LITMIR.BIZ

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43

       C O V E R.

      1. DEFINITION.

      Your cover is the life which you outwardly lead in order to conceal the real purpose of your presence and the explanation which you give of your past and present. It is best considered under the heads; Past, Link between Past and Present, Present and “Alibis”.

      2. YOUR PAST.

      Before your departure, with the assistance of your Section Officers, you will probably prepare a story of your past life up to the time of your arrival. But you cannot always arrange a complete story before leaving; furthermore you may have to change part, or all, of your cover story when you are actually in the field and know what your circumstances are to be. Nevertheless you must be able to give some account of yourself if questioned immediately after your arrival.

      In inventing or amending your cover story, or that of another agent, the following points should be considered:–

      a. Identity.

      i. Your Own.

      Advantages: Your story will be mainly true.

      Only a limited period will have to be explained away.

      Records will confirm your statements.

      Disadvantages: The subversive part of your history may be known to the enemy or to persons who may give you away. This is usually the case with escapees.

      ii. That of a Real Person, Distant or Dead.

      Advantages: The story, being real, will be self-consistent.

      Records will confirm at least part of it.

      Disadvantages: People acquainted with the person whom you are impersonating may give you away. You may have incomplete information about this person’s past life, so that your statements may be shown to be untrue. The person may be suspected without your knowing it.

      iii. Wholly Fictitious.

      Advantages: Less chance of entanglements and wider scope.

      Disadvantages: Records will not confirm your story.

      In some cases agents have to assume different identities in different places. This should be avoided as far as possible, because it leads to contradictions. N.B. The danger of two identity cards.

      b. History.

      i. Whatever your identity, your story must be plausible and not indicate any connexion with subversive activity.

      ii. It should be based, as far as possible, on the facts of your own life or that of the person whom you are impersonating. Do not introduce places or events which you do not know nor refer to knowledge which you have not. (Do not claim to know of engineering if you do not.)

      iii. Pay particular attention to that part of your story which is linked with the details shown in your documents. They may be examined closely.

      iv. Your recent history is of most interest to the police. It is also most difficult to invent satisfactorily. Particular care should be devoted to its preparation.

      v. Although a complete mastery of details is essential in the preparation of the story, vagueness is often desirable when repeating it, especially in the case of more distant and less important parts.

      c. Documents.

      These are supplied by your Section and will be as nearly perfect as possible. The following points must be remembered:–

      i. You must know how you would have obtained them if they had been issued to you legally.

      ii. All the documents you need cannot always be produced in this country, e.g. those which change frequently, such as ration cards in some countries.

      iii. The falsity of forged documents is always ultimately detectable if counterfoils exist, especially if they are numbered consecutively. It may take a long time to establish this falsity.

      iv. Perfect documents can only be obtained through official sources in the field.

      d. Clothes and Effects.

      i. Do not take anything with you which does not fit your story.

      ii. Your effects can sometimes furnish valuable corroborative evidence of the “truth” of your background cover. e.g. unofficial papers, tickets, bills, local products, etc.

      e. Change of Appearance.

      i. To support assumed character (rough hands for workman.)

      ii. To avoid recognition if you are going among people who know you.

      N.B. Application of disguise is dealt with in a special lecture.

      f. Final Search.

      You must search your person and residence for traces which link you with your “other self”:–

      i. Before your departure.

      ii. Whenever you change your cover story.

      iii. If you wish to conceal some recent activity.

      iv. If you are about to undertake some special subversive act.

      3. FROM PAST TO PRESENT.

      As soon as you arrive you must adopt a cover life to account for your presence. Your cover story for your past must merge naturally into this.

      a. From the beginning start completing the details of the cover story of your past. Really do the things you say you have done. Really go to the places you say you have been to. This will serve a double purpose:–

      i. You will obtain the information which you would have had, had your story been true, e.g. see the towns, learn their recent history, etc. With this knowledge you can support and, if necessary, modify your background cover.

      ii. You can manufacture evidence confirming your background cover, e.g. make acquaintance in the places you go to, possess things coming from these places, etc.

      b. Build up also your present cover background by innocent and inconspicuous actions to which reference can be made later. It may be useful to make innocent acquaintances, etc.

      4. YOUR PRESENT.

      This is the life which you lead and the story which you will tell about that life to account for your presence. It may be planned with the help of your Section Officers before your departure. Or you may have to work it out for the first time after your arrival. In any case, your ostensible present must be consistent with your alleged past.

      a. Maintenance of Cover.

      i. Name. Always sign correctly and respond to it immediately.

      ii. Consistency in General. Your personality and general conduct must fit your cover background, e.g.:–

      Expenditure must accord with ostensible income.

      Volume and nature of correspondence must fit your social circumstances.

      Character of friends and acquaintances must accord with your cover personality.

      Documents, clothing, possessions; etc. must be suitable.

      Manners, tastes, bearing, accent, education and knowledge must accord with your ostensible personality.

      iii. Concealment of Absence from your Country.

      Avoid foreign words, tunes, manners, etc. Avoid slang which has developed among your countrymen in Britain.

      Avoid showing knowledge or expressing views acquired in Britain.

      Conform with all new conditions which have arisen, observe new customs and acquire the language

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