Newsletter of theFriends of The Intelligence Corps Museum

Sub Rosa

DISTRIBUTION GUIDANCE While this newsletter does not include classified information, it is intended for the personal use of FICM members,

their families and close friends only. Your co-operation in observing this guidance is much appreciated!

WELCOME TO SUB ROSA IN THE WINTER!E Newsletter 12 - Winter 2015

This edition has an attractive mix of the historical, recollections and reviews, with strongencouragement to make more use of our website. Many admirable contributions are putthere for simple reasons of limited space in the newsletter. On the back page, read aboutnext year’s fascinating Lunch with Lectures on Borneo and BRIXMIS. September sawa well-supported open-day lunch and trustees’ meeting, followed by an interesting talkfrom the Legion of Frontiersmen. René Dee has been FICM’s observer at the museumtrustees’ meetings, keeping both trusts abreast of each other’s activities. Anotherhighlight has been our large donation to the Corps’ archive for its computer upgrade –just what the Friends are for! Thank you to our own donors, and thank you for thearticles and letters – keep them coming!

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! Ed.

www.intelligencemuseum.org

BIG I.T. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARCHIVE by Joyce HuttonJust over four months ago the archive consisted of four separatecomputers with different operating systems and software, three separateprinters and one scanner. We are now the proud possessor of an internalLAN consisting of a small server, four networked computers, twonetworked printers, one scanner and a laptop docking station all of whichwas made possible by the generosity of the Friends.

It is hard for those that have not lived with the previous system tocomprehend how frustrating and time-consuming it could be. Thesimplest task, such as saving to a disc in order to transfer informationwould depend on whether a particular computer would accept theparticular format or not! Whilst the museum database, MODES, could beaccessed by two operators thanks to a bit of computer magic by MikeCooksey, it could be a particularly slow and painful business for the secondoperator. Now those days are well and truly gone. The network enablesfiles to be accessed from any of the four computers and for printing from either of the two printers. All the computers now have the samesoftware capability with an SD card reader attached; we even have a separate floppy disc drive donated by David Cooper of M.A.S.S. Computerswho set up the system. The MODES database is stored on the server so is much quicker and easier for both operators to access at the sametime – with the capacity to expand to additional operators. (Continued on page 3.)

The new server Photo: CIGY

What’s Inside?

An Air Recce First?Deciphering Linear BA Sad DefectionCorps Boy SoldierDetective WorkArmed Forces CovenantIn the Canal ZoneLetters to the Editor – NEW!New Member of StaffPlanned Events 2016In Remembrance

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12120_FOTICM_Newsletter_Newsletter 30/11/2015 15:28 Page 1

www.intelligencemuseum.org

DISTRIBUTION GUIDANCEWhile this newsletter does not include classified information, it is intended for the personal use of FICM members,

their families and close friends only. Your co-operation in observing this guidance is much appreciated.

Newsletter No.14, Summer 2016

Brian Parritt

Photos: BP

Brian Parritt becomes a FICM TrusteeOne of FICM’s longest serving life members, Brigadier (retd) Brian Parritt, now fills its newest post, that of Honorary President of the organisation. And there could hardly be a more appropriate name to add to our notepaper.

Many Friends attended the Corps Day lunch at Chicksands on 16 July. After animated chatter over drinks served in front of The Priory, luncheon guests trooped in to the strains of music from the Band of the King’s Division. Of note was the presence of one of two Chelsea Pensioners who were in the Corps: Mick Kippin. Corps Secretary John Jarvis opened the batting for awards and speeches, and the main message came from the lunch’s host, Major General J R Hockenhall OBE, Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps. First of all, he paid a warm tribute to families of the Corps’ fallen who were present at lunch. Then he referred to the reserve component of the Corps pointing out that it represented

increased capability, not just increased mass. Then to the current self-assertive activity in the Corps in creating its own vision, ‘we will own our own future’. Finally, he stressed the importance of the ‘Corps family’ citing those actually present in the same tent, whom I might term the three Rs: the regulars, the reserves, and not least the retired. (And let’s not forget the Friends!) n (Ed.)

