MI5 B Branch (1938-1953)
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MI5 B Branch was a key investigative branch of MI5 from the 1920s to the 1940s.
History
In 1929, an early incarnation of B Branch was responsible for 'investigations and inquiries'.[1]
Following a 1938 re-organisation, B Branch acquired responsibility for counter-espionage and counter-subversion.[2]
Post-1953
In Dick White's 1953 re-organisation of the service, B Branch became responsible for personnel and establishments.[3]
Organisation
Directors
- Joseph Ball - 1926.[4]
- Oswald Allen Harker[5] - c.1929.[6]
- Guy Liddell - 1939-45[7]
- Dick White c.1946.[8]
- John Marriott - C.1951[9]
B1
Counter-subversion.[10]
- Roger Hollis - B1 c.1946.[11]
- Graham Mitchell - B1 c.1949.[12]
Bla
Double agent section.[13]
- Thomas Argyll Robertson - B1a. c.1941.[14]
- John Marriot[15]
- Christopher Harmer[16]
- Hugh Astor[17]
- Cyril Mills[18]
- Charles Cholmondeley.[19]
- Ronnie Reed[20]
B1b
Analysed Abwehr decrypts and other intelligence related to the double-cross system.[21]
- Helenus Milmo B1b c.1940.[22]
- Herbert Hart[23]
- Patrick Day[24]
B1d
B1e
Camp 020 wartime interrogation centre.[26] Reformed in 1948 to investigate communism in the Civil Service and the professions.[27]
- Captain Robin Stephens c.1941
- Graham Mitchell - B1e c.1948.[28]
B1f or B5(b)
According to Christopher Andrew, Maxwell Knight's section was became B1F section of B Division in 1938.[29] However, other sources refer to Knight's wartime section as B5(b).[30]
- Maxwell Knight - B1F c.1939.[31]
- Bill Younger - Knight's personal assistant.[32]
- John Bingham - Knight's deputy.[32]
- Philip Brocklehurst.[32]
- Norman Himsworth - responsible for supervising anti-communist operations..[32]
- Tony Gillson.[32]
- Rex Land.[32]
- Guy Poston.[32]
- Joan Wheatley.[32]
- Joan Miller.[32]
B1G
Counter-Spanish espionage.[33]
B2
Counter-espionage.[34]
- Robert Hemblys-Scales c.1948.[35]
- Arthur Martin - B2b c.1948.[36]
- R.T. Reed - B2b c.1952.[37]
B3a
Liased with Security Intelligence Middle East. Responsible for dealing with Zionist terrorism and other Middle Eastern matters.[38]
B4
Responsible for Soviet counter-espionage.[39]
- James Robertson - B4, 1946.[40]
- Kathleen Archer - B4a c.1939.[41]
- Roger Hollis - B4a(3) c.1939.[42]
Other Officers
- William Alexander - 1919.[43]
Notes
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.127.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.327.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.126.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.98.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.127.
- ↑ Chris Hastings and Fiona Govan, MI6 urged Churchill to nuke Berlin The fear of Germany's V2 rockets in 1944 led Britain to consider the ultimate reprisal, Sunday Telegraph, 1 December 2002.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.580.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.324.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.263.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.384.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.248.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.285.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.251.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.285.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.287.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.251.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.384.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.384.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.
- ↑ Anthony Masters, The Man who was M: The Life of Maxwell Knight, The real-like spymaster who inspired Ian Fleming, Grafton Books, p.46.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 32.6 32.7 32.8 Anthony Masters, The Man who was M: The Life of Maxwell Knight, The real-like spymaster who inspired Ian Fleming, Grafton Books, p.101.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.261.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.324.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.370.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.370.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.331.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.352.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.264.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.150.