Every object tells a story, as our members know from multiple visits and behind-the-scenes tours.
A story can be found in a pair of deerhide mittens beaded by a Cree grandmother. Or in the iconic costume of a Canadian pop star. Or in a Soviet-made pistol gifted to a Yugoslav defector.
Photo: Courtesy of Stéphane Brazeau
During the Second World War, when barely out of his teens, Gregovich fought with Yugoslav partisans against the Nazis. He also worked with the UK Special Operations Executive (SOE), which undermined the enemy through clandestine activities, including sabotage.
After the war, he served under Josip Broz Tito in Yugoslavia, before deciding to defect to the West in the 1950s. Gregovich, an avid gun collector and keen target shooter, used a trip to Italy to purchase a rare gun as a cover for his defection.
After fleeing to the UK, he was debriefed by MI5. A charismatic and witty man, he worked for the BBC’s European Services, which broadcast to Yugoslavia and behind the Iron Curtain. When Gregovich decided to emigrate to Canada in 1960, MI5 presented him with a Margolin MTS-1 pistol as a souvenir. Because of his background, and because he’d met Ian Fleming — creator of James Bond — the box was jokingly inscribed “Agent 0011.”
After he passed away in Toronto in 2000, the Gregovich family generously donated the pistol and its case to the War Museum. Both are on view in a display dedicated to “Agent 0011,” in the section on Cold War espionage in the Museum’s Canadian Experience Gallery 4.
As our members know, history is told through objects. Whether it is a keepsake crafted by a friend, a memento of a life-changing experience, or a family heirloom, objects reflect who we are. If you haven’t yet seen this Cold War story at the War Museum, be sure to check it out on your next visit.
In today’s world of rapidly shifting alliances, Cold War history is highly relevant. The pistol that once belonged to Milos Gregovich tells the story of one man’s journey through that era’s complex geopolitical landscape.
Not a member? To learn more about the many benefits of membership — including unlimited visits, discounts, and special events and invitations — please contact Stéphane Brazeau at stephane.brazeau@historymuseum.ca.
