THE HEROISM of a Burnley trainee mill manager who quit a safe job to fight the Nazis behind enemy lines has finally come to light - more than 53 years after the end of the war.

Swiss-born Joseph Anton Richle could have sat out the war running his father's cotton and silk processing plant.

Instead, he chose to serve - changing his name to Leonard M Gilbert, joining British Intelligence and risking instant execution as a spy during a series of dangerous undercover secret missions.

The unsung hero's "gallant and distinguished services in the field" earned him one of only six Military Medals won by the Intelligence Corps during World War II.

His story has finally come to light, following his death in New Zealand in May, because his medals are to be sold at public auction in London later this month.

According to a 1945 report by the deputy director of Military Intelligence, Sergeant Gilbert made frequent attempts to penetrate German-held territory, including a gallant bid to cross the Rhine in a rubber dinghy under heavy fire.

He later risked execution as a spy by dressing as a German soldier and braving heavy machine gun fire managed to sneak across lines into Germany. After running into further enemy fire, a minefield and a barbed wire barricade, he hid in a ditch for many hours noting the exact positions of heavy guns.

And he drew the fire of those guns on himself to press on further East and warn oncoming American forces of their peril.

The citation says Sgt Gilbert crawled and rolled on the ground under continuous fire, but was able to reach a US fox-hole where a surprised and delighted regimental commander made use of his information to modify the attack - and recommend the former Burnley mill worker for an honour to recognise his courage.

Gilbert had settled in Britain in 1939, his hatred for National Socialism born out of the fanaticism he witnessed at a Nuremberg rally.

His command of five languages served him well in missions after joining special forces.

He also served with the parachute regiment, took part in the Normandy landings and fought in France.

He remained in the services, rising to Second Lieutenant, until 1950 when he emigrated to New Zealand and embarked on a successful business career.

He left his medals to a friend of 47 years who is offering them at auction where they are expected to fetch around £2,000.

Also under the hammer are order papers on Hitler's own gold-embossed Berlin stationery and signed by the Fuhrer himself - a memento picked up by Gilbert while involved in the interrogation and processing of German military personnel after the war.

His friend said that in all the years of friendship, Leonard had never explained how he had won the MM or provided details of his work in the forces.

He said: "He was a true intelligence man to the end. He was a man of mystery with many, many secrets which died with him."

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