relative influence of the De Gaullist and Giraudist parties and their mutual relations, and he was also asked to find out all he could about the activities of the Algerian branches of the Communist Party. Burckhardst told him, however, that it was certainly be his duty to report any tit-bits of military information which came his way, though Sauvage was, on the whole, a better man to attend to what kind of espionage, since he had been living in Algiers since the previous March or April and had already established useful local contacts.

finally Scharf was told that he would be provided with funds to the tune of 600,000 francs, that he would be re-issued with a radio transmitter by the Funkstelle, and that he would used the code which had been taught him in connection with the Bitan Mission. His spy name, also, would be the name for he already possessed forged identity papers in the name of Jaime Toledo. A few days after this interview with Burckhardst Scharf was taken by Renchhausen (Renschhausen?) and Nowitzky to the Hotel Lutetia, where they introduced him to Oblt. Nicolai of the Luftwaffe, who was the pilot detailed to fly him to Algeria.

On about the 15th of November Scharf was ready to depart on his mission and was provided with the following equipment:-

1. A wireless transmitter and receiver of the "Truppengerät" type, as used by the (once) Afrika Korps.

2. 420,000 francs in gold Louis d'Or pieces and 120,000 francs in paper money, making a total of 540,000 instead of the promised 600,000 francs.

6. Three large scale military maps of the area over which he was to be parachuted.

His money he divided into two separate parts, keeping 41 gold franc pieces and 50,000 francs on his person, and hiding the remainder inside the casing of his wireless transmitter.

He and Renchhausen (Renschhausen?) now set off by train to Montpellier where, on arrival, they went straight to the Hotel P.L.M. There they found Nicolai waiting for them with his crew which consisted of an observer, a wireless operator (Bordfunker), and two aircraftmen, and after instruction for themselves at the Hotel Edouard VII. Renchhausen (Renschhausen?) now remarked that the Abwehr had another agent - a Frenchman - ready to be →(page 44)→parachuted in North Africa,

parachuted in North Africa, and that he also was to be flown over by Nicolai. As, however, the moon was already on the wane, Scharf's mission was to be undertaken first and the other V-Mann would follow him a month later.

It was arranged that the parachute landing should be made over Bir-Rabalou in Algeria, and the 'plane (a Junkers 88) with Scharf and the crew on board, took off from Montpellier at about 10 o'clock on the evening of Tuesday, November 16th. Scharf's boots had been smeared with kerosene before he entered the aircraft, so that he would be protected, to some extent, from the bloodhounds after landing on African territory. The radio set was to be dropped by separate parachute an attached to Scharf by means of a light cord. During the flight he sat towards the tail, near the trapdoor through which he was to be dropped, and this position prevented him from seeing out of the aircraft. After leaving Montpellier, Nicolai followed the Spanish coastline until the latitude of the Balearic Islands was reached. Then he turned eastwards and crossed the Mediterranean to Algeria. Here, however, he found that the conditions were unsuitable for a parachute jump, so after circling round several times, he made up his mind that it would be wisest to return to France.

Scharf now thought that, as the moon was in the last quarter, he would be sent back to Paris to await more favourable conditions, but on the following day a second attempt was made.

Before leaving Montpellier on the second attempt, Nicolai and his crew were warned that they were likely to meet considerable flak, but ordered to make every possible effort to drop Scharf. They followed the same route as on the previous day and, as expected, ran into heavy anti-aircraft fire, but they evaded it and, at about 2 a.m. (02.00) the pilot signalled to Scharf that the moment had arrived for his jump and the automatic release cord of the parachute was attached to the ring in the cabin. Scharf states that he had a premonition that his mission would not be successful, and his fears turned out to be justifies when he came to jump and found the rope which should have been tied to the wireless set was hanging loose and saw no sign of the second parachute in the sky.

