MI5/F Branch
Contents
History
In its earliest incarnation, F Branch was responsible for preventive intelligence in the MI5 organisation of 1916.[1]
A new F Division covering counter-subversion was established by Director General Sir David Petrie in 1941.[2]
In Dick White's 1953 re-organisation, F Branch had responsibility for counter-subversion at home, while E Branch was responsible for counter-subversion in the British Empire and Commonwealth.[3]
In 1976, Director General Michael Hanley established a separate FX branch to deal with Irish terrorism. Its director continued to report to the director of F Branch.
Structure
F1
Responsible for investigating the Communist Party of Great Britain, according to Stephen Dorril.[4]
- F1/O - Assistant Director in charge of monitoring the CPGB and other subversive organisations, i.e head of F1 section.[5]
- Charles Elwell, served as F1/0 from April 1974 until his retirement in May 1979.[6]
- Bill Ruckstan, section head, c.1981-83.[4]
F2
Responsible during the early 1980s for investigating trade unions and the production of Box 500 reports, according to Stephen Dorril.[7]Responsible for investigating the Communist Party, according to Nick Fielding and Mark Hollingsworth. This may reflect a confusion with F1.[8] According to Stephen Dorril, F2 worked closely with the Civil Contingencies Unit during strikes.[9]
- Roger Hollis Section head c. 1941,[10] c. 1943[11]
- Charles Elwell - Section head according to Hollingsworth and Fielding, who may have confused F2 with F1.[12]
- John Deverell held F2 designation, presumably section head, C.October 1979.[13]
- Stella Rimington, section head, c.1981-83.[14]
- David Ranson - Officer, c. 1972.[15]
- Annie Machon - 1991, later became a whistleblower
F2A
Responsible for monitoring the CPGB.[16]
- David Clarke-c.1943[17]
F2C
Engaged in studies of the Communist Party, which were often used as training for new officers.[18] At some point it replaced F1A as the section designation for this activity. It was itself replaced by F1C.[19]
- Hugh Shillito c.1942.[20]
F2N
Trade Unions[21]
F2R
The media, education, Members of Parliament.[22]
- F2R/1 - Responsibilities c. 1984 included monitoring subversion in the peace movement.[23]
F3
Terrorism, excluding Irish Terrorism.[24]
- Patrick Walker, section head, 1980.[25]
- Alan Fernyhough, section head, c.1981-83.[26]
F4
Counter-subversion agent-running, according to Christopher Andrew.[27]
F5
Irish terrorism, (loyalist).[28]
- John Deverell c.1980.[29]
- Patrick Walker - section head, c.1981-83.[30] C.1983.[31]
FX
In the early 1980s, according to Stephen Dorril, FX controlled F4 and F6. Focussed on long-term infiltration of agents and informers.[32]
- Tony Crassweller, FX head, circa 1981-83.[33]
F4
Responsible for Counter-subversion agent-running.[34] Trade unions and Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB).[35]
- Simon France, section head, c.1981-83.[36]
- Julia Pirie - Agent in the CPGB 1960s-70s.[37]
F6
Trotskyist and radical organisations.[38]
- Jim Clayphan, section head, c.1981-83.[39]
F7
Investigated Trotskyist, anarchist, feminist, pacifist, black power, nationalist and other radical groups. Also fascists.[40] Among the organisations infiltrated by F7 were the Workers Revolutionary Party and the Socialist Workers Party.[41]
- Ray Whitby, section head, c.1981-83.[42]
F8
Served as London headquarters for MI5's Belfast station after the winding up of the Irish Joint Section in 1984.[43]
- G/02 (De Silva report cipher) - Head of the agent-running section, probably F8, February 1987.[44]
People
Officers
References
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.84.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.236.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.327.
- ↑ a b Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.485.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.591.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.669.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.485.
- ↑ Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, Andre Deutsch, 2003, p.34.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.7.
- ↑ Chapman Pincher, Treachery: Betrayals, Blunders and Cover-Ups: Six Decades of espionage, Mainstream Publishing, 2012, p.100.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.281.
- ↑ Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, Andre Deutsch, 2003, p.34.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.660.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.485.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.8.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.274.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.278.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.561.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.334.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.277.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.674.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.690.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.498.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.195.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.699.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.498.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Julia Pirie, The Telegraph, 28 October 2008.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.8.
- ↑ Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.486.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.700.
- ↑ Sir Desmond de Silva, Volume 1 - Chapter 6: The recruitment of Brian Nelson, Pat Finucane Review, 12 December 2012.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.558.
