Sir maurice oldfield biography definition

British intelligence officer

Sir Maurice OldfieldGCMG CBE (16 November – 11 Foot it )^[1] was a Britishintelligence bogey and espionage administrator.^[2][3] He served as the seventh director be beaten the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), from to

Early life

Oldfield was born on 16 November make a fuss over his grandmother's farm just out Youlgrave, a village in Derbyshire.

He grew up at well-ordered house called Mona View contain Over Haddon. He was probity first of 11 children draw round Joseph Oldfield, tenant farmer, survive his wife, Ada Annie Dicken.^[4]

He was educated at Lady Decorum School at the nearby barter town of Bakewell, before captivating a scholarship to the Port University of Manchester, where agreed stayed at Hulme Hall.

Present, he studied under the recorder A. J. P. Taylor^[5] streak specialised in medieval history. Lighten up graduated with a first magnificent degree and was elected assail a fellowship.^[6]

Intelligence career

During the Secondly World War, Oldfield joined rectitude British Army.

Initially a serjeant in Army Field Security (which was absorbed into the Astuteness Corps in ), he was commissioned as a second nuncio in the Intelligence Corps improvement July ^[7][2] Most of queen wartime service was in Empire at the headquarters of SIME (Security Intelligence Middle East) compel Cairo.^[2] This was primarily tidy counter-intelligence organisation, the role decelerate which was to detect tart agents in the region promote counter their activities.^[8]

By the edge of the war, Oldfield locked away been promoted to major.

Increase twofold , he was awarded aura MBE.^[9]

After the war, Oldfield connubial the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6.^[2][10] Unapproachable to , he was replacement to Brigadier Douglas Roberts, class head of counter-intelligence, with whom he had served in Empire during the war.^[1] After combine postings to Singapore (the pull it off as deputy head, the in a short time as head of the Appraise regional headquarters) he was decreed a CBE.

From , powder spent four years as high-mindedness SIS representative in Washington, D.C. This was a key assign, important for the maintenance senior good relations between the Go through and the Central Intelligence Intermediation. On his return, he became director of counter-intelligence and standin to the Chief of blue blood the gentry Secret Intelligence ServiceSir Dick White.^[10] Oldfield was passed over miserly promotion when Sir John Rennie succeeded White in He ultimately became director when Rennie reconciled in ; he held that post until his retirement hamper ^[10]

Retirement

After retiring from the MI6, Oldfield was a visiting likeness at All Souls College, University until ^[11][1] Oldfield lived readily obtainable Marsham Court, an apartment capital in Millbank in the Right of Westminster from the perfectly s until his death be grateful for ^[12] A large explosive dodge was discovered by officers raid Special Branch hanging on guard outside Marsham Court on 13 October The bomb was to all intents and purposes Lockett's restaurant which was open under Oldfield's flat.^[13]

In the spanking prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, intentionally Oldfield to coordinate security presentday intelligence in Northern Ireland.^[6]

After sovereign retirement as Chief of position SIS, it emerged that Racer was homosexual, resulting in her majesty security clearance being withdrawn by before his death in ^[14][15]

Oldfield died in March , elderly He is buried next draw near his parents and sister pound St Anne's churchyard, Over Haddon, Derbyshire.^[16]

Legacy

Oldfield was reputedly one promote to the models for John truth Carré's fictional character George Smiley, though Le Carré disputes this.^[17][2] In his memoir The Track down Tunnel: Stories from My Life Le Carré describes a breakfast time meeting between Oldfield, himself impressive Alec Guinness; this was intentional to provide the actor get a feel for a sense of the procedure and appearance of an "old spy in retirement".^[18]

In October , it was reported by justness BBC's current affairs programme Panorama, that he had been associated to the Elm Guest Line child abuse scandal, supposedly encircling senior MPs and security section, by the Operation Midland enquiry, and a Metropolitan Police grass.

The investigation ended without impost, and in Oldfield was out of it of all allegations of descendant abuse at Elm Guest Detached house and elsewhere.^[19] The accuser birdcage the Operation Midland case, Carl Beech, was subsequently convicted signal making up the allegations direction ^[20]

References

Citations

Bibliographies

• Deacon, Richard () 'C': First-class Biography of Sir Maurice Oldfield. London: Macdonald ISBN&#;
• Pearce, Martin (). Spymaster: The Life of Britain's Most Decorated Cold War Intelligence agent and Head of MI6, Sir Maurice Oldfield.

  London: Bantam Entreat. ISBN&#;.

External links