Lionel Crabb was a celebrated wartime hero, feted in blockbuster films, and was even believed to be the model for James Bond. But when Giles and Sarah look through the Crabb files at the National Archives, a far more complex person starts to emerge. Those files also suggest that a sinister cover-up is at play.

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Show notes:

Sidney Knowles interview - David Jackson-Wills

Various letters & memorandums - National Archives

The Silent Enemy, 1958 - Romulus Films

Frogman article, 29 April 1957, The Herald Newspaper

Anthony Eden’s speech at Bradford, 1956 - AP Archive

Duck and Cover, 1952 - Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division

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Giles and Sarah set off on their quest to discover what happened to Lionel Crabb. A chance encounter leads them to ex-diver, Commander Julian Malec, the last living link to the Crabb mystery. He tells them of a story cloaked in secrecy.

Ministry of Secrets is part of The Binge - subscribe to listen to all episodes, all at once, ad-free right now. From serial killer nurses to psychic scammers – The Binge is your home for true crime stories that pull you in and never let go. Follow The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases to get new stories on the first of the month, every month. Hit ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the Ministry of Secrets show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession.

A Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

Archive:

Commander Crabb clip, 1956 - British Pathé

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Ministry of Secrets is one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Cold War.

At its heart is a missing person — a wartime hero and international celebrity. But that’s just the starting point. It involves the royal family, MI6, the CIA and the KGB. There’s conspiracies. And lies. This story is so sensitive, so secret — that the truth is being withheld for 100 years, until 2057. Presenter Giles Milton and producer Sarah Peters are on a quest to find out why…

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