Although he had been given no previous training in parachute jumping, Scharf made a good landing at Bir-Rabalou. he picked up himself unhurt and removed the parachute harness, after which he started off on foot, wearing his djellaba over his civilian clothing. After walking for a few minutes he came to a bridge spanning a mountain torrent, and deciding that it would be best for him to get rid of the incriminating parachute as soon as possible, he carefully hid it under one of the arches. He now saw from his maps that he was quite close to the road leading from Aumale to Berrouaghia, so he set out in the direction of this highway, intending to keep as close to it as possible without actually walking along it. He could not find his radio set anywhere, and decided, therefore, to make for Spanish Morocco and thence back to Paris via Madrid.,→(page 45)→as the loss of his wireless equipment rendered the fulfilment of his espionage mission impossible.

as the loss of his wireless equipment rendered the fulfilment of his espionage mission impossible.

He had not been walking for long, when he came to a small Arab farmstead, and, by signs, made it clear to the owner that he was in need of food and water. An Arab by the name of Labaci Mohamed, who spoke French, was in due course brought to him, and to this man Scharf related a plausible cover story, nemelym that he had experienced considerable difficulties in Algiers owing to his political views, and wanted to take refuge in Spanish Morocco. Lebaci Mohamed, however, did not accept his story and announced him of being a German, saying that he had been seen to drop from a 'plane by parachute. Scharf at first denied this accusation, but later admitted the truth of it, whereupon the Arab, much to his surprise, told him that he would do all he could to help him, whether he were a German or not. This man, who turned out to be a teacher in the local native school, now advised Scharf to disguise himself as a native, so Scharf handed him some 5000 francs with which to buy the necessary clothing. Lebaci Mohamed duly departed to carry out this errand, but when he returned brought with him a turban, saying that he had been unable to obtain the remaining garments.

Scharf now mentioned that a radio set was also supposed to have been dropped from the 'plane and that anyone finding it should after it carefully, as it contained a large sum of money. A boy of about fifteen was now detailed to act as Scharf's guide for the purpose of assisting him across the mountains to Berrouaghia on the first stage of his journey to Tangier. He arrived safely on Sunday 21st, in the town, and immediately made inquiries about the motor bus service to Medea. The local inhabitants told him, however, that the bus did not run on Sundays and that in any case, he would require a special permit before he could make a journey by this means.

Scharf walked to Medea, therefore, and spent the night there. On the following day he succeeded in buying a bicycle for 10,000 francs, and on this he travelled to Affreville, where he spent the night in the railway station. From there he rode to Orleansville, where he slept in a Turkish bath, and finally arrived in Relizane, where he obtained accommodation with a native hermit, to whom he had gave his ring as payment for the night's hospitality.

After leaving Relizane, Scharf made his way to Mascara, where he eventually arrived on Saturday, November 27th. There he decided that he was to exhausted to cycle any further, for he had had, on the average only one meal each day since his parachute landing, and that one meal has usually very unsubstantial.

After resting for the night, he made inquiries and was told that there was a car about to leave for Sidi-Bel-Abbes. He decided to sit down by the road-side and wait for it, therefore, but was unfortunate in being unable to attract the attention of the driver. There now remained no choice for him but to make his own way to Sidi-Bel-Abbew by bicycle, so he was wearily began the journey on Monday, November 29th. Scharf arrived safely and, after breakfasting, continued to Descartes, where he discarded his bicycle, leaving it in a ditch by the side of the highway. He was lucky enough to obtain a lift to Montagnac in a car belonging to an Arab merchant from Tlemcen (Mesmoudi Djelloul Ould Mohamed), to whom he told his improvised cover story that he was a political refugee making his way from Algiers to the Spanish Moroccan border, and this man accepted, promising to find him a native guide→(page 46)→in Montagnac who would help him on his way.

On arrival in Montagnac, the merchant lost no time in getting into touch with a suitable guide. The latter, whose name Scharf never learned, demanded a fee of 7000 francsm and then told him that he would have to delay his departure until after the Arab religious festival which was about to take place. Scharf, however, had no intention of waiting five or six days before leaving for the frontier, and finally inuced the guide to take him before the festival for a much larger reward of 15,000 francs.

