ENCORE - The Spy Who (UK) | The Spy Who Gave London its Christmas Tree | 1

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0:14June 1940, the far north of Norway. In a remote wood cabin deep within a dense conifer forest, King Hawken VII listens as one of his ministers urges him to flee. Your Majesty, Hitler wants you captured dead or alive. You cannot remain in Norway. There's no hope of repelling the German invasion. Please, leave with the British. The 67-year-old king's handlebar moustache twitches slightly. He's been on the run from the Nazis for almost two months, but the thought of leaving Norway horrifies him. You asked me to abandon our nation? The liberty and independence of the Norwegian people are my duty. To leave is to fail in that duty.

1:03No, Your Majesty. I beg you to leave so you can continue the fight. How? How can I continue to fight if I abandon the country in its hour of need? Sir, from the safety of Britain, the people can still take comfort and strength from your radio broadcasts. Your words can keep hope alive. The King nods in understanding. He rises from his seat. Very well. May God bless Norway.

1:36A few hours later, the King stands on the deck of a British Royal Navy cruiser bound for Scotland. As the Norwegian mountains disappear over the horizon, he dabs the tears from his eyes.

1:53Two and a half years later, November 1942. The North Sea, just east of the Shetland Islands. Torpedo operator Mons Klubben smiles as ocean spray and cold wind blasts his face. He's 23, fair-haired, and about to go behind enemy lines. Before the war, he was a fisherman. Now he's in the Norwegian Navy and one of 22 sailors, commandos, and spies heading to Nazi-occupied Norway for a secret reconnaissance mission. To get there, they're using a new kind of British Royal Navy motor torpedo boat. The British call them the Spitfires of the Sea. They're fast, narrow, and armed to the teeth with a gun turret and torpedo launchers on each side.

2:45And they're designed for covert operations and hit-and-run attacks. The cruise mission is to slip through the maze of islands and inlets of southwest Norway undetected. Then, they must gather intelligence on how to sabotage a mine that's producing pyrite for making ammunition. Glubin leans out into the wind and cries out with glee. Norway, here we come! But then, he spots the Scottish commandos further up the deck. They report to a man called Ian Fleming in British Naval Intelligence. and their stony faces remind him this secret mission isn't a game. The war's not going well for the Allies. Most of Europe is in the grip of fascists.

3:34The Soviet Union's battling for its survival. Japan is rampaging across East Asia. Klüben fears this year will deliver another bleak Christmas. But he's determined to return from his mission to Norway with something to cheer his exiled king.

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5:01From Wondery, I'm Raza Jaffrey, and this is The Spy Who. Every year, Norway gives the British people a Christmas tree to display in London's Trafalgar Square. And in this special, festive episode, we reveal how a covert mission to Norway, a homesick king, and 007 creator Ian Fleming conspired to instigate this long-standing tradition. What you're about to hear are dramatized reconstructions of events, based on the information that's been made public. But remember, in the shadowy realm of the spy, the full story is rarely clear. This is The Spy Who Gave London Its Christmas Tree.

5:57November 27th, 1942. Southwest Norway. Under the cover of darkness, the motor torpedo boat moves quietly towards a remote cove on the island of Bumlo. On the deck, torpedo man Mons Klubben checks the surrounding hilltop to make sure no one's watching. But the falling snow makes it hard to be sure. It's 15 hours since they left Shetland. Now, after navigating the Norwegian coast's labyrinth of inlets and rocky islands, they've found a suitable hiding place. At the helm, the crew's commander, Lieutenant Knut Burgobarg, Bergerbark signals for the engines to be cut.

6:45A few seconds later, the boat gently nudges against the white-grey rock of the shore.

6:54Klüben and the other crew members move swiftly. They lash ropes, tie knots, and lower the anchor to moor the boat. Next, they carry provisions and equipment ashore. Two of the Scottish commandos on the boat grab flashlights and head inland. Their priority is to establish a lookout post on high ground, where they can watch for German patrols. As the commandos disappear into the murk of the nighttime snowstorm, Klubin helps pull a large sheet of tarpaulin over the boat to camouflage it from passing planes and boats. Tarpaulin in place, Klubin takes a moment to savour his return to home soil He looks down the inlet and towards the nearby island of Hisoya Unlike the other islands here, Hisoya's covered with a forest of noble fir trees And with its fresh dusting of snow, it looks magical in the moonlight But Klubin's thoughts are interrupted by Lieutenant Burgobag calling his name Klöben, come here.

