Dick White

Dick White    ( spook)
Born	Dick Goldsmith White 20 December 1906  Tonbridge,  Kent
Died	21 February 1993 (Age 86)  Sussex
Nationality	British
Only person to have headed both MI5 and MI6 (successively)  Coordinator for Intelligence and Security In office 1968 - 1973 The first holder of this position.  Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service In office May 1956 - 1968 Deputy John Macgregor Bruce Lockhart, Maurice Oldfield, George Kennedy Young Appointed by Anthony Eden Preceded by John Sinclair Succeeded by John Rennie Appointed as something of a snub to SIS  Director General of MI5 In office November 1953 - May 1956 Deputy Roger Hollis, Graham Russell Mitchell Preceded by Percy Sillitoe Succeeded by Roger Hollis  Deputy Director General of MI5 In office 15 May 1953 - November 1953 Preceded by Guy Liddell Succeeded by Roger Hollis Exact start date is tentative - may have been a few days earlier.

Sir Dick White was head of the Security Service from 1953 to May 1956, and head of the Secret Intelligence Service from May 1956 until the end of 1968, the only person to have headed both organisations successively.

MI5

White joined the Security Service in 1936, and was closely involved in operating the successful "Double Cross" system against Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

Leadership

White replaced Guy Liddell as Deputy Director General on (or maybe a few days before) 15 May, 1953 and became Director General that November.

MI6

In May 1956, infuriated by the Buster Crabb affair, UK Prime Minister Anthony Eden, partly as a snub to MI6 (since MI5 was perceived as lower in status) transferred Dick White from Director General of MI5 to Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service. He reportedly "tightened up the ground rules and specifically forbade assassination".

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