Harold Cole became one of Britain’s most notorious traitors of the Second World War. A thief, con artist, and British soldier, he infiltrated resistance and escape networks in occupied France before betraying the people who trusted him to the Gestapo.
Born in London’s East End and raised in poverty, Cole developed early into a skilled liar and criminal. When war broke out in 1939, he joined the British Army but was imprisoned after stealing from his own unit. During the chaos surrounding Dunkirk, he escaped and remained in occupied France, where he reinvented himself as a supposed hero helping stranded Allied servicemen escape.
Posing under names including “Captain Mason” and “Monsieur Paul,” Cole infiltrated the British-supported Pat O’Leary escape line and gained the trust of resistance members. He stole money intended for underground operations, manipulated those around him, and built an elaborate web of deception.
When his crimes were exposed, Cole turned to the Germans. He revealed names, safehouses, escape routes, and other crucial information to the Gestapo and personally assisted in hunting resistance fighters and Allied agents. His betrayal helped destroy underground networks and contributed to the arrest, deportation, and deaths of scores of people.
Even after the liberation of France, Cole continued his deception, posing as a British officer and repeatedly escaping custody. His extraordinary criminal career finally ended in January 1946, when French police tracked him down during an attempted arrest.
This documentary examines the rise, betrayal, and violent downfall of Harold Cole—a British soldier who went from helping Allied escape networks to becoming one of the Gestapo’s most destructive collaborators.
This episode is part of the series Fascist Collaborators.
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