Page 152 - JSOM Summer 2020

No Crown of Laurels

An Account of the Author’s Plastic Surgery on
Resistance Leaders and of Their Adventures

No Crown of Laurels

Secret Surgeon

Borodin G. No Crown of Laurels: An Account of the Author’s Plastic Surgery on Resistance Leaders and of Their Adventures.
London, UK: Werner Laurie, Ltd; 1950. ASIN:B0000CHO0V; OCLC:316094528. 224 pages, hardcover.
Sava G. No Crown of Laurels. London, UK: Werner Laurie, Ltd; 1950. ASIN:B0000CHO0V.
Sava G. Secret Surgeon. London, UK: William Kimber; 1979. ISBN-10:0718300068; ISBN-13:978-0718300067.
Review by COL (Ret) Warner “Rocky” D. Farr, MD, MPH

o, this issue of book reviews starts with the reviewing were found. The most common procedures were bridgework
of three different books by two different authors? No, and other dental procedures to approximate the look of “Con-
Snot so fast. It seems George Borodin and George Sava tinental bridgework.” No precise accounts of actual plastic
3
were the same individual, a Russian exile physician and plastic procedures were available except Dr Bankoff’s fictionalized
surgeon named Bankoff who practiced in England. All total accounts in his two, but really one, book that I selected for this
he seems to have published over 120 books, most of which he book review. (Another $10.00 special from Amazon.com.) He
called fiction. He also commonly recycled material and whole died in 1996. His accounts were discarded as fictional works
4
stories into his later books. He was born as George Bankoff in until seventy years after the end of World War II when the
1903 and published under at least six pseudonyms. He also SOE unit records were finally opened in the British National
1
admits to routinely fictionalizing actual accounts of real peo- Archives at Kew, outside London.
ple to produce his “fictional” works.
At that time, personnel files of Bankoff
Why bother with this probably plagia- and of several of his patients were dis-
ristic author? Well, he was most proba- covered. They supported his SOE career
bly also a Special Forces Operative. First but left confused the amount of fiction-
a quote from the publisher: alization in his works. One paper from
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his SOE file interestingly enough was an
“Publisher’s Note. During the re- informed consent form signed by both
cent war, the author, in private life Dr Bankoff and Danish SOE Operative
a famous plastic surgeon, actually Flemming Maus and now is in the col-
operated on various Resistance lection of the Imperial War Museum in
leaders, who had been smuggled London. The purpose of the surgery is
into this country, so that they might listed as “the object of which is to alter my face.” 6
return to carry out their arduous duties unrecognized
by friends and relations, or more important still, by It is a pleasure to recommend a now somewhat validated story
their enemies in the Gestapo.
of the career of an SOE plastic surgeon. Enjoy.
In the interest of security, however, he has cast this
story in fictitious mould by giving imaginary names References/Notes
to the leading characters and by adapting events and 1. Born George Bankoff. Pseudonyms include George Sava, George
circumstances. Nevertheless, in spirit and theme ‘No Borodin, George Braddon, Peter Conway, and Alec Redwood. Re-
trieved April 13, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sava
Crown of Laurels’ is a true memorial to those lonely 2. Borodin G. No Crown of Laurels: An Account of the Author’s
heroes who lived anonymously and died ungrudg- Plastic Surgery on Resistance Leaders and of Their Adventures.
ingly for the cause of freedom.” 2 London, UK: Werner Laurie, Ltd; 1950:5.
3. Bailey R. Perspectives. The secret scalpel: plastic surgery for war-
Random stories in personal memoirs of former members of time disguise. Lancet. 2014;384:1421.
the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) would hint 4. George Bankoff obituary. The Times, March 21, 1996, p. 23.
or occasionally surface in the post war era concerning cases 5. Perrin N. Undercover operators: fakery, passing and the special
operations executive. J Intellig Hist. 2017;16:43–44.
of plastic surgery or dentistry performed on SOE Operatives 6. Bailey R. The secret scalpel: plastic surgery for wartime disguise.
prior to deployment during the war but no official records Lancet. 2014;384:1423.

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