This was one of the best kept secrets of WW2. In the event of Gibraltar being captured by German forces, six men would have been sealed into a secret chamber in which they would have been expected to survive and observe the activities of the Germans for a period of one year or more. In 1997 Stay Behind Cave was discovered in Gibraltar but unfortunately no account was ever obtained from anyone associated with the mission. These individuals have remained as elusive as the chamber itself. Thankfully this situation has now changed.

In November 2006 Jim Crone from discovergibraltar.com and Sergeant Major Pete Jackson MBE, senior tunnel guide with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, had the immense privilege of meeting possibly the only member of Operation Tracer still alive today. Jim and Pete travelled to meet Dr. W. A. Bruce Cooper at his home in England.

Dr Cooper (92 years) provided a fabulous opportunity to shed light on Tracer with his direct involvement in the mission as a Surgeon-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). Despite fading memories, both Pete, Jim and others present at the meeting helped Dr Cooper recall stories about his colleagues, his training, and his feelings about such an incredible task. His exceptional career in the RNVR was discussed including his voluntary service on board hospital ship SS Uganda during the Falklands War at the age of 67.

Rumours about a secret chamber in Gibraltar have persisted since the war and many people devoted considerable amounts of their time to exploring Gibraltar's existing tunnels, caves and sheer cliffs in the hope of finding it. On the 26th December 1996 the Gibraltar Caving Group discovered a sophisticated secret complex hidden close to Lord Airey's Battery at the top of the southern end of the Rock. The discovery happened when the group encountered a strong gust of wind in a tunnel. Further searching led them to carefully break through a wall into chambers which had never been used and had remained sealed for over fifty years. The rooms were without doubt intended for use in Operation Tracer, and became affectionately known as Stay Behind Cave. In September 1998, a Mr Dennis Woods returned to Gibraltar for the first time in over fifty years and made himself known as having been involved in the construction of this facility (known in his day as Braithwaite's Cave on account of the Commanding Officer's name). Confirmation was thus given as to the authenticity of this unique site. During Mr Dennis Woods 1998 visit he is reputed to have said "there where two other teams working in Gibraltar but this one was the main one". This stirred up interest in the possibility a second secret chamber yet to be discovered.

Interestingly, Dr Coopers description of the secret chamber that he was taken to in 1942 is somewhat different to the layout of Stay Behind Cave. This has yet again fuelled existing rumours that a second secret chamber exists. There is a sketch of such a chamber in our research files, it originated from an MI6 source. Further information has come from a former GCHQ telegraphist which suggests that tandem Operation Tracer units operated during the Suez crisis, so this may also have been the case in Gibraltar. Although it is very possible that Dr Coopers memory is playing tricks with him, it has nevertheless been prudent to conduct a series of searches of the Upper Rock during January 2007. A number of key areas have been identified within MOD property. As yet nothing has been discovered.

When Dr Cooper was shown photographs and diagrams of the OP (Observation Post) found in 1996, he felt very strongly that it was not what he experienced in 1942. Further questioning with the aid of aerial photographs and views of Gibraltar only reinforced his opinion that he was not involved with anything at the southern area of the Rock which is the location of the OP discovered in 1996. He also described his OP as having no stairways leading to the lookout holes. His firm opinion, despite faded memories was of lookout holes being at opposite ends of the same room. This is not the case with the 1996 discovery.

Discussions are currently taking place in the hope of bringing Dr Cooper to Gibraltar to reunite him with Stay Behind Cave or to possibly identify the whereabouts of a second secret chamber.