He accordingly again donned his djellaba over his civilian clothes and set cut with the guide and another man along the mountain path. The route taken was a very rough one and Scharf found the journey most exhausting, being on the point of collapse before they had completed the second day. Therefore, he called a halt in the neighbourhood of Nedroma and lay down in order to snatch a few hours sleep.

While he was resting, he was accosted by an Arab who, noticing the rather odd manner in which he wore his native dress, began questioning him as to his identity. Scharf, feeling that he could not depend upon bluff any longer, now lost his nerve and tried to run away, but being dog tired (Hundemüde) and hampered by his flowing garments, he collapsed after he had only covered a short distance, and was soon overtaken by the Arab. A small crowed of natives then gathered to see the fun, and Scharf, realising that he was in a serious plight, offered the man a large bribe in exchange for his freedom. To that the latter replied that he could have accepted the money and kept his mouth shut if only Scharf had not tried to run away, but that the crowd of onlookers now made it impossible for him to do so. He accordingly had no no alternative but to escort him into the presence of the local Caid. That functionary, however, replied that he had served the French Government faithfully for twenty-five years in exchange for a adequate salary, and that he had no need of additional money. Scharf now realised that the game was up and that he would inevitably be handed over to the French Authorities.

On Saturday, December 4th, 1943, Scharf was escorted to Port Say, near Oran by two Arab policemen who were dressed in a kind of blue uniform. These men were armed only with revolvers. On arrival he was accommodated in a small civil prison cell, and there he remained until the following Monday.

On Monday, December 6th, he was transferred to Oran and taken to the Bureau de Surveillance due Territoire for interrogation. There he began by trying to bluff the French officials, but he eventually broke under pressure and admitted that he was an agent of the German Secret Service and that he had been sent to North Africa to carry out an espionage mission.

On Tuesday, December 14th, Scharf was taken by the French Police to Algiers and thence to Bir-Ratalou, where he remained for twenty-four hours and was accommodated in the local police station. He was now asked to point out the exact spot where he had made his parachute landing. He did this to the best of his ability, but was unable to find his parachute in the place where he had hidden it under the arch of the bridge and was told that it had, in all probability, been swept away in the recent foods. He learned from his captors, however, that his wireless set had been found with the parachute attached, and that the French Authorities had taken charge of it.

From Bir-Rabalou Scharf was taken back to Algiers, where he was made to go through the pantomime of containing his co-agent, Jacques Sauvage at Rue Edgar Quinet, 15. He did this successfully, and Sauvage was himself promptly taken into custody.

He remained in Algiers until approximately January 3rd, 1944, when he was excorted back to Oran and thence, by police car, to Casablanca, who was believed, at that time, to be operated in the French zone of Morocco. The search of Oberle, however, proved unsuccessful, and after about six days, Scharf was brought back to Oran, where he was imprisoned in the Caserne du Vieux Chateau.

Scharf was now kept as a prisoner in Oran until approximately the 22nd of following July (1944), when, as has been pointed ou in the introduction to this report, he was removed to Algiers prior to being sent by 'plane to the United kingdom for further interrogation by the British security Service.

Hans Scharf does not fall into the same class as the majority of German espionage agents who are neutrals and serve the enemy either financial gain, or because the have been blackmailed into doing so. (AOB, this sentence proves that the authors have not the slightest understanding of the functioning and understanding of the German Abwehr organisation. Their horizon is not beyond the situation of 1940 or the first weeks of 1941. Time and again, there exist a huge deficit in the actual state of affairs and the understanding with the community of the Secret Service servants and the actual state of affairs in the O.K.W. Amt Ausland/Abwehr.

Apparently not known to them, maybe beyond the, then, Crown Servants' horizon - that the actual regular grading was the rank of Gefreiter or Obergefreiter is one of the maximum these men could reach. Those possessing a higher ranking (such as an Uffz. = N.C.O.) (or Officer ranking) they must have possessed their - N.C.O. or Officer - rank before entering the Abwehr. My very best friend Rudolf Staritz - once applied for becoming an officer. He was told: that in this case, he never would return to the Abwehr Services again. And, he therefore, rightly, choose to remain in the Abwehr - because there his HAM amateur friends (comrades) were engaged; how true he, ultimately, was.

