The Real Enigma Heroes

Well, my blogging schedule is all out of sync because I have been away for a week. We went to the Isle of Man, which was an amazing and peaceful place, with the most wonderful history and scenery - but incredibly isolated. We took a laptop but, despite the hotel's claim to provide free Internet access we (and the other guests) failed to make any connection, and attempts to use our mobile phones were equally unsuccessful. However, the lack of modern technology made for a thoroughly relaxing holiday with plenty of time for reading, chatting, and sightseeing.


Anyway, now I am back I had planned a review for the Irish Reading Challenge 2011 run by CarrieK at http://booksandmovies.colvilleblogger.com until I remembered that on this day in 1942 Able Seaman Colin Grazier, who came from Tamworth (where I live) lost his life as he snatched German codebooks from a sinking U-boat.


With him was Lieutenant Tony Fasson, who also died, and Tommy Brown, a 16-year-old canteen assistant, who survived, only to die in a house fire after his return to England. The documents rescued by the three men provided vital details which helped experts at Bletchley Park crack Germany's Enigma Code. Deciphering  intercepted German messages meant Allied supply convoys were safely re-routed to avoid German submarines, while the subs themselves were hunted down. It is thought that the recovery of the codebooks led to Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic which, in turn, laid the foundation for the final defeat of  Germany in 1945 - and may even have shortened the war.


Yet Grazier, Fasson and Brown were forgotten for almost 60 years, until a retired miner made a chance remark during an interview with the Tamworth Herald, claiming that a Tamworth seaman had 'virtually won' the Second World War. Deputy Editor Phil Shanahan thought the claim unlikely, but instead of dismissing it out-of-hand some instinct made him check the statement out. Phil was the driving force behind the paper's campaign to uncover the story of the three forgotten heroes, and to win recognition for them, not just in Grazier's home town, but on a national basis.


A memorial featuring three anchors (created by world-renowned sculptor Walenty Pytel) now stands in Tamworth's Market Square and an annual service, when those present drink a glass of rum to honour Grazier, Fasson and Brown, is held on the nearest Sunday to October 30 (so it was due to take place today). In addition, information about the trio, together with the wealth of photographs, documents and memories gathered together by Phil, are on a display in a special exhibition at Bletchley Park's historic Hut 8.


The full story of Grazier, Fasson and Brown can be read in Phil's book, The Real Enigma Heroes (published by Tempus),  in which he also details his five-year search for the truth and his battle to ensure the trio will never again be forgotten. I have reviewed this before (http://chriscross-thebooktrunk.blogspot.com/2010/09/real-enigma-heroes-by-phil-shanahan.html), but am mentioning it again as my own tribute to three brave men.


As I said in the original review, I should admit to a kind of vested interest, because I worked with Phil Shanahan for many years, but it really is a very good book, which gripped my interest from start to finish - if I didn't enjoy it I would say so, even though the author is a friend!

The Real Enigma Heroes, by Phil Shanahan

FORGET Hollywood. This is the story of the forgotten British heroes who rescued vital documents about the Enigma code from a sinking German U-boat – and there isn’t an American accent within earshot.

The paperwork retrieved gave experts at Bletchley Park the breakthrough they needed to crack the Enigma code, and their new-found knowledge helped ensure an Allied victory and is thought to have shortened WW2 by as much as two years.

This lost chapter of the history of the war remained shrouded in secrecy for some 60 years, until it was uncovered by journalist Phil Shanahan, whose book The Real Enigma Heroes has just been issued in paperback by The History Press.

Phil’s interest was aroused when a junior reporter announced that the retired miner he had just interviewed claimed a Tamworth man who served with the Royal Navy had virtually won the war.

Initially Phil (and his colleagues) were sceptical. The story seemed unlikely – if this extraordinary claim was true, how come no-one had heard about it before?

But for some reason Phil didn’t dismiss it out-of-hand.