Brian served for 37 years, firstly as a Royal Artillery officer in the Korean War, and then with the Corps, of which he became Director. His book The Intelligencers (Pen and Sword, 2011) is a comprehensive history of British military intelligence from the Middle Ages to 1929.The Intelligence Corps Museum began almost covertly as ‘training premises’ at Ashford in the late 1960s, with Brian as its inspiration. And when the Corps itself moved to Chicksands in 1997 it was Brian who made sure the museum moved too, arranging for the provision of the building it now occupies.After half a century of involvement as one of its board of trustees – which he chaired until 2008

– Brian retired as a trustee earlier this year.Unwilling to let him escape completely after being so intimately involved for so long, FICM invited Brian to become its first honorary president.We were delighted that he accepted, telling the Friends: ‘From the beginning, we were clear that the aim of the Intelligence Corps Museum was to fill the vacuum of knowledge that existed, especially in our young soldiers and officers, of the service, skills, successes and sacrifices of those who had worn our cap badge in the past. The Friends are fulfilling this aim with remarkable success.’ nby Tony Hetherington

CORPS DAY 2016 ‘The Corps Family’

What’s inside?Eye In The Sky ........................ 2‘Before Action’ ....................... 2Charles De Salis ..................... 3 Pimms on the terrace ............ 3Intelligance in East Africa .............................. 4French lessons for soldiers .... 5‘Agincorps’ .............................. 6John Buchan’s menu card ..... 6Letters ..................................... 7I want to be in the Int Corps! ......................... 7Lunch & Lectures 2016 .......... 8Notices & Notes ...................... 8Editorial ................................. 8FICM joins BAfM .................... 8

Photo: CY

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SUB ROSA AT THE CINEMA

Eye In The Sky Directed by Gavin Haywood, 2015

‘Before Action’

On Friday, 15 April 2016 Helen Mirren in Corps stable-belt hit the UK screens with Eye in the Sky. The film opens with her waking in the night, her partner slumbering alongside. As Colonel Katherine Powell, her pay band stretches to a pretty swanky pad in Surrey complete with an adjoining garage conversion fitted out as a sort of incident room studio. The burdens of administration, human resource planning, contractors and budgets don’t seem to get in the way of her proper soldiering posting at Northwood. Born Illiana Lydia Petrovna Mironova, Mirren at 70 brings Superintendent Jane Tennison to the Corps. Already in some reviews she has been bumped up to General Powell and when it comes to star ratings the film seems

to be coming in at three or four.

Watching the film in Camden Town, North London, deep in Tennison’s Prime Suspect territory, surreal would be the word that comes to mind. The afternoon saw reports of a suspected drone actually slamming into BA727 Heathrow-bound from Geneva with 132 passengers and five crew aboard. The Category A incident, the most serious rating, occurred not that far from Northwood. Understandably, general commentary on drones has ramped up. Eye in the Sky previously premiered in Toronto 11 September 2015 and has featured in reports back to October 2014.

Puzzlingly, at just over 90 minutes the film was shorter than the 102 or 104 minutes, Cert 15, billed. This is not a film to doze off in, so where are the missing minutes? Mirren, three floors down, observing the Nairobi-based action (filmed in South Africa), does not get to leave her Northwood bunker. However it seems there were scenes including 4x4 chases where Raindog, the film’s makers, bought in a super-fit Cape Town body double thirty-nine years Mirren’s junior. These seem not to have survived the cutting room floor. Perhaps imagery will surface in a sequel, Stereo in the Sky?

The theme and Reaper choreography cry out for 3D wizardry but the budget had to accommodate an enormous payroll. For a full seven minutes the credits roll up, including huge numbers of carpenters and other trades. One name to catch the eye is the UK military adviser to the film, former Royal Artillery Major Chris Lincoln-Jones. Sixty years old and now in consultancy,

his military career included weapons inspecting for the UN and he offered expert commentary to the BBC on 2003 Gulf War artillery deployment.

Professor Severus Snape of Harry Potter, aka Hans Gruber of Die Hard, surfaces as Lieutenant General Frank Benson and the late Alan Rickman in his last screen appearance gives a creditable performance. Looking back, the question for either officer must be, what do they do with their headgear? It is absent most of the time and Mirren’s immaculate hair does not seem to be compromised by her trusty dark-blue beret, glimpsed once as she drives home to her partner perhaps still asleep, snoring through it all.

If there are any problems with Colonel Powell’s or Lieutenant General Benson’s backstories, the good news is that we can all create, correct and enrich them.

There is an open invitation at www.imdb.com/character/ch0521505/ and as at 18 April the canvas was blank. Perhaps Colonel Powell could be persuaded to contribute a regular column in Sub Rosa. n

Alan Rickman’s last screen appearance

By all the glories of the day And the cool evening’s benison, By that last sunset touch that lay Upon the hills when day was done, By beauty lavishly outpoured And blessings carelessly received, By all the days that I have lived Make me a soldier, Lord.

By all of all man’s hopes and fears, And all the wonders poets sing, The laughter of unclouded years, And every sad and lovely thing; By the romantic ages stored With high endeavour that was his, By all his mad catastrophes Make me a man, O Lord.