8:09Klöben hurries to where the lieutenant is hunched over a map with a man he knows only as Harry. No one's quite sure what his role in this mission is. Some of the sailors think he's a British spy. Harry falls silent as soon as Klöben approaches and leaves the lieutenant to do the talking. Klöben, you know this area well, yes? Yes, lieutenant. I'm from Uragsvog, a few miles south of here. And I fished these waters before the war. Perfect. We need to reach this mine near Sagwok. This channel is the only route there. But given what you've seen of the German patrols, how likely do you think it is that we can reach it unseen?

8:48The channel's wide enough to be able to give other vessels a wide berth. There's also plenty of small islands and inlets we can use for cover. But this place is a problem. Klöben points to a small coastal village on the map. The village is called Robestarnesse, and it sits roughly halfway between their position and the mine. There's an engine factory there, so lots of boats go there. An engine factory? I imagine the Germans will be making use of that. Maybe we should attack it on the way back.

9:32The following morning, two hours before dawn, in the torpedo boat, Lieutenant Burgerbark answers the buzzing phone. It's connected by a cable to the hilltop lookout post. Yes? There's a mailboat heading your way. The lieutenant hangs up. There's no reason for a mailboat to come here. There are no settlements or houses near this inlet. Men, incoming boat, be prepared.

10:02As the crew prepare to defend their position, the lieutenant hurries to the bow. Soon after, the mailboat comes into view. It's a small fishing boat with a cabin on the deck. On seeing the crew with their guns at the ready, the mailboat skipper emerges from behind his steering wheel and puts his hands up. Don't shoot! Don't shoot! You're Norwegian navy, yes? I can tell from your uniforms. I am Norwegian, too. What do you want? Nothing. I'm just a mailman. I saw your boat and thought you might be stuck or in need of help. The lieutenant signals for his men to lower their guns. I see. Sorry for the unfriendly welcome.

10:49We have to be careful. Please, come aboard. The mailboat skipper spends the next 20 minutes sharing everything he knows about German patrols and defences in the area. The lieutenant explains that they need to reach Sargwurg undetected. That will be hard, especially if you want a close look. Your boat will stand out. Not many fishing boats have torpedo chiefs. The lieutenant paces the deck, absorbing the bad news Then he glances at the mailboat and notices it has a large icebox And it's big enough to fit a couple of men inside Are you carrying any fish in your icebox? Well, no, it's empty. Why?

11:41Would you be willing to transport two of my men to Saargvog? They could dress as civilians and hide inside the icebox so as not to attract attention. The mailboat skipper nods. Yes, I will do that. I'd also like them to take a look at the engine workshop on Oberstdarnester. Would that be possible as well? It's on my route, so yes, thank you. But I must warn you that if the Germans catch you with my men, they might kill you. The mailboat skipper looks unmoved. I know this. I am the one still living here. I'm not afraid. A few minutes later, the mailboat heads out of the inlet with two commandos stowed in its icebox.

12:41It's a few hours later, and on board the motor torpedo boat, Klöben and some of the other Norwegian crew members are shielding from the snowstorm outside. And their return to their homeland has made them all nostalgic for Christmases of old. The crew's cook leans back in his chair. All I want for Christmas is to eat some lutevisk. It's not Christmas without lutevisk. Klöben nods along. He too misses traditional Norwegian Christmas dinners, with their lye-cured dried whitefish and potatoes washed down with aquavit. I miss having a tree. Christmas is so sad without a proper tree like those on Isoya.

