Difference between revisions of "Stewart Menzies"
(image) |
(→Operation Embarrass: + image:Hagana ship.jpg) |
||
(4 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
|start=4 November 1939 | |start=4 November 1939 | ||
|end=1952 | |end=1952 | ||
− | |description= | + | |description=Devised false flag attacks and operated a personal slush fund of over a million pounds. |
}}{{job | }}{{job | ||
|title=Deputy Chief of the SIS | |title=Deputy Chief of the SIS | ||
Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
}} | }} | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | '''Sir Stewart Menzies''' was head of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] from 1939<ref>Stephen Dorril, MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Touchstone, 2002, p.4.</ref> to 1952.<ref>Stephen Dorril, MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Touchstone, 2002, p.494.</ref> As [[Chief of the SIS]] he was involved in setting up | + | '''Sir Stewart Menzies''' was head of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] from 1939<ref>Stephen Dorril, MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Touchstone, 2002, p.4.</ref> to 1952.<ref>Stephen Dorril, MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Touchstone, 2002, p.494.</ref> As [[Chief of the SIS]] he was involved in setting up operation [[Gladio]]<ref>[[Operation Gladio (film)]]</ref> and he also suggested [[Operation Embarrass]], a campaign of [[false flag]] [[bombings]] to try to curb Jewish immigration. In 2017 it was revealed that he had a personal [[MI6/Slush fund|slush fund]] which may have been used to fund these activities.<ref name=bbcslush>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-42012380</ref> |
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
Menzies, a friend of [[Winston Churchill]], was "a master at using his political and social connections to win time and eventual survival for SIS, indeed so successful was he that in 1946 he persuaded the Labour Government to close down [[SOE]] and transfer its best staff and most promising operations to SIS."<ref name="TM"/> | Menzies, a friend of [[Winston Churchill]], was "a master at using his political and social connections to win time and eventual survival for SIS, indeed so successful was he that in 1946 he persuaded the Labour Government to close down [[SOE]] and transfer its best staff and most promising operations to SIS."<ref name="TM"/> | ||
− | ==Operation Embarrass== | + | ===Operation Gladio=== |
+ | {{FA|Operation Gladio}} | ||
+ | As [[Chief of the SIS]] Menzies contacted [[Paul-Henri Spaak]] and agreed to set up a Belgian stay behind group.<ref>[[Operation Gladio (film)]]</ref> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==="Unofficial reserve"=== | ||
+ | {{FA|MI6/Black budget}} | ||
+ | Stewart Menzies operated a personal [[slush fund]], which he referred to as the "unofficial reserve", and held in the of 'Captain Theo Spencer'. It was reportedly given to him by "well wishers" of the service, and ran to over £1M, (worth perhaps £40M nowadays). When retiring he informed other members of MI6. "He thought it right to have a large sum to meet such contingencies as (a) a very large inducement to some person in an absolutely key position, or (b) the Vote for the Service being drastically cut in some political emergency in a way which would make it impossible to carry on the Service in the way it was necessary."<ref name=bbcslush/> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Operation Embarrass=== | ||
{{FA|Operation Embarrass}} | {{FA|Operation Embarrass}} | ||
+ | [[image:Hagana ship.jpg|left|300px]] | ||
In late 1946 the Labour government of [[Clement Attlee]] asked [[MI6]] for "proposals for action to deter ships masters and crews from engaging in illegal [[Jewish]] immigration and traffic," adding that "action of the nature contemplated is, in fact, a form of intimidation and intimidation is only likely to be effective if some members of the group of people to be intimidated actually suffer unpleasant consequences." Menzies suggested carrying out [[false flag]] [[bomb]] attacks on their transport ships, and that a spurious [[terrorist]] group "[[The Defenders of Arab Palestine]]" could take responsibility. Five attacks were undertaken on ships in Italian ports. One was rendered "a total loss", two were damaged and two mines were discovered before they went off.<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/09/19/mi6-attacked-jewish-refugee-ships-after-wwii.html</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11378601</ref> | In late 1946 the Labour government of [[Clement Attlee]] asked [[MI6]] for "proposals for action to deter ships masters and crews from engaging in illegal [[Jewish]] immigration and traffic," adding that "action of the nature contemplated is, in fact, a form of intimidation and intimidation is only likely to be effective if some members of the group of people to be intimidated actually suffer unpleasant consequences." Menzies suggested carrying out [[false flag]] [[bomb]] attacks on their transport ships, and that a spurious [[terrorist]] group "[[The Defenders of Arab Palestine]]" could take responsibility. Five attacks were undertaken on ships in Italian ports. One was rendered "a total loss", two were damaged and two mines were discovered before they went off.<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/09/19/mi6-attacked-jewish-refugee-ships-after-wwii.html</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11378601</ref> | ||
