Inside Camp X

by Lynn Philip Hodgson, Michael Booth (Narrator)

During World War II there was a Secret Camp on the Shores of Lake Ontario builtSpecifically for Training Allied Spies. This Non-Fiction Audiobook "Inside Camp X" takes you from recruitment, Training, Specialty Instruction, Field work, Assignments, Missions, Captures and Life after the War. The sole purpose of Camp X was to develop Secret Agents in every aspect ofSilent Killing, Sabotage, Demolition, Weaponry and Morse Code. Read by Michael Booth. Michael Booth is a prominent Shakespearean actor andproducer in Canada.CAMP X The true story of what went on behind the fences ofSTS - 103 (Camp - X) This top secret World War IISecret Agent Training School was strategically placedin Canada on the shores of Lake Ontario. As outlined in his biography The Life of Ian Fleming written by John Pearson afterthe war, Fleming was required to take the same training as the Camp - X Agentsin order to realize the effect of the process and to have a better appreciation forwhat the Agents endured. On one occasion, he was sent inside with orders toshoot and kill the man he would find hiding in an upstairs bedroom.Unbeknownst to Fleming, his intended target was in fact the Chief Instructor ofCamp - X, Major William Ewart Fairbairn, a man who, it was fabled, was so goodat his trade that he could dodge bullets Pearson quotes William Stephenson, Head of the British Security Co-ordination, as having said, "It was a test of nerve....a test to decide whether he (the Agent) really was ruthless enough to kill a manwhen it came down to it." According to the account, Fleming waited outside theroom for a time, then went away. "You know, I couldn't really kill a man that way."Stephenson said Fleming apologized later.Fleming drew from this and his otherexperiences with Agents from Camp - X to write his famous 'James Bond' novels.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction

Audio Cassette

First published August 16, 1999

Reviews

[Glynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Piqued my interest so much so that I visited the site of Camp X in Whitby. Incredible that we had a spy school here in Canada during WW2 - Ian Fleming even attended!

[K. A. MacKinnon]

This book is clearly a labour of love written by an enthusiastic amateur. I found the information often vague and muddled, the photos sometimes hilariously bad, and the writing overly riddled with exclamation points.

If you're looking for a detailed and thoroughly researched history of the camp, I recommend Camp X: Canada's School for Secret Agents 1941-45 by David Stafford. It's on the dry side, but much more informative.

[Bill Leach · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Camp-X set up north of Toronto in 1941 by William Stephenson to train covert agents to infiltrate German held territories during WW II. The author describes the camp, how it came into existence, some of the logistics and stories of some of the agents that were trained at the camp. The author went to lengths to obtain much of the information, making the book a bit of an insider's account.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you know there was a secret training camp in Ontario during WWII? I didn't.

[Scott Dermody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating read but not well-written or copy-edited.

[Kristin Haynes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dry and poorly written

[Sandra Acacia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is an interesting read. There were some things that make you wonder why they said that and why an editor didn't pick up on it.

[Don Bennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple read with a lot of great nuggets. Only the occasional foray into thesis and argument support, primarily a factual summary of what was gathered in research with a lot of good photos.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish this one.....after reading the Camp X books I was really interested in getting the 'real' story behind them.....unfortunately I found this one too dry and unorganized....it just did not gel together for me. It's worth picking up for the pictures though......it would be better if you could read it in one or two sittings and not have to put it down too much....

[Jen McIntyre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinating info but could have used a solid edit.