Colonel Georges de Linieres entered the garden of the Villa Mirador, the official residence of the American Consul General in Casablanca. In his white summer French cavalry uniform, perfectly tailored down to his black leather boots, shiny spurs and riding crop, at 38 the colonel cut a dashing figure from a bygone era. A small crowd of mainly foreign officials had gathered at the garden party given by the American Consul General Thornton Russell and his wife --as stated on the invitation. The Colonel was secretly in charge of French military counter-intelligence in Morocco and was part of a covert network of pro-Allied informers that Colonel Paul Paillole had set up in France and North Africa. While overtly loyal to Vichy, Colonel de Linieres was impatient to join De Gaulle and get back to fighting the Germans. His wife and children were still in Marseille and he was attempting every possible bureaucratic ruse to bring them come to Casablanca where they would be safely far from the Gestapo before he could join the Free French in Equatorial Africa.
As soon as he spotted the young man in the white suit and dark tie talking animatedly to a very pretty young lady, the Colonel walked briskly across the manicured lawn.
“Mon cher Davis!” – he boomed as the young beauty turned around. – “I find you at last Davis, and in charming company, I may add. When shall we go horse back riding again? I know you are never available early in the morning.”
The Colonel kissed the young woman’s hand and smiled at her in such an aggressive way that she blushed, lowered her eyes and quickly excused herself.
“Colonel, you frightened away my lady friend.” –said Davis half in jest and a bit resentful.
“Davis” he said almost in a whisper “very quickly, I have some news for you. Can we walk for a minute?”
They strolled towards the row of palm trees at the far end of the garden.
“An interesting item came in from Tetouan in the Spanish Zone last night. Three Italian military planes, an experimental four engine bomber that they also plan to use as a transport, their largest and best type landed at the military airfield after dark. The Spanish Army and the Guardia Civil are guarding the planes with over one hundred men very closely and our informer was unable to get close enough.”
“Three Italian military planes…they haven’t been around these parts in some time. What do you make of it, Colonel? “
“My first reaction was that a high level meeting could be underway, or perhaps even the beginning of an operation? The most logical target is Gibraltar, of course. A mixed German–Italian operation for example, an air, land and sea attack with the Spaniards providing support facilities? Perhaps, but this would require that one or even two German divisions with heavy artillery already be deployed in Spain itself, which we know is absolutely not the case.”
Davis had been exposed to the kind of wild speculation that remained a favorite game among Vichy officers. However French military intelligence happened to be amazingly accurate and they managed to operate with little or no funds counting only on the loyalty of their informers and the promise of future favors once their side won which was not at all obvious under the circumstances.
“Germany’s focus has definitely shifted to Russia,” said Davis “therefore Gibraltar may just be a diversion if there indeed is a target. I’ll pass this item on but keep me informed if you get more details.”
“Our informant is very reliable and will continue to probe. He was unable to get close enough to visually see any personnel coming off the planes. Those four engine P.108’s are thought to have a crew of seven as bombers while the transport version requires only four. If there is any equipment or passengers on board I will inform you immediately. All this extra security will slow us down.”
“Great. Now then, moving ahead to much more serious business, how about riding tomorrow morning?”
“Excellent, six am ok? I will meet you at the stables and make sure you get a good horse. Unless… you plan to be very late tonight with that friend of yours?” he looked for the young woman who had crossed the lawn to the buffet.
“Well now” said Davis sounding embarrassed
“I never rise that early, as you know…but for a fast gallop in the forest on a thoroughbred I will certainly make an effort. See you then.”
They clicked glasses and slowly made their way back to the well-dressed crowd at the garden party.
The sun was just beginning to rise as Davis and Colonel de Linieres reached the edge of the mixed forest of eucalyptus and palm trees that ran parallel to the sandy dunes of the long beaches south of the city. After a few minutes at a fast gallop along the narrow path through the trees, they slowed the horses that had already built up a lather to save them for a longer run on the water’s edge.
“This is the best place to talk.” Said the colonel as they stopped under a thick ceiling of large palm trees; “I have more news for you about that Tetouan story. Apparently a small number of wooden crates were unloaded; our man guessed 4 or 5 that didn’t appear that heavy. He saw them being placed in a little pick up truck with Tangier license plates that immediately headed north, presumably to Tangier or Ceuta. Forget about tracing the van by the plates. Many Tangier automobile licence plates are false anyway and Spain uses the place as a major espionage center.”
“And you have reason to trust this information, colonel?”
“The man is a paid informant, so we must always be cautious. Double games are current practice. Up to now he has brought us reliable items in every instance.”
Davis nodded,
“I have already sent a message regarding this matter, so there’s not much else I can do. My people may react after a second message but with all that is going on in Washington, I can never be sure. You may be right about Gibraltar after all. It would be the logical thing to expect even though the Germans have their hands full in Russia. Could this merchandise have been shipped into French Morocco instead?”
The colonel pulled on the reins to steady his horse:
“If it’s in French Morocco, Davis you can be sure we will spot it but it is most probably already in Ceuta or Tangier and on its way to Spain …then…you have to ask General Franco!”
Davis laughed at the joke.
“Yes, I can see that’s no simple matter! Plus we also have proof that the Italians have been using military aircraft for contraband operations. Let’s keep our eyes open, shall we?”
Davis went through channels and sent a coded message directly to Robert Murphy in Algiers. A follow up would certainly elicit a question or two and keep the file open. Gibraltar was a realistic target but it required a commitment on Spain’s part that could endanger the Franco regime still much too shaky after the civil war. Davis found the matter troubling at the very least.