The Walls Have Ears
The Greatest Intelligence Operation of World War II
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The Walls Have Ears
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Narrated by:
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Jean Gilpin
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By:
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Helen Fry
About this listen
A history of the elaborate and brilliantly sustained World War II intelligence operation by which Hitler's generals were tricked into giving away vital Nazi secrets...
At the outbreak of World War II, MI6 spymaster Thomas Kendrick arrived at the Tower of London to set up a top secret operation: German prisoners' cells were to be bugged and listeners installed behind the walls to record and transcribe their private conversations. This mission proved so effective that it would go on to be set up at three further sites - and provide the Allies with crucial insight into new technology being developed by the Nazis.
In this astonishing history, Helen Fry uncovers the inner workings of the bugging operation. On arrival at stately-homes-turned-prisons like Trent Park, high-ranking German generals and commanders were given a "phony" interrogation, then treated as "guests," wined and dined at exclusive clubs, and encouraged to talk. And so it was that the Allies got access to some of Hitler's most closely guarded secrets - and from those most entrusted to protect them.
©2019 Helen Fry (P)2019 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Walls Have Ears
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alec Sharples
- 18-05-21
The title says it all
As a nation, we're always putting ourselves down but this book reveals the vast and untapped potential of our understated national character.
The work at these listening centres undoubtedly had a massively beneficial effect on the war effort and al done in the most civilised fashion by men of great vision and determination.
Finishing this book has made a huge difference to my understanding of human nature too so time very well spent learning across a number of fronts.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 27-02-21
Shows how Bad the Nazis were.
A story that just shows you what went on in the war behind the scenes.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jose Cabrol
- 10-04-22
Well worth the time
Well read, nice to appreciate knowledge from a new angle, much of the information was new to me
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- martin thomas
- 11-01-20
Comprehensive, but...
A triumph of research into one of the more arcane details of the war in Europe 1939-45. The work of Kendrick et al at Trent Park was clearly instrumental in planning the Allied response to German innovations and military strategy.
However as a narrative the account meanders into long lists of people, and undeveloped pieces of detail. Which makes for a difficult listen. I suspect this book is better to read than to listen to, as the account cries out for illustration and period photographs to help the non expert follow the detail.
The narrator is fine, with exemplary German pronunciation of names, and an engaging tone.
Overall if you have an interest in military intelligence, and British treatment and exploitation of POWs in WWII, this may be of interest, especially the accounts of taking Nazi POWs on nights out in Central London!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MARK
- 28-04-23
Stunning
My first experience of an audio book could not have been better. A very intersesting subject delivered with the crystal clear voice of Jean Gilpin. Thoroughly enjoyable experience all in. Hats off to Helen Fry and the team for giving us perhaps just a glimpse of what these people did for the British war effort, my deepest gratitude to all of them.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Simon M.
- 04-01-24
Interesting story let down by bad writing and poor narration
This book makes the bold claim in the first few sentences that this was “the greatest intelligence operation of WWII”.
It wasn’t.
Within the next few minutes the author notes OP BODYGUARD, which was arguably the greatest intelligence operation of the war.
Apart from this obvious error the story is good, but is let down by a simplistic writing style and a rather school-mistress approach to the narration.
As a result I was not engaged by the story, nor the narration. This is a pity as it feels like there is a lot more that can be drawn out from the files.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Emmy
- 08-11-24
interesting story. terrible narration
interesting detail around the intelligence but the narrator is awful. The most annoying is the dates (1. November instead of first November) followed closely by the awful German pronunciation. if you can't speak German, add a second narrator who can and can give the translation. it sounded a bit "Allo Allo" to me.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Antony G Saunders
- 08-05-21
British intelligence at it's best
An incredible account of wartime intelligence ingenuity that rates along side the better know code breaking successes. The detail in this book means that this is a work for WW2 enthusiasts and scholars of intelligence rather than the casual reader, but it is fascinating account none the less.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- DB
- 21-08-22
Fascinating. Ingenuous work
makes me proud to be British. Cunning, no coercion and no torture.
Film needed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- dkw
- 30-06-24
Overly detailed
The narrative is wonderful but overly detailed British rank and department so much so at times it becomes difficult to continue. The latter half of the book is much better with the results of the deceptions are revealed.
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