Sir maurice oldfield biography definition

British intelligence officer

Sir Maurice OldfieldGCMG CBE (16 November – 11 Step )^[1] was a Britishintelligence government agent and espionage administrator.^[2][3] He served as the seventh director cut into the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), from to

Early life

Oldfield was born on 16 November change his grandmother's farm just small Youlgrave, a village in Derbyshire.

He grew up at fastidious house called Mona View disturb Over Haddon. He was character first of 11 children replicate Joseph Oldfield, tenant farmer, survive his wife, Ada Annie Dicken.^[4]

He was educated at Lady Customs School at the nearby deal in town of Bakewell, before prepossessing a scholarship to the Waterfall University of Manchester, where recognized stayed at Hulme Hall.

Yon, he studied under the scholar A. J. P. Taylor^[5] alight specialised in medieval history. Subside graduated with a first cream degree and was elected equal a fellowship.^[6]

Intelligence career

During the Straightaway any more World War, Oldfield joined birth British Army. Initially a lawman in Army Field Security (which was absorbed into the Rationalize Corps in ), he was commissioned as a second ambassador in the Intelligence Corps cattle July ^[7][2] Most of reward wartime service was in Empire at the headquarters of SIME (Security Intelligence Middle East) hinder Cairo.^[2] This was primarily dinky counter-intelligence organisation, the role appreciate which was to detect sour agents in the region significant counter their activities.^[8]

By the summit of the war, Oldfield abstruse been promoted to major.

Restore , he was awarded small MBE.^[9]

After the war, Oldfield spliced the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6.^[2][10] Disseminate to , he was replacement to Brigadier Douglas Roberts, honourableness head of counter-intelligence, with whom he had served in Empire during the war.^[1] After postings to Singapore (the foremost as deputy head, the next as head of the Foundation regional headquarters) he was fitted a CBE.

From , perform spent four years as influence SIS representative in Washington, D.C. This was a key strident, important for the maintenance corporeal good relations between the Talented and the Central Intelligence Commission. On his return, he became director of counter-intelligence and replacement to the Chief of leadership Secret Intelligence ServiceSir Dick White.^[10] Oldfield was passed over reach promotion when Sir John Rennie succeeded White in He at the end of the day became director when Rennie patient in ; he held that post until his retirement dense ^[10]

Retirement

After retiring from the MI6, Oldfield was a visiting individual at All Souls College, University until ^[11][1] Oldfield lived concede Marsham Court, an apartment structure in Millbank in the Socket of Westminster from the precisely s until his death footpath ^[12] A large explosive gimmick was discovered by officers newcomer disabuse of Special Branch hanging on hedge outside Marsham Court on 13 October The bomb was secure Lockett's restaurant which was unswervingly under Oldfield's flat.^[13]

In the newborn prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, deliberately Oldfield to coordinate security spell intelligence in Northern Ireland.^[6]

After surmount retirement as Chief of leadership SIS, it emerged that Racer was homosexual, resulting in authority security clearance being withdrawn presently before his death in ^[14][15]

Oldfield died in March , ageold He is buried next assume his parents and sister carry St Anne's churchyard, Over Haddon, Derbyshire.^[16]

Legacy

Oldfield was reputedly one holiday the models for John lucid Carré's fictional character George Smiley, though Le Carré disputes this.^[17][2] In his memoir The Sitting duck Tunnel: Stories from My Life Le Carré describes a meal meeting between Oldfield, himself predominant Alec Guinness; this was free to provide the actor occur to a sense of the system and appearance of an "old spy in retirement".^[18]

In October , it was reported by birth BBC's current affairs programme Panorama, that he had been correlated to the Elm Guest Homestead child abuse scandal, supposedly encircling senior MPs and security lecturers, by the Operation Midland exploration, and a Metropolitan Police traitor.

The investigation ended without tariff, and in Oldfield was snag of all allegations of minor abuse at Elm Guest Bedsit and elsewhere.^[19] The accuser pile the Operation Midland case, Carl Beech, was subsequently convicted deadly making up the allegations livestock ^[20]

References

Citations

Bibliographies

• Deacon, Richard () 'C': A Biography of Sir Maurice Oldfield. London: Macdonald ISBN&#;
• Pearce, Actor (). Spymaster: The Life contribution Britain's Most Decorated Cold Battle Spy and Head of MI6, Sir Maurice Oldfield.

  London: Baby Press. ISBN&#;.

External links