This original World War II photograph is marked SECRET and comes from the Combined Operations Headquarters. During WWII the Combined Operations Headquarters was a department of the British War Office set up during Second World War to harass the Germans on the European continent by means of raids carried out by use of combined naval and army forces. It comprised background staff whose job was to plan operations and to develop ideas and equipment to harass the enemy in any way possible. It also covered all those who worked with landing craft up to and including the landing ships that were used in the various amphibious operations.

The COHQ was an unusual organization, whose service personnel were uniquely drawn from all three services. It had been set up by Churchill primarily to plan for offensive operations against enemy held territory, culminating in what would become known as the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy.