City of Westminster in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Leopold (Leo) Samuel Marks, MBE
Jewish Cryptographer
Photographed By Jerry Klinger, 2022
1. Leopold (Leo) Samuel Marks Marker
Leopold (Leo) Samuel Marks, MBE lived flat 410 Park West, when Chief of Codes at Special Operations Executive (SOE) in WW2. He was a key trainer of secret agents sent to defeat the Nazis.
Set a watch before my mouth Lord:
and over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)
שיתה יהוה שמרה לפי נצרה על דל שפתי
Erected 2022 by Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation - U.K. Branch, AJEX UK.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. series list.
Location. 51° 30.972′ N, 0° 9.91′ W. Marker is in City of Westminster, England, in Greater London. Marker can be reached from Park West. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 410 Park West, City of Westminster, England W2 2RB, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Anthony Trollope (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); John Lennon (approx. half a kilometer away); Jacqueline du Pré (approx. half a kilometer away); Sir Alfred Ayer
this page online
Regarding Leopold (Leo) Samuel Marks, MBE. During WW2, Leo Marks became the Chief of Codes for Britain's spy network in Europe. Though facing bigotry and discrimination for being Jewish, he rose to become the Chief of Codes operations because of his unparalleled ability to create and decipher codes being sent to British intelligence from agents in Europe. He recognized and reorganized code operations saving the lives of scores of field agents, and uncovered German counter-espionage operations.
Marks was born to an orthodox Jewish family in London who owned, what became later, a famous bookshop at 84 Charing Cross Road. The bookshop was the backdrop for a popular novel. In 1987, Mel Brooks produced a movie, 84 Charing Cross Rd., again centered around the bookshop. The film starred Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, Judi Dench,
via Way To Famous, unknown
2. Leopold (Leo) Samuel Marks, MBE
The Marks family lived above the bookshop. By age 8, Marks was deciphering the secret codes his father had developed to register and price his inventory. This special skill soon directed Marks to the British Secret Sevices operations.
General Eisenhower credited Mark's code operations for shortening the War by at least three months.
After the War, Marks became a famous movie writer in the British cinema industry.
It was not until 1998 that British Intelligence permitted Marks to publish his memoirs;
Between Silk and Cyanide: A Codemaker's Story 1941–1945
Also see . . .
1. Leo Marks - Poet, Writer, Spy. San Diego Jewish World website entry:
His warnings, his memorandums to his superiors in S.O.E. met only with deaf responses. The deafness probably resulted in the death of at least 50 agents. Marks was summoned before Brigadier Colin Gubbins to answer for his disruptive memorandums.(Submitted on September 19, 2022, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)
Gubbins was described as a “real Highland toughie, bloody brilliant… The general’s eyes reflected the crossed swords on his shoulders, warning all comers not to cross them with him.”
Marks was shocked realizing those eyes were focused on him.
Gubbins grilled Marks. He demanded to know who had seen his report. Who had typed it. Marks had. Gubbins’ eyes glared cold steel at Marks. ‘What did you tell Colonel Tiltman about the Dutch situation?’ he demanded.
‘Nothing, sir, I was instructed not to discuss the country sections.’
‘And you always obey your instructions?’
‘No, sir. But in this instance, I did.’
There was silence as Celt met Jew on the frontier of instinct. We then went our separate ways.”
Marks memorandum was accepted and implemented.
2. Leo Marks. The Telegraph obituary (Submitted on May 7, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Additional keywords. Spying, Espionage, secret codes, cryptography
Credits. This page was last revised on May 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2022, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 185 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 1, 2022, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. 2. submitted on May 7, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
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