13:27One of the sailors sits up. We should get one. What do you mean? We're not doing anything here, are we? Let's ask for permission to go to the island to get a tree and bring it back. It could go in the mess hall. It'd cheer everyone up. But we can't use an axe to chop it down. It'd be too noisy. If there were Germans there, they'd hear us using it. The cook stands up. I have a meat saw. We could use that. But we have to get two trees. Two trees? Why? One for the mess hall. Another for the king. The king keeps all of our spirits up. But who is keeping up his spirits? Wouldn't a Christmas tree from Norwegian soil be the perfect way to thank him?

14:19Just then, Lieutenant Burgobarg steps onto the boat. Klöben stands. Lieutenant, we have a request. What is it? We wish to row over to the island of Hisøya to get two Christmas trees to take back with us. One for the mess hall on Shetland. And another as a gift to His Majesty, King Hawken. Do we have your permission, sir? That is an excellent idea. You have my permission. Just make it quick and be careful. Keep an eye out for German patrols. Delighted, the crew gather their gear and the cooks meet soar. Ready to go get their Christmas trees.

15:0845 minutes later, Klöben kneels in the deep snow Sweat drips from his brow as he uses the chef's meat saw to cut through the bark and wood of a small fir tree Nearby, another Norwegian sailor readies a cigarette while keeping watch We still need a tree for the king That one's only fit for the mess I've not seen a better one yet. Klubin pauses and wipes the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his thick wool jumper. The two men freeze as they hear a twig crack somewhere in the forest. Klubin and the other sailor exchange glances. They're thinking the same thing. Germans. Klubin's colleague stashes his unlit cigarette behind his ear and reaches for his pistol.

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17:16Sargvork, Norway. Around the same time as the team are cutting down the Christmas tree. On a forested and snowy hilltop, the two commandos who went with the mailboat drained their binoculars on the defences of the pyrite mine. I'm glad to be out of that icebox. You're always that windy. Concentrate on the missions. I count 18 guards. Oh, actually it's 19. And an officer. Still, a surprise attack with enough force should do it, but we'll need to disable those cannons. Quick. The decoy attack further along the coast at Lajovic should draw some of these guards away. That'll make it easier to deal with the cannons.

18:01You see anything else? No, I think that's all we need. Let's get back before anyone starts asking why the mailman's running late. The commandos grab their packs and head back down the hill towards the mailboat. They've got the intelligence the crew came for. They just need to check on the engine factory in Ruvastarnesse, and then they'll be returning to base. And all without the Germans even knowing they were ever there.

18:34Back at Böhmlo, torpedo man Mons Klöben marches ashore with a four-foot-tall Christmas tree slung over his shoulder. Behind him, the sailors who went with him to Hisoya drag their dinghy towards cover.

18:52As Klüben heads up shore, his commander, Lieutenant Burgobag, emerges from behind a nearby rock. Ah, Klüben. Any trouble? No, sir. We thought we heard something in the forest, but it turned out to be nothing. Burgobag nods, then peers at the Christmas tree. I hope the other tree is better than this one. We can't present the king with such a sorry specimen. This is the only tree we have, sir, and it was the best we found. Well, it's not good enough. The commandos who went with the mailboat aren't back yet, so there's still time. Get back in that dinghy and find a tree fit for a king. I'll take this one from here.

19:40With that, the lieutenant heaves the tree over his shoulder and marches towards the boat. Klöben sighs and heads over to where the other men are taking the dinghy The lieutenant said our tree isn't good enough We have to go back and find a better one One of the sailors smirks He sounds like my father every Christmas Always chasing the perfect tree Klöben's about to laugh when the sailor holds up a hand Klöben and the others fall silent Then they hear it there's a motorboat approaching. The sailors grab the dinghy and quickly drag it out of sight. A few moments later, they see a German patrol boat buzz past.

20:25That was too close. Yes, let's hurry. If we're going to get this tree, we need to reach the island before that patrol boat circles back around.

