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Cambridge Five Spy Ring — Part 24

60 pages · May 23, 2026 · Broad topic: Intelligence Operations · Topic: Cambridge Five Spy Ring · 60 pages OCR'd
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evn CAE econ tnaee teat This is one corner of theese that att frantically disordered flat, in which Guy Burgess gave, | a party. The late Hector’, MeNeil, Minister of State, was there, He left before ' #the' trouble started. wave me an’occa-, alonal quaim—the memory ‘of his strange confession: before the war that he was an agent: of the Communist International.’ Since he had. worked, from the beginning. of the war, K almost to its end,-as 2° trusted! member of one or other British intelligence organisation, I had every reason to believe that. be ., Work for the Cominterp.: Guy was there one even ing drinking with a Foreign / Office colleague." There was an argument." "": . 3 The argument ended hy Guy's colleague pushing Alm down the staircase. - Guy. landed at. the bottom— - on his head. In fact, he Severe Concussion. The effects were alarming. began to suffer from - severe Desdaches, He became more. ind more ict to aru 38 ma, ediioted fo. rues of These, combined with alco- hol, made him pretty’ well insensible for .. considerab! periods. When he was not silent or morose, his speech was rambling and incoherent, ‘The = Foreign ' OM Nd } : could |: hardly” help Teaming ‘of Guy's i behaviour,” But it had no’ effect on his. career. ® 2.2 hy My ee 4 Bots a But I wondered how he had made the break with that ruth- Jess organisation. asked him just that, He ref: to reply. ‘His allence irritated me. I tried to provoke him into coming out with the truth. “T have kept a complete record of what you said about - being a Comintern agent,” J said. “For my own tec= tion I have deposited ment with my lawyer’ Bis reaction ‘startled me, became violently agitated. “Why ave you done it?” he cried. “Please destroy the; statement, Don’t you know that . ona rt itfit™ ever came to light Aad ee rulned?" as culty in calming ‘him down, I assured him tha: ; there was no statement.- fear finally left hum. :- due the ‘incident made m y. =. wes now sure that he had” been « Communist agent.” The only question that remained was—had he ceased 00 be one? . Guy was at this time Personal ~ Secretary to the Minister of State, Mr, Hector McNeil. And he remained in that position . until Mr. McNeil became Secre- tary of State for ‘Scotland In Mr. Kenneth Younger” Placed Mr, McNeil as Minister of State. And Mr,. Younger, not surprisingly, didnot take over his predecessor's” in Guy than . Younger evidently ‘had. They just transferred him to the Far “+ “He His ¢ ref) # * 0 they summoned from the Par East leading British repre- sentatives in the area, .At Pem- * broke Colt e, Oxtord, . secret ek-end conference frranged wv the: fateful | development# in-Ching., ‘A select: group of experts was, chosen! tobrief: the, assembled ’ VIPs on political strategy: the Far East’ arena. ~. : ‘Some.of the experts were dip- lomats, some were University “and some were; men: it or not, ‘ {Bo an ot, } scvolved ine sudden, 7) i > tatives. ‘Tt. was @ brilliant perform- ance.” For without disclosing his own sympathies he made ® | very: powerful case for British diplomatic recognition : of, the new regime. | Not long afterwards, Britain indeed recognise the Chinese Reds. Guy can claim hat he played a significant art. in that important act of : Office. was. well pleased wih “him. Por a year later cathe advancement. He was appointed ‘to our Embasoy in Washington Jas a full-fledged representative of His Majesty's Government. * Before-he went he gave a farewell ‘party “in his Bond ‘Street flat. It was an occasion |) I shall never forget. « “ha curious assortment of | people, But even I was not | prepared for the incongruous assembly of personalities which i gathered to say farewell to Guy. i There was Hector McNeil, ~ ; was” the German, | life ‘to spy for Britain” belore and during ths war-and is now ving in East Berlin. ‘+ , There were two: tough -young’ Eastern department,’ where, in*4 an amazingly short space of time, he was entrusted very’ special assignment; E Grand ‘review In "China, “the, ‘Communists’ i had just won ‘power after thelr’ ele “against. Chiang 3 With ay Nig = ‘There was a young man who, > ‘some time before, had tapped ay {telephone-when Guy wanted to, hear ths? secrets conversations % of, foreign .palitictansy tr siseen oLher ea Zwere“ithroe™ distin, usd embers vot UML 4 } to t Tather tipsy, too. e' lps oO ot a’ 19.’ of couple: J ‘clash : of : opinion. “ Before 21) T.knew that his friends were!) + etary: of Btate~ for {j} . fmen who looked as though they? F i knew what was happening, &; violent ,argument : had. out. ra ‘Then one of the toughs Ufted # wine botile and hit one of his fellow, gueata on. Guy left for Washi: several letters from sans Pd him, . From: these and from mutual friends'12 learned that he Ww: happy there, From sil accoun! m 238 a i) duet in America’ eat ‘In disgrace? |- ate was: living. “with? Kim Philby, who was second’. tary at the Embassy. & post he had been given after. pis: it was at home, distinguished career, Intelligence Service.) My heart, bled for ¢ ‘and eyen- more for, dst’ wifes 3g, ‘ithin, y forebodings “‘aboyt. Guy.’ were, realised Be had misbehaved Lo ythat be: was: in disgrace at the Embassy.: is4 te ‘The, Ambassador. sent:, home. “I met. him shortly after: his return in. May, /1961—caly, a few weeks before -he fied Moscow with Donald Maclean: ; +: In:spite of his ‘troubles, Guy. was full of triumpin ‘UTR “1 must show you be: *
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