I think it’s testament to Popov’s character that despite a rocky start with C he ended up having the honour of being the godfather to one of his grandchildren. So he can’t have been all bad. As I mentioned earlier, he was awarded the OBE. The main reasons for this accolade were that he had warned Britain about the invasion of France, and found out that the Germans didn’t have enough troops to invade England. He had also warned the Americans of Pearl Harbour (despite the fact that they ignored him) and he was a key part of the XX Committee which led to the successful D-Day landings in Normandy.

Added to all of that, he put his life on the line for the good of Europe. What an all round good egg. I’ll end with a quote from the great man himself:

“When you love life, good wine, good company, and still can do good serious work, it is not being a playboy it is living life to the full”.

☛ Up Next: The Horrors Of Stoning: Past And Present