Person    | Male  Born 19/3/1901  Died 19/7/1985

Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu

Categories: Armed Forces

Montagu and Charles Cholmondely conceived the idea behind Operation Mincemeat and carried it out.

Ewen Edward Samuel Montagu was a British judge, Naval intelligence officer and author. Born into a British Jewish family. Was a machine gun instructor in the States during WW1. Joined the navy for WW2 and became Lieutenant Commander in Naval Intelligence.

After the war Montagu documented the story in the book The Man Who Never Was (1953). In 1956 this was made into a film, produced by his brother Ivor.

Ewen Edwin Samuel Montagu was the second of Baron Swaythling's three sons, and born in to a massively wealthy Jewish banking family. Erenow describes Montagu's extremely privileged upbringing at 28 Kensington Court. While at Cambridge he and his brothers invented table tennis (Wikipedia does not support this origin story). Erenow gives an account of Montagu's life after the war: he was appointed OBE and returned to the law. Appointed judge advocate of the fleet, in 1945 he was put in charge of the Royal Navy's court-martial system.  He also served as a judge in which role he was apt to make inappropriate jokes. Became president of the United Synagogue.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu

Commemorated ati

Operation Mincemeat

The Biblical quotation draws attention to the secrecy which was essential to ...

Read More

Other Subjects

Harry Norton Schofield, VC

Harry Norton Schofield, VC

Captain in the Royal Field Artillery. Awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 15th December 1899 at the Battle of Colenso during the Second Boer War. 

Person, Armed Forces, South Africa

War served, Other war
1 memorial
L. E. Newnam

L. E. Newnam

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Stephen Henry Crowe

Stephen Henry Crowe

Lieutenant Stephen Henry Crowe, was born on 3 February 1920 in Bellaire, Belmont County, Ohio, USA, the son of Steven Henry Crowe (1895-1954) and Antonia H. Crowe née Hasel (1899-1970). His father ...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial
Sir John Milbanke, VC

Sir John Milbanke, VC

Born in London as John Peniston Milbanke, the son of the 9th baronet and so later became the 10th baronet. Awarded the VC for his bravery in the Second Boer War when just 27. Killed in action in Tu...

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
William Henry Grimbaldeston, VC

William Henry Grimbaldeston, VC

Awarded the VC for his heroism on 16 August 1917, age 27, while serving in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. "In spite of heavy fire from a blockhouse, he pressed on towards its entrance, threaten...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Jesus College Cambridge

Jesus College Cambridge

Founded on the site of a Benedictine nunnery, by John Alcock, Bishop of Ely. Its full name is, 'The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radeg...

Place, Education

1 memorial
Diana Mitford

Diana Mitford

Also known at various times as Diana Guinness and Lady Mosley. An aristocrat, fascist, writer and editor. She was one of the 6 Mitford sisters: Nancy (1904–73), Pamela "Pam" (1907–94),  Diana, Unit...

Person, Literature, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Wimpole Street Post Office

Wimpole Street Post Office

This was at the southern end of Wimpole Street, on the east side.  The Royal Society of Medicine website tells us: "Once again 1 Wimpole Street was given a major refurbishment between 1982 – 86 ......

Building, Commerce, Property

1 memorial