Also relevant to know, that force was not what counted in the O.K.W. Amt Abwehr/Ausland. The horizon of the 1944 Secret Service Crown Servants were, apparently, still rather limited - by the sad once occurrences, about September 1940 and the first months of 1941. https://www.cdvandt.org/seeloewe-espionage.htm ; https://www.cdvandt.org/seeloewe-espionage.htm#Seeloewe_2 ; and https://www.cdvandt.org/kv-2-24-27-jakobs.htm.

Physical or mental Force was beyond the aims within the German Abwehr. Apparently, after so many years of war engagement - and still not yet known by the average of British Secret Services Offices. However, it might have been caused due to lack of serious 'education' and/or accompanied training.

It is rather sad to notice - that the general state of expertise, on Abwehr Personnel matters, within the British Secret Services, even in August 1944, did not reached beyond stereotypes!

Amen

6th July 1912 Hans Karl Scharf, son of Peter Johann Scharf and Maria, (née Liesmann), born in Kneuttingen, Lorraine (Lotharingen).

Autumn 1932 Obtained a position with the De Wendel & Cie., in Schreuningen; Continued to live at home.

Autumn 1932 - August 1939 Worked continuously with the De Wendel & Cie. in Scheiningen.

August 1939 Went to Germany on holiday; registered with the Ortsbauernführe in Walhausen and then at Türkismühl in the Burgermaster's office. (Rathaus?) Stayed with an aunt and worked on her farm.

May 1940 Received calling up papers for the Brandenburg Lehrbataillon z.b.V. 800

Beginning June 1940 Sent to Berlin for propaganda broadcast to the French Forces which, however, did nit materialize.

June 1940 Reported to Major Marquart in Lille. Sent to Nielles Barracke to recruit Bretons for the Breton Separatist Movement.

June/July 1940 Sent to Luxemburg to report to Major Beck. Returned to Cologne (Köln) Nebenstelle (Nest) again and stayed with aunt at (Bad) Godesberg. Ordered to return to Berlin, where he reported on his mission to Haller. (KV 2/769; PF 600726)

Sent to prisoners of war camp at Berlin-Lichtenfelde to interrogate prisoners. Visited various other camps in the same capacity.

August 1940 Introduced by Haller to Salzbrunn. Began a course of W/T training which lasted until the end of the year.

January 1941 Sent to the Berliz School in Berlin for English lessons, given by an English woman married to a German.

10th March 1941 Informed by Haller that he would be going on an espionage mission with agent to South Africa, to act as wireless operator.

28th/29th March 1941 Left Berlin with Haller, Kutsche, and a paymaster Colonel (Obst.) of the Reichswehr en route for Brittany. Furnished with two wireless sets by Haller, and final instructions regarding mission. Broke journey in Paris where they remained for two days; Paris Abwehr not visited on this occasion. Journeyed to Paimpol in Brittany by train and car. Spent nearly 10 days there.

10th June 1941 Arrived off the coast of S. Africa. Leibrandt want ashore alone as a result of a violent quarrel between himself and Scharf.

25th July 1941 "Kyloe" put into Villa Cisneros. Meeting with Don Pablo, Niessen and members of the crew later returned to Germany by L.A.R.I. (I doubt, that Spain maintained regular flights with L.A.T.I. which was an Italian Airline, and could have been shot down by British fighters fro Gibraltar; though elsewhere was already noticed that it actually was Spanish "Iberia" who did the regular service)

Autumn 1941 Scharf ordered to remain in Villa Cisneros as Don Pablo's W/T operator, as a result of Haller's visit.

Yesterday I spoke to Gatty about making arrangements for the return to North Africa of Hans Scharf and Justin Tocabens who were lent to us by the French for a month which expires on the 23rd instant.