I, that on my familiar hill, Saw with uncomprehending eyes A hundred of thy sunsets spill Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice, Ere the sun swings his noonday sword Must say good-bye to all of this;– By all delights that I shall miss Help me to die, O Lord.

REMEMEMBERING THE SOMME

By William Noel Hodgson (1893 – 1916) Died on the first morning of the battle

http://www.warpoets. org/poets/william-noel-hodgson-1893-1916/

Artist impression

by Lester Hillman

3

HISTORICAL NOTE SEPTEMBER EVENTCharles de Salis ‘A very brave man’

by Fred Judge

He was born in 1911 and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and Oxford where he read modern languages. Nothing is known of his military career except that he was commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in August 1941. He was recruited into the SIS in Glenalmond House, St Albans, where he was interviewed by two men, one of whom was Kim Philby who subsequently recruited him. In August 1943 he was posted to Lisbon as a passport control officer. He was tasked with gathering intelligence on the activities of the German Intelligence Service (GIS) in Portugal as a member of SIS’s Section V. In this he was singularly successful and his efforts resulted in Portugal’s dictator, Antonio Salazar, coming to realise that the Axis posed a greater problem to his country than the Allies.

De Salis, (whose field name in Portugal was Cobb) helped by ‘Klop’ Ustinov, the father of Peter, successfully ran a number of agents. One of Klop’s tasks was to turn German agents on behalf of de Salis. Otto John, the head of Lufthansa, who was involved in the plot against Hitler, was also one of his ‘clients’. John was about to be arrested by the Germans when de Salis managed to smuggle him out of the country and back to the UK. (John later became the Head of the West German Security Service, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz. In 1954 he either defected or was kidnapped (as he maintained) to East Germany; he returned a short while later, but remained under permanent suspicion).

In October 1943 de Salis found himself running a German agent named Johann ‘Johnny’ Jebsen. Jebsen was a close friend of Tricycle and also an officer with the Abwehr. He was also vehemently anti-Nazi, something which Tricycle passed on to his British handlers. (Tricycle’s real name was Dusan ‘Dusko’ Popov, who had arrived in the UK as an agent of the GIS. Popov was doubled and given the field name of

Tricycle, apparently because he enjoyed three-in-a-bed sex. His German field name was Ivan). In due course, Jebsen was recruited by SIS and given the field name of Artist. He proved to be an excellent agent and took innumerable risks which eventually led to him being recalled to Berlin by the Abwehr for investigation regarding the fraudulent use of funds rather than treason. However, he was unable to avoid the attention of the Gestapo and it is believed that he

was subsequently executed. This situation was not well received by de Salis who, although informed that one of Artist’s sub-sources was considered unreliable, was furious when he discovered that he had not been given the whole story and that Artist may well have been ‘sacrificed’ by MI5. Nevertheless, the Double Cross Committee remained deeply disturbed by the thought that Artist might be broken by the Gestapo and so blow the whole system; however, he revealed nothing – a very brave man.

After the war, de Salis’s acquaintanceship with Philby, although cordial during the war, was in retrospect badly tainted by the realisation that Philby had passed information on some of his operations to the Soviets; the lives of a number of his agents were subsequently lost. Sometime after the war de Salis was posted to Paris as the Section IX representative, where

he gathered intelligence on the French Communist Party, followed by a posting to Copenhagen and finally to Rio de Janeiro. He retired in 1966, relinquished his commission and was granted honorary major.

He took a job as a language master at Ashford Grammar School near his home of Appledore in Kent. He was awarded the MBE in 1946, the London Gazette entries showing him as ‘employed in a Department of the Foreign Office’, and upgraded to CBE in 1967, ‘… lately Grade 4 Officer, Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service, Her Majesty’s Embassy, Rio de Janeiro’. n

Pimm’s on the Terrace

by Tony Hetherington

In general, it is perfectly true that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. However … all members of FICM are invited to our next event, Pimm’s on the Terrace, at Chicksands on Friday 2 September. Includes buffet lunch – and yes, there is no charge for members.

We shall be gathering at The Priory (the officers’ mess) at 11.00 for tea and coffee. This is a social event, but there will be a (very) informal meeting at 11.30, at which the FICM trustees will welcome members’ ideas and proposals, both for our work in connection with the museum and for future events.

This will be followed by lunch including Pimm’s and soft drinks. The museum will be open to visitors of course, and there will be guided tours of The Priory, which played a significant role in World War Two.

To help with catering, please let us know if you will be coming. If you would like to bring guests, for whom the charge is £10 per head, they will be very welcome. As always, members and guests without a current pass to Chicksands must provide beforehand: full names; nationality; passport or driving licence number; if driving, the vehicle number, make, model, colour; and bring photo ID.

