The idea of the Polish Embassy in Morocco, the app will allow users to follow in the footsteps of Major Mieczysław Słowikowski, an intelligence officer credited with supplying vital information ahead of Operation Torch in 1942.

“This will be an opportunity to discover the history that took place in Morocco during the Second World War, to explore Morocco in the 1940s through the eyes of the heroes of that era,” the embassy said in a press release.

Titled Agent PL, the embassy has promised this will be more than just a standard app, rather “a gateway to history, offering a unique experience in augmented reality.”

Handing users roles as virtual agents of the Polish Intelligence Service, the app will follow the form of a ‘real-world game’.

“Its goal is to show us the historical traces of Major Słowikowski in the real space of Morocco,” wrote the embassy. To do so, users will be given tasks, answer messages and follow leads to specific points.

“Leveraging geolocation technology, the application will guide you to significant locations, and with the assistance of Augmented Reality technology, the story will come to life on your phone’s screen,” said the embassy.

Słowikowski’s astonishing story

Born in 1896, Mieczysław Słowikowski escaped from Kyiv to France at the start of World War Two, and then onwards onto Britain after France’s surrender. Already heavily involved in espionage, Słowikowski, who operated under the codename of Rygor, was assigned to North Africa in 1941 to establish and head an intelligence network.

As cover, he founded an oatmeal factory that became such a commercial success that its profits covered most of the agency’s expenditures. Posing as a businessman, Słowikowski roamed Algeria and Morocco, recruiting thousands of people to infiltrate administrative offices, harbors, train stations and police headquarters.

Described as “the only allied agent with a network in North Africa”, he used his vast web of contacts to glean valuable information on Nazi positions and capabilities. Helped by the cipher-breaking work of fellow Poles Gwido Langer and Maksymilian Ciężki, the knowledge gathered by Słowikowski and his team gave Allied forces the initiative in Africa.

Known as Operation Torch, Allied landings on the coasts of Morocco and Algeria began on November 8, 1942. Led by Eisenhower, the American-British coalition force numbered 400,000. Despite the enemy boasting an equal number of troops, the strength of the intelligence that the Allies had gave them a clear advantage.

As such, the entire French part of North Africa was taken within just 24-hours, and with surprisingly low casualty figures.

In recognition of his service, Słowikowski was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and America’s Legion of Merit. Settling in Britain after the war, he finally passed away in 1989. Now, with the development of the app, his name looks set to be celebrated by an entirely new generation.