So far as Tocabens is concerned I do not think that there is any reason why we should seek to extend the period originally agreed upon, but Hans Scharf is in rather different position. This man is proving himself a mint of information and we feel both here and at Camp 020 that he would be a very valuable acquisition for reference purposes if we could retain him for, say, a further three months.

As an example of the sort of information which Scharf can provide, I would refer to the Camp 20 report dated 11.8.44, four copies of which were sent to the War Room. This shows how valuable Scharf may be in identifying stay-behind agents. Further he has displayed a formidable and perhaps unique knowledge of the activities and organisation of the Abwehr in Paris, and it might be very convenient indeed to have him on hand when we start to receive the products of the comb out of the city in the not too distant future.

I wonder whether it would be possible for you as a matter of urgency to have the French approached with regard to the above proposition; I have not mentioned anything about to Bonnefous as the negotiations concerning this lend-lease transaction have been conducted exclusively by Section V, but I would be very grateful if you would let me know if you have and objection to my so doing. Bonnefous is at the moment away but I do not know when he is returning.

pending a reply from you, I am going ahead with Gatty provisionally for the arrangements for the return.

On 15.8.44 To S.I.S. (addressed to Kim Philby) retaining Scharf for a further period. (50a)

What was so decisive, that the S.I.S. letter or the letter from Camp 020 future generations should not know about?

This is to confirm that following precedent of van ?yne? case we are relying on you to make the necessary arrangements for air transport and escort to take Tocabens and Scharf back to North Africa on or about the 22nd instant (August). In accordance with the terms of the bargain made with the French.

I have written today to Philby telling him that we would very much like to retain Scharf for a longer period and asking him to reopen negotiations on the subject (Scharf) with the French. Meanwhile, I think that we must proceed upon the basis that the original date of return holds good, and in any event Tocabens will had to be returned on the 23rd.

Milmo spoke to you this morning on the telephone regarding this case. Scharf was captured in North Africa in December 1943 following his descent by parachute with a W/T set. He was fully interrogated in North Africa and from a copy of the interrogation report which was sent to England it appeared that he had been working for the Abwehr at least since the summer of 1940. Scharf was of more than usual interest to this office in that he had accompanied a German agent to South Africa (Robey Leibrandt: https://www.cdvandt.org/robey-leibrandt-(sa).htm) in 1941 and in these circumstances we asked that steps should be taken to bring him to this country for a further interrogation. Following discussions between the French military authorities in Algiers and Section V (S.I.S.), Scharf was eventually brought to this country and arrived here on 24.7.44.

(1) These is reason to think that Scharf prior to May or June 1940 was sentenced by a French Court (Vichy Government?) to 20 years imprisonment. This does not appear in the report from North Africa (Scharf hardly could have known this aspect) and we should be grateful if you could find out whether there is any record of Scharf having been sentenced by French Court on account of espionage on behalf of the Germans.

(2) Scharf is to be returned to North Africa on 23rd August. If we were sure that he was then to be extracted we could conduct our interrogation rather more freely than would be the case if Scharf is to mix with other prisoners on his return. There are certain matters of delicacy on which he might become aware in the course of the interrogation which we are anxious to safeguard. Could you therefore find out from Algiers how he is to be dealt with when he returns there.

It may, assist you to know for the purpose of references, that Scharf was taken over by us from Monsieur le Commissaire Chef de la Brigade de Surveillance du Territoire d'Alger.

13, Portman Square, London, W.1. (likely the French military liaison, in England)

Referring to the suggestion in M.S.S. (MSS) material that Scharf was, at some time, condemned to life imprisonment by the French, could conformation of this be obtained from the French Government? If this is true, the 2me Bureau would doubtless have a reference to the case in their records.

This mention of a prison sentence is of great importance, since it suggests that Scharf was working as an agent for the German Secret Service in France prior to August 1939 (the month of his departure for Germany), and gives rise to the possibility that he may have been serving in the French Army at the time, or at any rate, previously. As Scharf is bi-lingual in French and German, he could easily have served in the French Army under an assumed name without arousing suspicion.

de Monsieur le Commissaire Chef de la Brigade de Surveillance due Territoire d'Algier les nommes:

2 Scharf, Jean (AOB, might this have something to do that Hans Karl's name did not appear in the prelinary interrogation before mid July 1944?