Please provide your acceptances, entry details and cheques no later than 24 August, to Chris Yates at cigyates@me.com

Thank you

Although there are two or three entries for de Salis in the Intelligence Corps museum archives, it has not been possible to accurately reconcile them with Charles de Salis. However, it seems likely that the C E de Salis recorded in the databases is the man in question.

He died on 27th

February 2007 aged 96.

Photo: With permission of José António Barreiros (24 Land website)

4

HISTORICAL NOTE

Intelligence in the East Africa Campaign of 1914-1918 by Dr Anne Samson

Great War in Africa Association and Special Advisor to the Legion of Frontiersmen,

Historical and Archives Section

The name synonymous with intelligence in East Africa during World War I is Richard Meinertzhagen. Reading his various published records of the campaign, one would

be forgiven for thinking he was the only intelligence officer in the theatre. However, Meinertzhagen was one of at least 120 who have medal cards at The National Archives in Kew and, according to Charles Hordern’s Official History, of at least 3,000 intelligence gatherers. Most of those involved in intelligence work went under the label ‘scout’ although there was a Military Intelligence Department in operation in Nairobi from August 1914 which later fell under the command of Major Meinertzhagen when he became attached to the General Staff in 1916.

In his role on the General Staff, in March 1916 Meinertzhagen produced updated Intelligence Notes on British and German East Africa. The previous edition had been issued in December 1915. Later, on 6 August 1916, his name appeared on Intelligence Supplement No. 5, being the first revision of notes on the officers serving with the enemy forces in German East Africa. This important little document, finalised in July 1916 in Korogwe, contains the signatures and known information of all German officers in East Africa at the time. One assumes these signatures were obtained through Meinertzhagen’s infamous DPM (Dirty Paper Method) of intelligence gathering.

Having previously served in East Africa between 1902 and 1906, Meinertzhagen was appointed to General Arthur Aitken’s Indian Expeditionary Force B as intelligence officer to advise on the landing at Tanga in November 1914. Captain Meinertzhagen (GSO3, Intelligence) claims his advice was limited whilst Brian Garfield, his most antagonistic biographer to date, suggests that Meinertzhagen fabricated reports after the failure at Tanga noting that Meinertzhagen was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel JD Mackay. Whatever the truth, the reality was that Meinertzhagen retained his position after Tanga whilst Aitken was removed from military command for the remainder of the war. As an intelligence officer Meinertzhagen saw commanders come and go – Aitken, Jimmy Stewart, Richard Wapshare, Michael Tighe and finally Jan Smuts. The last, deciding that Meinertzhagen was in need of a rest after two solid years in the field, had him returned to Britain with a glowing report. Meinertzhagen,

though, was scathing about the paucity of intelligence work in East Africa. His concern was supported by the Official History which noted that attempts had been made by the Indian Army headquarters in 1904 and 1911 to obtain information concerning East Africa, in case they were called to serve in that theatre. However, their requests had been in vain. Although officers who had been on hunting trips reported what they knew, as did the British consul at Dar-es-Salaam, Norman King, the governor’s office failed to pass the information on.

Despite the reluctance of the colonial government to gather intelligence before the outbreak of war, in August 1914 a headquarters was set up in Nairobi and intelligence gathering begun. This was mainly done through the assistant district commissioners at the border posts of Kisii, Taveta and Vanga. Settlers too became involved in intelligence gathering. For example, Captain RB Woosnam headed up an intelligence section in the west of the country. Under him, Lord Delamere organised a group of Masai scouts to gather information. Others included J Postma who worked with D’robo hunters, Berkley Cole with the Somali Scouts, Wavell with the Arabs and various settler groups such as Arnoldi’s Scouts. Brian Herne provides an overview in White Hunters: The Golden Age of African Safaris of the many hunters who served Britain during the war in intelligence roles. Many of these men became part of the East African Mounted Rifles (CJ Willson) before those who, in 1916, were still able were distributed among other regiments such as the King’s African Rifles. Invariably, intelligence gatherers tended to fulfil the role of advance guard and fighter, participating in many skirmishes as ably described by Hamilton Wende in his novel The King’s Shilling.

March 1916 marked a change in the direction and energy of the fighting in East Africa, not least in the realm of intelligence gathering. One of the most successful forms of intelligence gathering was air observation by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The first airbase was set up at Maktau in the Tsavo area. Cherry Kearton, 25th Royal Fusiliers (Legion

of Frontiersmen), found himself seconded to the service because of his expertise with the camera and his knowledge of the terrain. He had been a pioneering wildlife photographer who worked with hunting parties such as that by Roosevelt in 1911, led by Frederick Courtney Selous. Kearton, together with Selous, had been recruited by Colonel Daniel Patrick Driscoll as intelligence officers for the 25th.