20:41Two hours later, Lieutenant Burgobarg raises his binoculars to his eyes and scans the shore of his sawyer. But there's still no sign of Klüben and the other men. He passes the binoculars to one of the icebox commandos. They've just returned from checking out the pyrite mine, and that means they should be heading back to Shetland soon. Still no sign of them We need to consider the possibility they've been captured If they have, we can't wait around We have the intelligence we came for, the mission comes first I'm not abandoning them Not yet, at least I'm the one who sent them back We can give them time The commando hands back the binoculars Fine We also need to talk about Rubistanesa We scouted it out like you asked Klüben was right There is an engine factory there It's guarded, but vulnerable We could go in fast, torpedo it, and be gone But if we're seen coming in, it'd be high risk Understood In that case, let's try and take it out But we abort the mission at the first sign of trouble Much as I'd like to see some action getting the intelligence about the mine back to Shetland takes priority.

22:02Decision made, the lieutenant raises the binoculars once more. Yet he sees nothing but snow, rocks and fir trees. But then he sees something strange. There's a tree with no snow on it, and it's moving towards the shore. A smile breaks on the lieutenant's face. Klöben and the others have found a tree fit for a king.

22:32It's a few hours later and the motor torpedo boat is on the move. The two small Christmas trees are stowed safely below deck. Now, the crew are speeding towards the village of Rubistar Nessa to take out its engine factory. As the boat cuts through the water, Klöben's heart races. It's down to him to fire the torpedoes and make sure they hit the factory. But then, the sailor keeping watch, the German patrols, shouts. Enemy sighted! Cut! Engines! Lieutenant Burgobarg raises his binoculars as the boat's engines stop. Klöben peers at the murky grey horizon. The ongoing snowstorm makes it hard to see, but there's a speck moving in the distance.

23:20Everyone on board looks at the lieutenant, waiting for orders. After a moment, he lowers his binoculars. Restart engines and turn around. The attack is off. We return to Shetland now and at speed. Gunners, keep that patrol boat in your sights. If they give chase, I want them sunk fast. Klurban, ready the torpedoes. We may need them if they radio for support. Yes, sir. The engines restart and the boat begins to turn around. Klüben hurries to load the torpedo tubes As he does, he steals a quick glance toward the German patrol boat It's changed course too And it's headed their way

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24:44The Admiralty, London

24:49In an office overlooking Trafalgar Square, Admiral Norman Denning leans forward and lets Ian Fleming light his cigarette Then he leans back in his chair Denning is the head of British Naval Intelligence and Fleming's boss I have good news, Commander Fleming Our reconnaissance operation in Norway the other week went almost without a hitch Fleming, arches an eyebrow Almost? Apparently they had quite an adventure They hoped to take out a boat engine factory before returning Give the Jerrys a kick in the balls on the way out, so to speak Unfortunately, a German patrol boat spotted them So they had to hightail it out of the area Thankfully, our new boats were too good for them And they were able to make a quick getaway With a little help from the murky weather Glad to hear it.

25:36So they collected the intelligence we needed to sabotage the mine in Saarvog. Yes. Three of the Norwegians involved are on their way to London as we speak. We can get a full briefing then, but I believe they gathered all the information we need to go ahead with Operation Cartoon. Fleming smiles. Operation Cartoon is the mission to destroy the mine in Saarvog. The plan is to send a joint British-Norwegian force in the new year. But the news that some of those involved in the mission to Norway are coming to London Has also caught his attention Fleming's work is mainly to direct operations from afar But he always thrills at the tales of bravery he hears from those he sends into the field So he's not going to miss hearing the stories From the men who've just carried out an operation behind enemy lines You said some of the men are coming here?

26:28Yes, they're due to arrive tomorrow Our agents, of course, plus the boat's second in command, and a torpedo man called Mons. We should mark their success somehow. Dinner at the Savoy seems appropriate. Yes, good idea, Fleming. A proper slap-up meal for a job well done. Well, I know the maitre D. I'm sure I could get him to fix us something special. In fact, I have two brace of pheasant from hunting over the weekend. I'm sure the Savoy might make something special with them. Wonderful. I will, of course, join you. Also, you need to invite Eric Welsh, too. Welsh? He's Secret Intelligence Service.

27:04He heads up their new Norwegian branch. He's very keen to learn what he can about the situation there. The more, the merrier. Leave the reservation to me.