Les sus-nommes devront etre de retour a Alger dan un delai maximum d'un mois a partir de la date de prise en charge des interesses.

As you will see, Roy in a letter dated 5.12.44 asks how the Scharf case now stands (87a).

The arrangement which was made and which is recorded in your letter to Roy of 31.8.44 (see minute 67a) was that we could keep Scharf for a further period of eight weeks. This elapsed some six weeks ago; I think we ought therefore, to obtain an extension of time from the French or send the man back.

Scharf does from time to time tip up some piece of information but it is difficult to say at the moment that he is paying for his bread and butter. On the other hand, at any moment something may happen upon which his information or evidence would be of value.

The agent Georges who was described by Scharf as a W/T operator sent to North Africa and who subsequently became a stay-behind agent in France has been identified to help Eitel (Karl, KV 2/382...385, PF600314), and it will no doubt be convenient to ask Scharf to confirm the identification. I feel, however, that it is difficult to make a case for keeping him any longer, and that there is something to be said for getting rid of him.

Scharf was despatched from the U.K. to North Africa by air under French escort on 5th February, 1945.

KV 2/209, page 11 (partially) (minute 110)

Crown Copyright

20.4.45 Note by W.R.C.1/A (War Room, section C.1/A) re Scharf's sentence.

KV 2/209, page 18 (minute 110a) A very sad message. All originating since Louis XIV!

Crown Copyright

Note for for pa in Scharf's file PF 600,000

According to a Bulletin d'Information de C.E. No. 36 from the Directeur Generale des Etudes et Recherche Hans Scharf was on 14.3.45 condemned to death.

W.R.C.1/A Sgd. E.B. Stamp

II/1 (2/1) tells us that it originated from Abwehr Berlin (Stahnsdorf or later Belzig); /1 designates a particular W/T link; in the case of II/1 (2/1) Berlin communicated with the main station Sabine in Madrid.

II/120 (2/120) tells us, according our W/T map that it concerned the link Paris - K.O.Sp. in Madrid (whether Sabine isn't determined)

AOB: X/154, might have constituted the W/T Cisneros - Paris, most likely Don Pablo's traffic.

Top Sec "U" tells us that it concerns so-called Ultra decrypted messages from Bletchley Park.

Doerner, ~~V-Mann~~, real name Hans-Karl Scharf @ alias Toledo @ alias L'Huillier André; Borne 6.7.1912 Knutange (Moselle)

Isk = machine code, such as Enigma (lower message numbers; numbers are increasing slower)

Isos = manual code, often used used by individual Abwehr operators. (higher decrypt numbers)

20.11.41 Paris - Madrid (Isk 220) (likely communicated on line II/120 = 2/120) For Huebner. Doerner (Scharf) reports that in Port Etienne since 17/11 all banknotes of the Nak de Maroc have been invalid. This measure probably effects the whole of French Africa. New currency not know to us yet.

24.1.42 Cineros - Paris. (Isos 30980) From Pila. Is the mail advised for Doerner private or official? Please forward official mail from Zwilling (= Obst. Lahousen; Leiter Referat II, Berlin) to him only when you know the contents at your end as he is indispensable to development of my Stelle at this end.

29.1.42 Cisneros - Paris. money from us. Am moving Doerner for tactical reasons, He must arrive Spanish border with wireless set after the start of the wind undertaking. There fore his partObsticipation will be necessary for fairly long time.

2.2.42 Berlin - Madrid. (Isk 1772) Zwilling (Chief Amt II.) BRI to Pila, Please arrange the leave which some time ago was definitely promised for Doerner (Scharf). Pila was informed by Sdf. Haller when Doerner was omitted.

