Deputy Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service
 Deputy Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service | |
|---|---|
| Boss | MI6/Chief |
| Abbreviation | DCSS |
| Subordinate to the MI6/Chief.. | |
The pattern seems to be that the Deputy Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service generally goes on to become the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service.
Contents
Secrecy
In contrast to the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, the deputy chiefs of MI6, (like the holder of the now defunct position assistant chiefs of MI6) are not named. As a result, the list below is highly uncertain and should be looked upon as the best available conjecture until hard evidence emerges.
Multiple Deputy Chiefs
On occasions, more than one person has held this office simultaneously. In March 1943, Valentine Vivian's designation was changed from DCSS (Deputy Chief of the Secret Service) to Deputy Directy/SP, sharing the rank of Deputy Director with 3 service appointees (John Cordeaux, Edward Beddington-Behrens and Lionel Payne).
No Deputy Chiefs
The Observer reported in 2003 that "the post of MI6 deputy chief is normally left vacant, and is filled only when the serving 'C' has announced his departure and wants to groom his successor".[1] A deputy chief was appointed around July 2003.[2]
Office Holders on Wikispooks
| Name | From | To | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Allen | 2003 | 2004 | Dates highly uncertain, but cited as deputy chief when Abdul-Hakim Belhaj was kidnapped from Malaysia in March 2004.<a href="#cite_note-c4t-1">[1]</a> |
| Gerry Warner | 1990 | 1991 | Was Deputy Chief for this whole time, but at some point between 1990 and February 1998. He probably left the service when he became Co-ordinator for Intelligence and Security. |
| Christopher Curwen | 1980 | 1985 | |
| Colin Figures | 1979 | July 1981 | |
| Dick Franks | 1977 | 1978 | |
| Peter Hayman | 1973 | 1978 | These dates are uncertain, as are the circumstances regarding his departure. In 1978 a dossier of child pornography was found on a bus, later linked by police to Hayman. |
| Maurice Oldfield | 1967 | 1973 | |
| John Macgregor Bruce Lockhart | 1961 | 1965 | |
| George Kennedy Young | 1958 | 1961 | Reportedly resigned due to dissatisfaction with the MacMillan government. The start date is speculative, but matches the departure of James Easton. |
| James Easton | 1951 | 1958 | |
| Edward Beddington-Behrens | 6 March 1943 | 1944 | Deputy Director/Army (DD/A) |
| Lionel Payne | 6 March 1943 | 1945 | Deputy Director/Air. |
| John Cordeaux | 6 March 1943 | 1945 | Deputy Director/Navy |
| Valentine Vivian | 1942 | 1948 | Sole holder of this position until 1943, after which time it was shared. The start and end dates of this posting are conjectured. |
| Stewart Menzies | 1929 | 3 November 1939 |
