Source: N/K.
Introduction:
Standing on the Essex-Hertfordshire border near Roydon, Briggens House Hotel (now derelict) had a very different role during World War II. Initially used to train Poland’s elite special forces, the Cichociemni, the country house became the centre to produce counterfeit documents using miniature and microphotography techniques. Known as Station XIV, the training centre for the Cichociemni was moved to Audley End in late 1942.
Capt. Morton Bisset, a R.E officer was recruited by SOE to set up the forgery unit in the basement to provide forged documents for agents operating in various underground Resistance movements in occupied Europe.
The forgery team consisted of just three Polish civilians, Sapper technicians from the R.E Survey companies, a handwriting expert from New Scotland Yard and an engraver from de la Rue. The team was supported by FANNYS covering administrative, domestic services and transport. The unit was officially called the False Documentation Section.
The Polish Team:
The Polish section was headed by Jerzy (Jerry) Maciejewski started working at ST XIV on 3rd September and completed his duties on 3rd September 1945. Pre-war he pre-war employee of the Independent Technical Section of Section II (Intelligence) of the Polish General Staff. He had married an Englishwoman, Winifred in 1943 and changed his name to George Macie and only revealed his wartime role just before his death in 2004 (Turner, 2022). He was part of the Polish Resettlement programme based in Glasgow, Kirkaldy, Geilston camp, Cardross and Monthreathmont (Turner, 2022). It is thought ‘George’ destroyed many documents and photos prior to his death.
‘George’ was assisted by another civilian, Ludwig Surała who applied to work for the Air Ministry after the war in its photographic unit. Little is known of his war and post war activities. The other member of the team was Dariusz Sobierajczyk who was taught to print forged stamps and like the other team members, little is known.
In terms of operations, the litho printer was in one of the larger basement rooms with the camera and dark room in the other. The forgeries included Soviet documentation (Turner, 2022). Photos of agents and the Cichociemni were taken in the stables. Communication with SOE was through VI Bureau which was a cumbersome process. As the workload increased, the stables were utilised for photography and printing with a further two huts built adjacent to the main house (Turner, 2022).
In total, the centre produced approximately 275,000 various documents for resistance movements across occupied Europe during the war, including about 50 million occupation-era złotys’ for the Home Army.
Source: Daily Telegraph/ Des Turner
The printing of war-time counterfeit złotys’ by the AK was known, but not how or where. During the renovation of the National Development Bank (BGK) a matrix (die) for a lithographic plate was discovered under a wooden floor (Webber, 2025). The matrix is not complete as it lacks counterfeiting elements. The banknotes were called Młynarski after Feliks Młynarski persuaded the Germans to accept the Polish language would be retained on the notes and the name Złoty. The printed notes were of small denominations to avoid attracting scrutiny. It is thought the forgers were PWB/17/S who distributed 8 million złotys’ of 100 złoty notes (Webber, 2025). The mystery deepens as the bank never printed money since the building was occupied by the Germans. Some think the matrix had been confiscated and used to trace forgeries. It must be also understood the Cichociemni parachuted into Poland carried huge sums of currency and an amount of gold to fund the clandestine underground war (See https://polandinexile.com/article/cichociemni-the-role-of-couriers/). Juliusz ‘Julek’ Kulesza who was the last survivor to know the story, sadly died on the day of discovery.
Source: TVP World/ BGK.
Selected References:
Turner, D. (2022) “The Secrets of Station 14: Briggens House, SOE’s Forgery and Polish Elite Agent Training Station”, The History Press, UK.
Webber, A. (2025) “WWII-era matrix used to counterfeit bank notes discovered in Warsaw bank”, TVP World, (Accessed 01.08.2026).
Selected Websites
https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/01/a3701701.shtml – Briggens House.