In Maktau, Kearton set up his own development base in a black box. This was groundbreaking as generally photographs had to be sent to the nearest town or city to be developed – in the case of Maktau to Nairobi or even possibly England while those taken during the Lake Tanganyika Expedition were sent to Cape Town. This invariably meant a delay and outdated intelligence as well as the leaking of potential actions. Kearton, being able to develop his film on the ground and knowing the area intimately, was able to provide up-to-date, useful intelligence. Later in the war, the RNAS set up the 8th Squadron based on Zanzibar Island and this became the centre for film and photography intelligence. On the mainland, 26th Squadron comprising South African pilots, worked on numerous fronts – dropping bombs and propaganda leaflets as well as gathering intelligence. In order to identify their own side, white sheets (where possible) were laid out on the ground, but this was not completely foolproof.

Gathering intelligence over the expanse of territory was difficult, communications proved a challenge: radios if they existed were large and cumbersome, liable to damage crossing rivers and being dropped when porters and others fled. Laying cables proved fruitless as rains washed them away and wild animals destroyed them, including when they were strung between poles above ground level. Heliograph, where there was high land, and runners proved most effective but both had drawbacks too. Motorbikes were introduced under Colonel Fairweather operating in the south of the German colony

Corporal J R Battersby then attached to F O’B

Wilson’s Scouts and ‘B’ Squadron EAMR,

possibly located in the Magadi area

Photos: Jim Dawson ( Kenya)

Photo: AS

FROM THE CORPS ARCHIVE

5

French Lessons for Soldiers 1915

by Richard HarperWhilst reviewing some accessioned documents in the archive recently I came upon the above booklet. Having been lucky enough to immerse myself in French and German, I can never quite grasp how phrase books like these are of any real help. Speak the phrase but can you understand the answer?

but often these were abandoned in favour of foot. The noise of the motorbike gave the rider away and more often than not, the terrain caused damage to axles and other mechanical parts.

Another challenge was the accuracy of information obtained from local sources. Meinertzhagen records how he dealt with a double agent he had discovered in the Tsavo region while Maya Alexandri in her novel, The Celebration Husband, provides some insight into how intelligence gathering, including that by women, occurred in the same arena. The intelligence officer had to use his skills and awareness of the terrain, even in territory he did not know. Kearton noted that he was able to ascertain when he was being led into an ambush, however, risk-taking was necessary. Many of the hunters knew that loyalty was given to the leader believed to be the strongest and if the invading force was felt to have the upper hand, allegiance would change. In many areas, the British were seen to be stronger or more steadfast than the Germans and their positions were protected. Given Selous’s standing in Africa, his death at Beho-Beho can be attributed to the fact that he was leading his men through an area which had greater loyalty to the Germans and his position was given away. In areas where the British were believed to be stronger, the exact location of British troops would be more protected. In contrast, Philip Pretorius, the South African scout and elephant hunter who found the German cruiser Konigsberg, was protected by his men through German territory after he had been wounded by the Germans at the start of the war.

As seen by this brief overview, intelligence gathering was of greatest use and value at the local level, rather than strategically. Being shut off from the European theatre except for the occasional reinforcement being sent to Africa, intelligence gathering in East Africa did not necessarily adopt the use of the same terms and practices accepted in the European theatres. This has resulted in the role of intelligence gathering in East Africa and in Africa more widely being ignored (Nicholas van der Bijl has made a valiant attempt at summarising intelligence in the East African theatre in Complete the Jigsaw: British Military Intelligence in the First World War); a situation not helped by the grandiose claims by Meinertzhagen which have tended to dominate both the secondary and published primary sources on the East Africa campaign of World War I. n

A very detailed booklet, it contains grammar, hints on pronunciation, ‘useful’ phrases and vocabulary while Tommy acts out various scenes. It was donated to the museum by Mr E. Price in 1984, having been published at the offices of Country Life in 1915, retailed then at threepence. To put this price into context, that was the price of a pint of beer in 1915. As there were at least four editions of the booklet it must be assumed that soldiers forsook a number of pints in the interests of better understanding French.

We start with English text such as ‘Long live the English’ translated into Vivent les Anglais and written phonetically so that Corporal Atkins can then make sure that the locals know what he is saying: Veev laiz Onglais.

The adventures cover the arrival of Tommy in Boulogne, his travel on a train: ‘Ong shemaing der fair’. Fortunately, the guard’s van is not struck by lightning in this instance, as this subject is not covered at all here; no doubt he would have found himself in serious difficulties. Hungry and tired, he is dismayed to find that the refreshment room is closed. ‘What a nuisance,’ he is heard to utter: Sai traiz ongbaitong, but the employee saves the day by telling the corporal that there is a bar open.

