John Bingham (Lord Clanmorris)
John Bingham, Lord Clanmorris, (1908-1988) also known as Michael Ward, was a British novelist and intelligence officer, reputed to be the inspiration for the character George Smiley, created by his former colleague David Cornwell (John Le Carré).[1]
Bingham joined MI5 in 1940.[2] During World War Two, he worked as Maxwell Knight's deputy in B5(b) section at 308 Hood House, Dolphin Square.[3]
Bingham rejoined MI5 in 1950 after two years on Fleet Street.[2]
According to Mike Hughes, Bingham became head of MI5's F4 agent-running section after Knight's retirement in the mid-1950s.[4]
Bingham inherited the title of Lord Clanmorris in 1960.[2]
He retired from MI5 in 1979.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Smiley's model, LA Times, 23 December 2007.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Man Who Was George Smiley: The Life of John Bingham, Andrew Lownie Literary Agency, accessed 5 June 2015.
- ↑ Anthony Masters, The Man who was M: The Life of Maxwell Knight, The real-like spymaster who inspired Ian Fleming, Grafton Books, p.101.
- ↑ Mike Hughes, Spies at Work, Chapter Nine.