3.2.42 Madrid - Berlin. Humberto (= KO Spain) to Zwilling (Obst. Lahousen, Chief II). Ref. your message of 2.2.42 (Isk 1772) Affair cannot be put in order from this end owing to the absence of cotacts. It must be dealt with in Paris, which has direct W/T communication.

5.2.42 Paris-Madrid. Born to Mago (= Freg. Kpt. Gademann). In order to avoid a visit to your Dienststelle by Mendez it is requested that mail for Doerner and 10,000 pesetas lying at your end with Gruppe II (sabotage) and the sets which will arrive by lorry be forwarded to Bureau Heredia.

7.2.42 Cisneros _ Paris. Meiren signs: Please press for the release of Doerner. He is excellent and indispensable as the situation is coming to a head. "Wind" is his work exclusively. He is now getting into direct contact with the French Emirs without the Spaniards.

9.2.42 Paris - Cisneros. Born (Paris) signs: Inform me whether Doerner has any W/T contact at all with Zwilling (= Obst. Lahousen, Leiter Referat II) Haller notified about sextant-lenses. Transport with sets left Biarritz for Madrid 9.2.42.

12.2.42 Cisneros-Paris (Isos 31374) Doerner's (Scharf's) leave: a) He has still to complete 4 weeks disciplinary punishment (Strafe). In agreement with Zwilling (Obst. Lahousen, head of Referat/Gruppe II in Berlin) please endeavour to have the punishment cancelled before he goes on leave in recognition of this distinguished work. b) Please place at Doerner's disposal sufficient money for holiday and desert equipment as he has to live for a long time with two Arabs.

14.2.42 Cisneros-Paris (Isos 31167/31375 ; likely combined message) From Pila. Ref. your Q18. My message Q 23-28 together. According to them Doerner is not to go on leave till after the visit of Herrn Waag (Leiter Referat I Paris) and Born (both from Paris?) (AOB: during his interrogation he noticed only the visit of Haller (might Haller KV 2/769, being Born?, but Haller originated from Berlin) to this end, and is, for convenience, to fly back with them as the absolutely necessary coastal transmitting station planned of which Doerner ?? to be the Head,→(page 24)→ cannot be established till after the discussions with them here.

cannot be established till after the discussions with them there. For reasons of cover, Doerner cannot start from there. His start must be made in accordance with my Q 24. As preparations are already concluded and a start must be made before Spring, I would be obliged for an early announcement of your visit. Quite in agreement with Doerner's leave journey being made via Paris, but bear in mind that he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the French.

19..42 Cisneros-Paris. (Isos 30679) (AOB, I suppose that, in contrast, this message went from: Paris to Cisneros) Private mail for Doerner arrived via Nemo. Haller informs him privately of award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class (EK II) and that he has been seconded to us only to relieve Mendez. See that private messages such as these do not occur again (darf nicht wieder passieren). Have put matter right with Doerner.

9.3.42 Cisneros-Las Palmas (Isos 28388; that this serial number is lower then the previous one (4.3.42 Isos 30147) might indicate, that the foregoing took longer to decrypt it) (Now we know that the "Iberia" airline returned with Scharf onboard, via Las Palmas) From Pila. Doerner serves only as courier takes sealed post with him/ Letter AINX? or discussion with him unnecessary as everything must go via myself. Letter and parcel for you is being bought by Iglesias. They left by air 9.3.42.

9.3.42 Paris-Madrid. (Isk 3471) Born (someone in Paris) to Mago (likely KO. Spain in Madrid) 1) Doerner will arrive in Madrid (by "Iberia" airline) 11.3.42. Doerner is expected here 14.3.42 at the earliest, as Born will not be back from his duty journey till then. 2) Please pay 5,000 pesetas to Sirene (= Spanish Security Service) for Mendez as travelling advance and debit the amount to us. Mendez is to prepare an account of his expenditure of the 5,000 and have the account sent to Paul (Leiter Abwehr Rudolf in Paris) via Pila.

