A German spy was dropped off by a U-boat in the Bay of Fundy during the Second World War. His story had a twist: he had no intention of spying. Instead, he quietly abandoned his mission and chose to live in Canada.
The spy's story is little known, but Andrew MacLean has been digging into it and after a long battle to access classified documents, has learned new details.
It turns out the spy eventually turned himself in — and even helped Canada in the war effort. He had a problem when he tried to turn himself in, though at first, no one believed his story.
Frustrated, he wrote a 78-page autobiography detailing his life which he would hand to Navy officials in the hope that it would convince them his story was true. He explained how the Germans recruited him because he’d traveled across Canada decades earlier, how he sent his family to a neutral country before departing Europe, and how he buried his spy gear the moment he landed on New Brunswick soil as soon as he landed.
Still skeptical, Canadian officials made him return to the Bay of Fundy to dig up the hidden equipment — to prove he really was a spy.
This talk will be a part of the St. Martin's Sea Shanty Festival.
The Spy Who Came In From The Bay
🗓 Sunday, August 10th, 11am
📍 Sea Shanty Festival, St. Martins, NB
Come hear one of the most unbelievable wartime stories from New Brunswick’s past.
You may also like the following events from Backyard History:
Also check out other
Festivals in Hampton.