Tired and untidy, he runs up against members of the local constabulary and a French NCO who accuses him of being a spy. Fortunately a French officer happens along and declares: ‘Imbeciles! What nonsense! This soldier looks more like an Englishman than a German. See his honest face, his fiendish courage’: Koorahj der deeahbl. Our corporal is then invited to stay the night at the local barracks and rather churlishly complains because there are no snails to eat: Pah d’escargo? To retrieve the situation he bravely sings ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ in his ever-improving French: O revoire, Pee-kah-dee-lai, Baung swayhr, Les-dair Skwair ...

Eventually he reaches the trenches and quickly settles into the routine of fighting Germans: ‘Les almong’. A fellow soldier is grazed by a bullet and while our corporal dresses the wound the soldier hums: ‘As they tell us it is for the country sound the drum, I get a half-penny a day’. Unfortunately, Corporal Atkins is then wounded himself but not seriously: Mais ser nai pah grave, indeed the nurse points at a bed, says, ‘Come in my good man’, undresses him and places him in bed. Voolai voo kelker shoze? Interestingly he opts for a cigarette!

We leave the corporal when his regiment is on the way to Péronne. The general gives the order for a halt and Tommy strikes up a conversation with a couple of French soldiers. Apparently his tent pole is not straight: Ler peew nai pah drah, and they are hungry. So they decide to sing ‘La Marseillaise’ to hearten the rest of the chaps. Surprisingly, our corporal knows all the correct words to the song and its origins. He concedes that it is a magnificent song but he is certain that there is a better one: ‘God Save the King’ or Veev ler Rwah.

As one might expect, the language is fiercely patriotic, no serious harm befalls any of the participants and there is no mention whatsoever of the horrors of the Great War. n

R G Henderson of ‘A’ Suadron EAMR observing activities around Longido

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NEWS

‘Agincorps’ by Lester HillmanSword DrillThursday 29 October 2015 marked the 600th anniversary of the news of Agincourt reaching London. A capacity congregation of 2,200 were present in the Collegiate Church of St Peter Westminster (Westminster Abbey) at the anniversary service. King Henry V had died aged 34 at Vincennes on 31 August 1422 but his sword and helmet were at the High Altar, just as they had been at his funeral. As part of the 2015 Service, the Revd John Hayton TD, Master of the Worshipful Company of Bowyers (formerly Captain 21 Int Coy (V) Int & Sy Gp (V) now 3 MI Bn), accompanied the sword to the High Altar where it was presented to the Dean, the Very Revd Dr John Hall. It was an honour shared with four other masters of London’s worshipful companies: Cutlers; Armourers and Brasiers; Gunmakers and Fletchers. The Bowyers rank 38 in the City’s 110 worshipful companies just ahead of the Fletchers. The Painter-Stainers, a company with very strong ties to the Corps, sit at 28.

Bullseyes and TargetsThe Installation of John Hayton as Master of the Bowyers took place 17 July 2014 at St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, a couple of arrow flights across Moorfields from Worship Street, the present home of 3MI Bn. ‘Bullseyes and targets say the bells of St Margaret’s’ so goes the Oranges and Lemons rhyme for the church to the south. In the late medieval period it was a noted area for archery practice. Shoots took place at Easter, Whitsun and Yearly or Eleven Score. However at the time of Agincourt the area was marshy and prone to flooding. Just before Agincourt, London’s Mayor Thomas Falconer broke through the city wall and built the Moorgate. The works dating to 1415 were ‘for the ease of the citizens to walk that way upon causeys towards Iseldon and Hoxton’.

Uniquely, the master of the bowyers serves for not one but two years thus John Hayton’s term has encompassed ‘Agincourt 600’. The Bowyers Agincourt Dinner on 22 October 2015 was held at Cutler’s Hall near St Paul’s Cathedral with principal guest Brigadier (retd) Brian Parritt CBE, former Director Intelligence Corps.

Arc tirerThe Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) based near 3MI Bn was originally a company of archers, ‘artillery’ deriving from arc tirer ‘to draw a bow’. The present-day gates to the HAC across the road from Worship Street carry the coat of arms.

The gratitude of the king for the help of the City of London in supporting the campaign of 1415 was marked with the gift of a crystal sceptre, a spectacular jewelled piece still used for mayoral ceremonies and displayed in the Guildhall Art Gallery as part of the 600th commemorations.

