Based on the real Operation Mincemeat that took an already dead body, dressed it in military uniform, planted fake documents for the Germans to find, launched it into the sea, and successfully fooled them probably saving hundreds if not thousands of lives - this one can be filed under things you don't need to make up. Duff Cooper invents a further back story for the mystery man whose body really did make a significant difference to the war effort. This is a fascinating bit of history, a beautiful book, and a fitting memorial for an unknown man.

An INCREDIBLE little novella here by Duff Cooper charting the life of a man born too late to serve in the First World War and is deemed ‘past it’ by the time the Second comes around.Willie Maryngton, the young man in question, is simply champing at the bit to serve his King and Country but is never able to fulfil his deep-most patriotic calling; something that is frustratingly mimicked in his personal and love lives too. Growing ever more spiteful of those able to fully do there bit Willie begins to spiral, seeking solace in the love of one and then two particular women who of course inevitably love him but don’t commit to him, one for personal reasons the other her serious work commitments.All of this culminates into a finale which, though best not spoiled in full, ultimately sees Willie perform one of the single greatest acts that turns the tide of the war, and the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.We today know it as ‘Operation Mincemeat’ and this is Cooper’s moving retelling of this legendary little mission, albeit with an adjusted and more topically relevant titular name, ‘Operation Heartbreak’. Although my knowledge of the real events that inspired the Operation perhaps spoiled the ending for me here I still heartily enjoyed the book and Willie’s story; perhaps knowing in advance allowed certain events to land with that much harder resonance.This little rediscovered classic is an absolute gem, one which I will be recommending very boldly going forward. An emotional ride!