The Van MEER Diamonds

It was 1964 the year of the Beatles and I had just returned from an Art & cycle weekend in Amsterdam. The postman delivered a parcel and as I was not expecting any post I carefully checked the name and address, and saw it had been posted in Holland. This must be the parcel the proprietor of one of the Art Galleries had asked me to post but I had forgotten to bring it back with me. Inside were three items, two envelopes one thin the other fat, with a small square parcel heavily wrapped. I checked the outside wrapping again, name correct, address correct. Looking more carefully at the contents again, I saw written on the parcel do not open under any circumstance and on the fat envelope, only to be opened after further instruction. Turning to the thin envelope, inside I found instructions to go my with Passport for identification to the old docks. Intrigued by now I saw the address was MV FFYEES dock 2 and gathering up the other two items I left to cross London on my bicycle. Arriving at the docks I was directed to a small banana boat tied up at the end of the jetty where a man dressed in a heavy duffle coat was standing by the gangway. On my approach and offering him the parcel he said in an accent hard to understand lets see your Passport. A quick look and he then directed me up the gangway with my bicycle. At the top of the gangway stood another man a clone of the one at the bottom who on being offered the parcel directed me towards the stern muttering cabin 8. As I made my way, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the gangway being raised but not giving any more thought to it continued towards cabin 8. The door was open and a voice called out in a thick European accent come. On entering the cabin I was surprised to see an ordinary bloke in a suit sitting behind a desk with a secretary waiting to take notes. After I had sat down he shook hands and said in perfect English sorry about the cloak and dagger stuff. We have been testing you and would like to offer you a job.

That is how I came to work for MI5.

C G G