Not that there were a lot of German spotter planes that summer. Now the Red Baron was gone the British pilots ruled the skies. Any enemy planes that were sent to snoop were soon driven off.

When the tanks were being tested the air force sent up planes to drown out the sound of their engines. The British secrets were safe... except from a spy. But at least they knew who the spy in the camp was. Captain Ellis made sure he had all the secrets the enemy wanted... they were simply the wrong secrets.

The soldiers were trained for the attack. Wherever they went they saw posters saying:

‘Keep your mouth shut.’

Another told them:

‘If you hear anyone else talking about our plans, stop him at once. The success of this attack – and the lives of your comrades – depend on your SILENCE.’

General Bruce walked into the large dining room in the mansion in Amiens. Fifty men sat there. A cooling breeze drifted through the open windows. Guards stood outside the windows and doors to the room so no spy could hear the plan until General Bruce was ready to leave his false trail.

‘As you now know the main attack will take place on 8th August. It will be led by our Canadian friends.’

A large man with a neat moustache looked around the room and nodded. ‘Proud to be of service,’ he said.

General Bruce went on. ‘We expect to take the Germans by surprise. We are sending some tanks and men way up north. The enemy balloon and aircraft spotters will see them plain as day. We’ll also let the German spies know that’s where we plan to attack... and we’ll be telling them the attack will come in September.’

The large Canadian colonel stood up. ‘Sorry, General Bruce, are you saying you have spies in the camp and you know who they are? Why don’t you just shoot them?’

General Bruce let a rare smile crack his walnut-hard face. ‘They are much more useful alive, and telling the enemy our lies. This attack will come as a surprise – so long as you make sure your men keep their mouths shut. Then the Germans won’t be waiting to machine-gun our soldiers, shell our tanks or blast our supply roads. Our men will be as safe as we can make them.’

The officers at the table looked serious as they left the room. Captain Ellis gave a silent nod to General Bruce. ‘You are an idiot, Captain Ellis. What are you?’

‘An idiot, sir.’

‘Are you going to keep your mouth shut?’

‘No, sir. I am going to sing like a nightingale.’ He picked up a green cardboard folder with maps and sheets of typed papers inside. ‘I am going to hand this to Sergeant Grimm and tell him to look after it, to keep it safe.’

‘What will he do with it?’ the general asked quietly.