Difference between revisions of "Charles Spry"
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{{short description|'''Australian security intelligence director'''}} | {{short description|'''Australian security intelligence director'''}} | ||
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| + | | image = Sir Charles Spry.jpg | ||
| + | | caption = [[Charles Spry]] | ||
| name = Charles Spry | | name = Charles Spry | ||
| nationality = Australian | | nationality = Australian | ||
Revision as of 11:33, 8 November 2026
Australian security intelligence director
| Charles Spry
| |
|---|---|
| Image |  Charles Spry |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Army officer; intelligence director |
| Known for | Director-General of Security, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation 6 July 1950 – 21 January 1970[1] |
| Predecessor | Geoffrey Reed |
Sir Charles Spry was Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) from 6 July 1950-21 January 1970.[1]
Spry told Tom Mangold in 1989 that James Angleton once claimed to him that he had knocked back at least 22 Soviet defectors as provocations. According to Mangold, the CIA and FBI later concluded all were genuine.[2]
Office held
| Office | Start | End | Predecessor | Successor | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director-General of Security, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation | 6 July 1950 | 21 January 1970 | Geoffrey Reed | Peter Barbour | [1] |
Organisation and management of ASIO
Charles Spry succeeded Geoffrey Reed at the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation in July 1950 under a revised charter issued by Robert Menzies. David Horner explains that the charter more precisely defined his responsibilities to ministers and required cooperation with other Australian and overseas security organisations.[3]
David Horner describes Spry’s creation of a central headquarters in Melbourne, bringing together branches that had previously operated in different cities. Spry emphasised graduate recruitment and improved pay relative to comparable public-service posts. He also worked closely with MI5 and sought more systematic operational coordination.[3]
External resources
- Namebase SPRY CHARLES C.F.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Directors-General of Security, archived 12 February 2010, accessed 8 November 2026.
- ↑ Tom Mangold, Cold Warrior: James Jesus Angleton - The CIA's Master Spy Hunter, Simon and Schuster, 1991, p.209.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 David Horner, The Spy Catchers: The Official History of ASIO, 1949–1963, Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2014, chapter 7.