+ | {{SMWDocs}} | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
− |
Latest revision as of 14:37, 27 January 2023
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() (spook) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 30 January 1890 London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 29 May 1968 (Age 78) London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | British | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Eton College | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Religion | Church of England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parents | • John Graham Menzies • Susannah West Wilson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | Fiona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Lady Avice Sackville | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sir Stewart Menzies was head of the Secret Intelligence Service from 1939[1] to 1952.[2] As Chief of the SIS he was involved in setting up operation Gladio[3] and he also suggested Operation Embarrass, a campaign of false flag bombings to try to curb Jewish immigration. In 2017 it was revealed that he had a personal slush fund which may have been used to fund these activities.[4]
Contents
Background
Stewart Menzies went to Eton College, where he was a contemporary of the later spymaster Desmond Morton.
Career
Menzies had joined intelligence by 1916.[5] By 1929 he was Deputy Chief of the SIS and he was promoted to full colonel soon afterwards.[6]
Closure of SOE
Menzies, a friend of Winston Churchill, was "a master at using his political and social connections to win time and eventual survival for SIS, indeed so successful was he that in 1946 he persuaded the Labour Government to close down SOE and transfer its best staff and most promising operations to SIS."[5]
Operation Gladio
- Full article:
Operation Gladio
- Full article:
As Chief of the SIS Menzies contacted Paul-Henri Spaak and agreed to set up a Belgian stay behind group.[7]
"Unofficial reserve"
- Full article: MI6/Black budget
- Full article: MI6/Black budget
Stewart Menzies operated a personal slush fund, which he referred to as the "unofficial reserve", and held in the of 'Captain Theo Spencer'. It was reportedly given to him by "well wishers" of the service, and ran to over £1M, (worth perhaps £40M nowadays). When retiring he informed other members of MI6. "He thought it right to have a large sum to meet such contingencies as (a) a very large inducement to some person in an absolutely key position, or (b) the Vote for the Service being drastically cut in some political emergency in a way which would make it impossible to carry on the Service in the way it was necessary."[4]
Operation Embarrass
- Full article: Operation Embarrass
- Full article: Operation Embarrass
In late 1946 the Labour government of Clement Attlee asked MI6 for "proposals for action to deter ships masters and crews from engaging in illegal Jewish immigration and traffic," adding that "action of the nature contemplated is, in fact, a form of intimidation and intimidation is only likely to be effective if some members of the group of people to be intimidated actually suffer unpleasant consequences." Menzies suggested carrying out false flag bomb attacks on their transport ships, and that a spurious terrorist group "The Defenders of Arab Palestine" could take responsibility. Five attacks were undertaken on ships in Italian ports. One was rendered "a total loss", two were damaged and two mines were discovered before they went off.[8][9]
Appointments by Stewart Menzies
Appointee | Job | Appointed | End | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Edward Beddington-Behrens | Deputy Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service | 6 March 1943 | 1944 | Deputy Director/Army (DD/A) |
John Cordeaux | Deputy Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service | 6 March 1943 | 1945 | Deputy Director/Navy |
References
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Touchstone, 2002, p.4.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Touchstone, 2002, p.494.
- ↑ Operation Gladio (film)
- ↑ a b http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-42012380
- ↑ a b The Mechanisms of an Oppressive State
- ↑ C: The Secret Life of Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, by Anthony Cave Brown, 1987.
- ↑ Operation Gladio (film)
- ↑ http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/09/19/mi6-attacked-jewish-refugee-ships-after-wwii.html
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11378601