Roll of HonourThe Corps church of St James Garlickhythe in the City of London is but a slingshot from the Guild Church of St Michael Paternoster Royal. This is the resting place of one Richard Whytyndone. The Dick Whittington of pantomime fame served as Mayor of London before and after Agincourt, and was prominent in funding the King’s continental campaigns. On the wall of St James Church near the Corps Roll of Honour, sits a plaque to Robert Chichele, a grocer and contemporary of Whytyndone. He too served as mayor before and after Agincourt. He held the office of sheriff and was a notable contributor of campaign funds; one record is of an advance of £100 for Henry V’s expedition of June 1417. n

by Chris YatesWhile working on the World War One Collection in the archive, I came across an unaccessioned ‘I Mess’ Christmas menu for 1916, signed by 11 people and ’Somewhere in France’. I looked … did a second take … yes there it was: no other than ‘John Buchan’. What was he doing here? Enlisting, then commissioned as second lieutenant into the Intelligence Corps, John Buchan wrote speeches and communiqués for Field Marshal Haig, then became Director of Information under Lord Beaverbrook ‘the toughest job I ever took on’. I verified the signature at Autografica UK. Quite exciting to find something of value in the archive that had not been spotted before. (For more on Buchan in Sub Rosa, see Newsletter No. 12, ‘An Air Recce First?’). n

Sword of King Henry V

Credits Westminster Abbey

Entrance to the HAC

Crystal Sceptre A commemoration plaque

FROM THE CORPS ARCHIVE

Photos: Web

Intelligence Corps Archive, Temporary Folder No. 25, WWI Collection, Box No. 8

‘What a find!’

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LETTERS/EMAILS

RECOLLECTION

‘I want to be in the Intelligence Corps’

by Paul Croxson

Please go over to our fine website and read the latest from one of our regular contributors, Paul Croxson. Too long to include in Sub Rosa, his robust

account of National Service in the mid-fifties will bring memories for some, entertainment and perhaps edification to all. Read about ‘two

appalling weeks’ of bed-blocks, bulling, blancoing, even ‘ruined mince’. He touches on Alan Bennett, the Glorious Glosters, Jimmy Edwards, famous artists, and not-so-famous comrades in signals intelligence. We visit Blenheim Barracks, Maresfield, GCHQ, Monchengladbach and Langeleben, and the Museum of Ordure. Well worth a look! Click to: http://www.intelligencemuseum.org (Ed.)

Dressed only in boots & Sam BrowneTo the Editor,

I notice that Benedict Cumberbatch is to narrate Norman Lewis’s Naples ‘44, whose copy in the archives I purchased one year ago and donated it totally free of charge. However, may I point out that Norman Lewis served in 91 and not 99 FSS, unless he was prepared to commute to the Caribbean which is where 99 FSS spent most of its war.

Having spoken many years ago to one or two people who knew Lewis and going by his style of writing, it appears that he was a particularly acerbic, even acidic sort of chap who was scathing of the apparent wholesale corruption within the Allied Military Government in Italy and of the US 5th Army’s alleged poor treatment of civilians and POWs alike.

Lewis was quite a prolific author and wrote several books. His other book about military life, recounts how the FSO of 91 FSS, a Captain Merrylees (who apparently wanted to be known as FitzClarence), was arrested for lunacy after he started briefing his men dressed only in boots and Sam Browne.

Lewis named many colleagues in his books, but generally only by their Christian names and I have been unable to identify them at all, although I have included them in the Corps personnel database, 1939-1960, which is now being updated. Incidentally, I do hope that Cumberbatch liaised with the museum to check the veracity of the accounts in the book. Norman Lewis died in 2003.

Fred Judge, April 2016

Museum scheme collapses?To the Editor,

I’ve been keeping an eye on the proposal for 50,000 sq ft of the Trocadero at the top of Haymarket. Thought you might like an update. Just had a look at the building today. I am pretty sure the museum scheme has collapsed. A big chunk of the prime floor space is being taken for tourist retailing to open next week. The giant hotel conversion above is proceeding apace. Since 2014, and the Spyscape permission granted last November, I believe around £2m has been put into the museum idea here. There does not seem to be an alternative location in mind. I cannot see a scaled-down scheme emerging at the Trocadero. Have not found any announcement yet on the web.

Lester Hillman, July 2016

See Newsletter No. 13 for Lester’s well-researched article on this. Ed.

Double crossed by committeeTo the Editor,

I did enjoy Fred Judge’s article in the March issue of Sub Rosa, about Sir John Masterman and the work of the XX Committee in using German agents to feed false information back to the Abwehr and Sicherheitsdienst.

