Message 37

Message 37 is the true story of Leopold Vindictive. 1941 - A group of ordinary Belgians discover a British spy pigeon and are drawn into the deadly world of wartime espionage. Message 37 is a three-part limited drama series based on the true story of a small group of courageous Belgians who believed in, and were tragically let-down by, incompetent British spy-masters. Part 1 – Operation Columba (or On A Wing And A Prayer) British Intelligence drops ordinary homing pigeons into Occupied Europe in the hope that those under the yoke of Nazi oppression will find them and send them back with intelligence about Nazi military activities. After thirty-six messages of “limited value”, London receives Message 37 - a message that blows the minds of all who see it (including Winston Churchill) because of its stunning detail and wealth of vital military intelligence about Nazi troops in Belgium. The British have discovered “Leopold Vindictive” – a group of seven ordinary people who are willing to risk their lives to help free their country and are potentially the greatest spy network of the war. The bumbling efforts of British Military Intelligence to re-establish contact with Leopold Vindictive exposes these amateur spies to the Abwehr - Nazi secret services – who are desperately trying to capture them. Part 2 – Chasing Shadows Leopold Vindictive are desperate to re-establish contact with London and they begin to take dangerous risks in order to do so. Rival intelligence branches in London let their petty jealousies get the better of them as they fight to be the first to make contact with Leopold Vindictive. Secret agents, dropped into Belgium on a whim, are captured and tortured - betraying Leopold Vindictive to the Nazis. Part 3 – The Valley of Death (or “Nacht und Nebel” - Night and Fog) With London unaware of the danger in which they have placed Leopold Vindictive, they step-up their efforts to find their prized intelligence assets. Leopold Vindictive are captured by the Abwehr and suffer the full brutality of the Nazi regime. As the war in Europe finally ends, British intelligence officers search for information about Leopold Vindictive. They are shocked to discover the horrific fate which befell members of this resistance cell – and equally shocked to learn of the role their own incompetent agencies played in the destruction of these brave Belgian patriots.