Two Deaths, a Special Disposal

A mentioned in an earlier post, at the behest of the CBC investigative program Fifth Estate, I undertook research into the possibility of a history of Canadian signals intelligence.  A largely unknown subject, given the recent wartime experience, when secrecy on the on the subject was existential. In security, the default to maintain secrecy. It was in the 1960’s and 1970’s that some of the barriers were somewhat reduced in Britain and in the US. My interest was the Canadian and British experience in the early phase, of the war, prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of 7 December, 1941, which brought  the war to the Pacific, and US into the war that extended to both Europe and the vast Pacific.  Why?,  one might ask? An interesting question. For one, there was such a complex play of conflicting and intersecting interests that made it a fascinating puzzle.  Especially since several of the main actors Britain, the US, German and Russia in particular, obviously played a hidden game. Particularly Britain and the US, a game in which Canada played a supporting, and much hidden, role. Partly because I found it curious that those who speak of or question the possibility of foreknowledge, do not study or write about the detail. Often they wave statements claiming inability  to decypher Japanese radio messages, and To a large extent, I was curious that British and American SIGINT were more open that Canadian, which raised the question, “Why?”

A simple question, it appeared.  I soon learned that finding the answer was not simple at all.

I thought of locating persons who been involved in signals intelligence during the war came to mind. I found reference to an unclassified periodical of CBNCC, for her employees, that mentioned all the names of employees. I requested all copies under the Access to Information Act, and several weeks later received copies in which the names of current employees had been removed, but not the names of past employees.  With the aid of public directories available at Canada’s National Archives, I was able to locate several, and their telephone numbers. I was able to speak with several,