Although commonly referred to as the Twenty, XX, or Double Cross Committee, it also had a nickname borrowed from the group at the Royal Academy that chooses which pictures to display – the Hanging Committee. In the case of the XX Committee, of course, it had nothing to do with pictures, and everything to do with the option reserved for those German agents who weren’t turned, or who couldn’t be turned through no fault of their own - for example, their capture had become too widely known among insecure members of the public.

The ideal candidate for turning was one who was captured, or surrendered, immediately upon parachuting into Britain, who was taken into custody by as few police officers as possible, and who was able to transmit his safe arrival message within the allowed time.

Tony Hetherington, March 2016.

FROM THE CORPS

ARCHIVE

From Ephesus, The Field Security Magazine, No. 5, December 1944.

Corps Archive, Acc. No. 4002.1

‘They even ruined the mince’

‘What a find!’

Sub Rosa is the newsletter of the Friends of the Intelligence Corps Museum charitable trust, Bldg 200, Chicksands, Bedfordshire, SG17 5PR

Produced and printed by Lemoll Ltd., Barton Mill Lane, Faldo Road, Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire MK45 4RF

NOTICES AND NOTES FOR MEMBERS

LUNCH WITH LECTURES 2016 by John Quenby

EDITORIAL: WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?

In April a full house of FICM members and guests attended this popular event. We were treated to personal accounts of experiences of two former Corps members, one of whom served with British Commanders’-in-Chief Mission (BRIXMIS) and the other in Sarawak – both in the early to mid-1960s.

In the morning session, Geoff Greaves of

the BRIXMIS Association gave a thorough explanation of the structure of

the organisation based in Berlin and

the role Int Corps m e m b e r s played in monitoring and recording military activities of the ‘Sovs’. Geoff had many success stories to relate from his two tours, as well as quite a few first-hand accounts of hairy moments, accompanied by an excellent collection of photographic images. (See Newsletter No. 13 for a report of the Mission House.)

Following lunch, Peter Mobbs spoke of his experiences as a field intelligence officer in Sarawak.

His talk was based on personal recollections illustrated by some excellent photographs from his own collection.

This presentation was to have been introduced by the late John Landolt to describe the background to the British involvement in the region. Dating from 1946, this appears to have been seen more as an inconvenient obligation rather than central to our international policy! During Peter’s time

in Sarawak his experiences ranged from the bizarre and hilarious, to downright dangerous exchanges with Indonesian border terrorist groups, all described with splendid wit and dry humour.

Our thanks to both speakers!Footnote: Unfortunately our day was not trouble-free e.g., the lunch service at the Special Forces Club was particularly slow, leading to a delayed start to the afternoon session. We know that some members were therefore obliged to miss Peter’s talk. The FICM trustees are on the case, in order to avoid such problems in the future. n

As ever, your newsletter is a jam-packed mixture of news, recollection, intelligence history, letters and more all jostling for space in the eight pages. So much that some great pieces must spill over to our website where we hope you can still enjoy them. No matter what we publish it must be linked to, and tested against the objectives in FICM’s trust deed: (1) To raise funds for the benefit of the Intelligence Corps Museum; and (2) To promote interest in and awareness of the museum’s development. We hope that each reader will judge according these tests, a reminder of FICM’s raison d’être. n

FICM Summer Event • Friday 2 September, (see page 3 for details).

Trustee Matters & Movements• Full FICM trustee meeting on 12 May, Chicksands and will meet again

on 8 November, London• Brig (retd) Brian Parritt appointed President of FICM, 1 June (see

front page)• René Dee resigned on 21 June, and we thank him for his work as

museum board observer• Trustees met the British Association of Friends of Museums (BAfM)

on 26 July• Frances Maynard appointed FICM secretary on 7 June• Mike Palmer appointed observer at museum board meetings,

on 11 July• Current trustee responsibilities o Chair, Tony Hetherington

o Secretary, Frances Maynard o Treasurer, Dave Farrell* o Membership Secretary/Museum Board Observer, Mike Palmer* o ICA contact, Mike Cooksey* o Editor Sub Rosa/website, Chris Yates*

* Also a volunteer in the museum or archive

Other Meetings• Museum trustees will meet on 21 September, Chicksands• ICA board meeting 22 September, Chicksands• BAfM National Conference 2016, Ironbridge

FICM Joins BAfM By Mike Palmer Earlier this year FICM joined the British Association of Friends of Museums (BAfM) (http://www.bafm.co.uk). It will put us in touch with comparable organisations and help us to be smarter with membership and museum support. Not least, it will assist towards enhancing the museum offering.

BAfM representatives visited the museum at the end of July, together with FICM several trustees. In October, I will attend the BAfM AGM providing the opportunity to begin the networking process and further extend our knowledge of the museum and exhibition sector. n

Photo: Lao Tzu

Sarawak Longhouse