OPERATION MINCEMEAT: AN HISTORICALLY INTERESTING SEXTANT OWNED BY G.H.J EVANS (CAPT. ALAN HILLGARTH) R.N.
with 7in. radius polished brass bell-frame, signed, inscribed and numbered Heath & Co. Ltd, Craysford, London, L986, G.H.J. Evans RN, Vernier with quick-release clamp, shades, mirrors, and mahogany handle, secured within fitted box of issue complete with accessories and test certificate for 1914, approximately 11in. (28cm.) square

Alan Hillgarth (1899-1978) was christened Hugh Evans but changed this by deed poll in 1928. He began his career with the navy young and was wounded at Gallipoli aged just 16. Excelling at languages, when he finally left the navy as a Lt Cmdr in 1927 he turned his hand to writing adventure novels, with some critical success. A close observer of the Spanish Civil War, when World War II broke out, he was able to successfully exploit his connections with Spain (and develop a wide spy network) and keep them neutral - amazingly only 26 Nazi U-boats were serviced and provisioned during the entire conflict. He enjoyed Churchill's complete trust and it was probably this relationship that allowed him to proceed with one of the most audacious intelligence stings of the War. The story of operation Mincemeat has been well told over the years, not least in the film "The Man who Never Was" (1956) and several books, however the fact remains that a convincingly dressed corpse still carrying "sensitive" documents and ephemera fooled the Germans, and Hitler in particular, into believing the Allies intended to launch a counter-offensive invasion at Greece and not Sicily as was the case.
++Frame has been polished (originally it was oxidised brass); scale has faded but is still readable; fittings and accessories appear complete; box missing owner's plate to lid but otherwise in good/strong condition.