MI5 B Branch (1938-1953) - Revision history

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Organisation

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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'.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.127.</ref>

Following a 1938 re-organisation, B Branch acquired responsibility for counter-espionage and counter-subversion.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.</ref>

===Post-1953===
*[[MI5 B Branch]]
In [[Dick White]]'s 1953 re-organisation of the service, B Branch became responsible for personnel and establishments.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.327.</ref>

==Organisation==
===Directors===
*[[Joseph Ball]] - 1926.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.126.</ref>
*[[Oswald Allen Harker]]<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.98.</ref> - c.1929.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.127.</ref>
*[[Guy Liddell]] - 1939-45<ref>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.</ref>
*[[Dick White]] c.1946.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.</ref>
*[[John Marriott]] - C.1951<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.580.</ref>

===B1===
Counter-subversion.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.324.</ref>
*[[Roger Hollis]] - B1 c.1946.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.263.</ref>
====Bla====
Double agent section.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.248.</ref>
*[[Thomas Argyll Robertson]] - B1a. c.1941.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.</ref>
*[[John Marriot]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.285.</ref>
*[[Christopher Harmer]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.</ref>
*[[Hugh Astor]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.</ref>
*[[Cyril Mills]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.251.</ref>
*[[Charles Cholmondeley.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.285.</ref>
*[[Ronnie Reed]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.287.</ref>
====B1b====
Analysed [[Abwehr]] decrypts and other intelligence related to the double-cross system.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.</ref>
*[[Helenus Milmo]] B1b c.1940.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.</ref>
*[[Herbert Hart]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.</ref>
*[[Patrick Day]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.</ref>
====B1d====
[[London Reception Centre]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.251.</ref>
====B1e====
[[Camp 020]] wartime interrogation centre.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.</ref>
*Captain [[Robin Stephens]]
====B1f====
*[[Maxwell Knight]] - B1F c.1939.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.</ref>
====B1G====
Counter-Spanish espionage.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.261.</ref>
====B2====
Counter-espionage.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.324.</ref>
*[[R.T. Reed]] - B2b c.1952.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.331.</ref>

===B4===
Responsible for Soviet counter-espionage.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.</ref>
*[[James Robertson]] - B4, 1946.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.264.</ref>
*[[Kathleen Archer]] - B4a c.1939.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.</ref>
*[[Roger Hollis]] - B4a(3) c.1939.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.</ref>
===Other Officers===
*[[William Alexander]] - 1919.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.150.</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

[[Category:Spooks]][[Category:MI5]]

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 ====B1f or B5(b)====
-According to Christopher Andrew, Maxwell Knight's section was became B1F section of B Division in 1938.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.</ref> However, other sources refer to Knight's wartime section as B5(b).
+According to Christopher Andrew, Maxwell Knight's section was became B1F section of B Division in 1938.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.</ref> However, other sources refer to Knight's wartime section as B5(b).<ref>Anthony Masters, ''The Man who was M: The Life of Maxwell Knight, The real-like spymaster who inspired Ian Fleming'', Grafton Books, p.46.</ref>
 *[[Maxwell Knight]] - B1F c.1939.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.</ref>
 ====B1G====

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 ====B3a====
-Liased with [[security Intelligence Middle East]]. Responsible for dealing with Zionist terrorism and other Middle Eastern matters.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.352.</ref>
+Liased with [[Security Intelligence Middle East]]. Responsible for dealing with Zionist terrorism and other Middle Eastern matters.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.352.</ref>
 ===B4===

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 *[[Graham Mitchell]] - B1e c.1948.<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, p.384.</ref>
-====B1f====
+====B1f or B5(b)====
 *[[Maxwell Knight]] - B1F c.1939.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.</ref>
 ====B1G====
 Counter-Spanish espionage.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.261.</ref>

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Counter-subversion.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.324.</ref>
 *[[Roger Hollis]] - B1 c.1946.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.263.</ref>
 ====Bla====
 Double agent section.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.248.</ref>

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 [[London Reception Centre]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.251.</ref>
 ====B1e====
-[[Camp 020]] wartime interrogation centre.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.</ref>
+[[Camp 020]] wartime interrogation centre.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.250.</ref> Reformed in 1948 to investigate communism in the Civil Service and the professions.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.384.</ref>
-*Captain [[Robin Stephens]]
+*Captain [[Robin Stephens]] c.1941
 ====B1f====
 *[[Maxwell Knight]] - B1F c.1939.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.134.</ref>

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 Counter-espionage.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.324.</ref>
 *[[Robert Hemblys-Scales]] c.1948.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.370.</ref>
 *[[R.T. Reed]] - B2b c.1952.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.331.</ref>
 ===B4===
@@ Line 55: / Line 59: @@
 *[[Kathleen Archer]] - B4a c.1939.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.</ref>
 *[[Roger Hollis]] - B4a(3) c.1939.<ref>Chapman Pincher, ''Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage'', Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.66.</ref>
-====B3a====
 ===Other Officers===

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 *[[Hugh Astor]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.</ref>
 *[[Cyril Mills]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.251.</ref>
-*[[Charles Cholmondeley.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.285.</ref>
+*[[Charles Cholmondeley]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.285.</ref>
 *[[Ronnie Reed]]<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.287.</ref>
 ====B1b====
 Analysed [[Abwehr]] decrypts and other intelligence related to the double-cross system.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.249.</ref>