His first tentative inquiries revealed that, amazingly, the story was true. The actions of Colin Grazier, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, had helped win the Second World War – and the 22-year-old Able Seaman lost his life in the process.


Colin Grazier was serving aboard HMS Petard on October 30, 1942, when he and First Lieutenant Tony Fasson dived into the water to board a holed German submarine.

They passed German code books up to canteen assistant Tommy Brown, who joined them on the coning tower.

When the U-559 suddenly sank, teenaged Tommy leapt to safety, but the other two men failed to make it back to the surface and their bodies were never found.

Years later the heroes were recast as fictional Americans in the controversial Hollywood film U-571.

But as he continued his researches Phil became determined that the true story should be known, and that the three men should win the acclaim they deserved.

He amassed a collection of old photographs, letters and memories.

And his campaign for recognition, backed by the Tamworth Herald (the newspaper where he then worked), won support from leading show business personalities, MPs and royalty.

Now the square in Tamworth town centre is dominated by a statue of three giant anchors, a tribute created by world renowned sculptor Walenty Pytel, and there is an annual memorial ceremony on Grazier Day, held on the nearest Sunday to October 30.

There is an exhibition about the Enigma heroes at Bletchley Park’s Hut 8 – the very place where the German Enigma codes were cracked and Phil himself was honoured when he showed Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall the display and presented them with a hardback copy of his book.

I worked with Phil at the Tamworth Herald, so this review may seem a little nepotistic , but The Real Enigma Heroes is a rattling good read, in which the story of Grazier, Fasson and Brown unfolds alongside the tale of Phil’s efforts to track down information , his battles with bureaucracy as he tried to establish a permanent monument to the three men, and the hard work involved in raising cash for the project.

People who are passionate about their subject or interest often find it difficult to translate that enthusiasm into words on paper but Phil’s fervour for putting this forgotten incident into the public domain is infectious.

He has included a wealth of pictures and his book is very well written It is every bit as gripping on the second or third reading as it was on the first.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to Colin Grazier, Tony Fasson and Tommy Brown – and we should also acknowledge Phil’s tireless efforts to ensure the story of these three brave men is never forgotten, and that they take their rightful place in history.


* The paperback edition of The Real Enigma Heroes is published by The History Press, price £9.99. (ISBN 978-0-7524-5785-7)

* Phil Shanahan was a journalist for more than 20 years and was awarded The Freedom of Bletchley Park for his efforts in gaining Grazier, Fasson and Brown public recognition. The campaign he led to honour the Enigma heroes won three of the biggest awards for campaigning regional journalism in the UK.
He now runs his own writing/photography/publicity business, and gives talks about The Real Enigma Heroes – find him at http://enigmacommunications.co.uk/

Look at a Book

BOOKS are important. Not only do they tell stories, they relay information and link us with the past and the future. They help us to make sense of our own lives - and to gain insight and understanding into the way others live.

I wanted to create a second page on my original blog where I could record my thoughts about books old and new, but my IT skills were not up to such task.
Instead, I have created another blog, especially for all things bookish.

It is, as I explain in the details on the right, dedicated to my Norwegian grandmother, whose only luggage when she ran away to England in 1915 was a trunk full of books.

It is, I have to admit, a bit of an experiment (which is why the review on Started Early, Took My Dog has already appeared in my other blog - I was just trying to see if I could do it).

It is very much a work in progress, which means the design, format and content may change - so please let me know if you have any ideas for improvement.

First out of the trunk over the next few days is a review of Phil Shanahan's fascinating The Real Enigma Heroes which tells the true story of how three men rescued vital information about the Enigma code from a German U-Boat.

Their actions helped shorten the war and ensure an Allied victory, but the tale of the brave trio was forgotten for 50 years or more, until Phil determined to win recognition for them.

And later in the week I'll be posting details of how you can get a free copy of some of the French recipes which eature in Rosy Thornton's latest novel A Tapestry of Love.