17.2.42 Madrid-San Sebastian. (Isos 22789) From Sommer (alias of KO. Spain Leiter Madrid). Herr Doerner arrives morning of 18th Return journey sleeper an all necessary papers for evening of 18th to Paris. Meet and "slip through"

5.12.44 Madrid-Berlin (Isk 138996) Elcano (alias of Freg. Kpt. Leissner) Ramirez to Mate (R.S.H.A. Amt VI, Obstlt. Bohle) for Rodrigez. W/T information to Ramirez via Triana that Doerner will probably be ready to leave by plane (Ju88) as from 5th December. Prtal reports that, after discussion with Polmann, it is useless to submit Doerner passport, as the entry stamp is out of date. Departure from country can be made by new passport. (his alias this time) Karl Seeder born 10/10/1902 in Luebeck (Lübeck)

23.3.45 Madrid-Berlin Pago (= Paymaster Franzbach) for Burg (= Berlin) for Lago Babette Mate (Obstlt. Bohlen) for Deditor (Paymaster in Amt VI or O.K.W. Berlin). Ref your letter 245 of 22/2 (1945). Doerner (Scharf) must be regarded as a deserter as he did not report for it transport. Please discontinue monthly home payments. Knappe will finally go to Palais (Berlin) in about 4 weeks. Home payment (to whom? as his parent lived then, likely, again in French ruled Lorraine; and Scharf wasn't married) to his parents may become invalid on his return, as the Consulate at this end pays only a family allowance.

We spoke the other day about sending back of the detainee Hans Karl Scharf whom you were kind enough to lend us from North Africa last July on terms that he should in due course be returned to you. Subsequently the period of one month, which was stipulated for the duration of Scharf's visit to the U.K. was extended.

I have taken the initial steps to procure an air passage for Scharf back to North Africa, and will let you have particulars as soon as one is booked.

As I mentioned to you, we think it is right that the appropriate French Authorities should know that whilst in this country Scharf proved himself cooperative and gave a great deal of valuable information, much of which was subject to check and found to be accurate. I do not know whether this fact would would be taken into consideration in mitigation of any sentence which one would normally expect to be passed on Scharf, but we think it right that it should be brought to the notice of those who will handle the proceeding on Scharf's return.

AOB, M.I.5. apparently was aware of the life threatening process which Scharf was awaiting. Considering the circumstances: being of French and German nationality, being caught in civil clothing, on French soil as a German agent; and the war hadn't yet been terminated, that the mood was remaining towards "revenge", so that Scharf's life was really in very great danger.

It is, nevertheless, Gentleman like - that at least - they advised the French, to consider also Scharf's willingness to cooperate with the British during his many interrogations.

I was yet unable to trace information on Hans Karl Scharf's ultimate fate; as there lives in Germany a well known person of similar name. Consequently, the huge numbers of hits forbade me to find a tiny trace of fore-called person.

In view of the anxiety of the French to have Scharf returned to North Africa and the contemporaneous pressure from the Home Office to get rid of him, we would be very grateful if you could have the necessary arrangements made to procure an air passage to North Africa. It will also be necessary to provide some sort of an escort, but since I do not doubt that from time to time you have people travelling in that direction perhaps one of them could be used for this purpose.

It seems that the French Military Court is anxious to launch proceedings against Scharf, and if this is so I think that whilst it would probably be unwise to make any positive recommendation we should draw the attention of the French to the fact that this man has given a very great deal of assistance to us voluntarily whilst he has been over here, and that this might be taken into account in mitigation of the offences of which he will doubtless be found guilty.

AOB: please, time and again, be aware that with increasing PDF page number, you will go backwards in time.

With further reference to your letter of 31st August regarding Hans Scharf, of whose formal internment I notified you on the 17th October, asking you to let us know when you wanted him released for return to North Africa, could you please let me know how this case at present stands? We have no particular desire to hurry his departure or to keep him here after he has served his turn.

CX/12727/4 (omissions are always around now we have Hans Karl Scharf's S.I.S. reference number)

V.B.5.a (S.I.S. section and designation of whom actually is dealing with it) 29.9.44