25. The Jailbird Who Did Good
Eddie Chapman (1914 – 1997) was a safecracker, thief, crook, and all-around career criminal, who became the only Englishman ever awarded a German Iron Cross. It was ironic on many levels, because he was also one of history’s most colorful double-crossers. He fed the Germans false information that derailed the effectiveness of their “Vengeance Weapons”, and likely saved the lives of thousands of Londoners.
Raised in a dysfunctional family, Chapman was a criminal from early on. He enlisted at age 17, but within a few months grew bored and deserted. When the army caught up with him, he was sentenced to a prison stint and a dishonorable discharge. After his release, he turned to fraud and crime to support a gambling habit and a taste for fine drinks.