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and challenges posed to the United Kingdom’s worldwide national interests. That the United Kingdom as a leading democratic state survived two world wars and numerous peacetime crises over the first half of the twentieth century must in part be ascribed to the success of its intelligence community, of which SIS formed (and forms) a major part. That SIS itself survived as a permanent and increasingly professional intelligence agency (though by no means perfect, and not without weaknesses and failure) further testifies to its resilience, responsiveness and esprit de corps.

Notes

PREFACE

1 The signals intelligence side is extensively covered in Hinsley, British Intelligence in the Second World War. I have in general aimed to avoid covering the same ground of this work and also that of Michael Goodman’s forthcoming Official History of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

2 See FCO Historical Branch, ‘“My Purdah Lady”’, for an outline account.

3 For useful examinations of attaché work, see Seligmann, Spies in Uniform, and Seligmann (ed.), Naval Intelligence from Germany.

4 Harker to Vivian, 14 Mar. 1935 (TNA, KV 2/1588). I am grateful to Phil Tomaselli for this reference.

5 Admiral Alexander Bethell to Cumming, 10 Aug. 1909, an image of which may be seen on the SIS website: http://www.mi6gov.uk/output/the-bethell-letter.hmtl (accessed 20 Jan. 2010).

6 See Hinsley, British Intelligence in the Second World War.

CHAPTER 1: THE BEGINNINGS OF THE SERVICE

1 The most important single source for the early history of SIS is Mansfield Cumming’s diary, which he began to write up specifically as a record of his office work shortly after being appointed to the Secret Service Bureau. The earliest period covered by the diary, from August 1909 to January 1914 (but with substantial gaps, especially in 1911-13), exists only in a photocopy of a typescript apparently typed by Cumming himself.

2 Kennedy, Rise and Fall of the Great Powers; Howard, Continental Commitment.

3 For a review of the German threat in its various manifestations, and the British popular and official response, see Andrew, Defence of the Realm, 3-52; and Hiley, ‘Failure of British counter-espionage’.

4 Andrew, Defence of the Realm, 5-6; Andrew, Secret Service, 31-3; Jeffery, Sir Henry Wilson, 75, 90, 100-3; Hiley, ‘Failure of British espionage’.

5 Report and proceedings of CID sub-committee, Oct. 1909; conclusions of sub-committee, Apr. 1909 (TNA, CAB 16/8 and 16/232).

6 CID 103rd meeting, 24 July 1909 (TNA, CAB 2/2); Edmonds, ‘Memoirs’, ch. 20, p. 5 (Edmonds papers); memo regarding the formation of a Secret Service Bureau (TNA, KV 1/3).

7 The indispensable biographical source for Cumming is Judd, The Quest for C.; Cumming service record (TNA, ADM 196/20). For the Motor Yacht Club, see The Times, 14 Apr. 1908 and Guttridge, Royal Motor Yacht Club.

8 Grahame-White, At the Wheel, 122.

9 Bethell to Cumming, 10 Aug. 1909 (reproduced at http://www.mi6gov.uk/output/the-bethell-letter. hmtl (accessed 20 Jan. 2010)).

10 Tariff Reform, the replacement of Free Trade with national tariff barriers, had been adopted by Germany in the late nineteenth century. We are grateful to Nicholas Hiley for cracking Cumming’s code.

11 Kell diary 15-17 Nov. 1910 (TNA, KV 1/10).

12 Secret Service Bureau, minutes of meeting, 23 May 1911 (TNA, FO 1093/25).

13 Ibid., 23 Nov. 1911 (ibid.); The Times, 21 July; Wilson diary, 26 July 1911 (Wilson papers).

14 The Times, 1 and 5 Feb. 1912; note by Reginald Drake, 25 July 1947 (IWM, Payne-Best papers, SPB 3); petition by Stewart, Mar. 1914, and note by DMO, 25 May 1914 (TNA, WO 374/65422).

15 Wilson diary, 12, 18-19 Sept. 1911; Hiley, ‘Failure of British espionage’, 881-3; Secret Service Bureau, minutes of meeting, 23 Nov. 1911 (TNA, FO 1093/25).

16 Secret Service Bureau, minutes of meeting, 8 Nov. 1912 and 7 May 1913 (TNA, FO 1093/25).

17 Ibid., 7 May 1913.

18 For ‘Willie’ Clarkson, see McLaren, ‘Smoke and mirrors’.

19 Spiers, who changed the spelling of his surname to Spears in 1918, was a liaison officer with General de Gaulle