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Cambridge Five Spy Ring — Part 29
Page 11
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; ton : 7
‘an who really cares about '
: which shows clothes that
not way out. For what to
our age... for art, design,
lavish ptoduction, superb
a passport to a big, new,
idited by Ailsa Garland
pone ~ a
Another train of tho" *ht soon
claimed my attention. "he case
was of such delicacy ‘hat the
Chief had insisted on '-y hand-
y it_ myself. But nce the
ons had been taken in
London all action would devolve
on our people in Istanbul. It
would be impossible for me, with
slow bag communications, to
direct their day-to-day, hour-to-
hour actions. The case would
escape my control with unpre-
dictable results.
‘The more I thought, the more
convinced became that I
should go to Istanbul myself
to implement the course of
action that I was to recommend
to the Chief, The action itself
required little thought.
That evening 1 worked late.
The situation seemed to call for
urgent attion of an extra.
curricular nature.
Next morning. at my meeting
with the Chief, I reported that
although we had several Volkovs
on file, none of them
matched our man in {stanbi
repeated my view that the
case was of great potential im-
portance.
delays
Dwelling on
involved
cations by
the
in communi.
bag. I recom.
r
q mended, rather diMdently, that
be sent of from London to
take chara@hof the case on the
spot, “Jug what f was think.
ing myself,” replied the Chief.
But, having raised my hopes,
he promptly dashed them. The
Previous evening. he said ne
jad met Brigadier Douglas
Roberts in clubland. Roberts
Was then head of Security
Intelligence | (Middle, East),
M.I5's regional organisation
based on Cairo. Me was enjoy.
ing the fag-end of a spell of
home leave. The Chief had
been well impressed by him,
and his intention. so he told
me. was to ask Sir ‘David Petrie.
the head of M15, to send
Roberts straight out to Istanbul
to take charge of the Volkov
case
T could find nothing to say
Against the proposal +He nad
all the paper qualifications for
the task on hand He was
senior officer: his” brigadier’s
uniform would doubtless
impress Volkov. Above all. he
sooke fluent Russian—an
UNassatlably strong polnt in his
favour
somebody - briefed should
. During the luncn Interval. I
rallied against the wretched
luck that had “brouxht the
Chief ‘and Roberts together the
Drevious evening. There seemed
nothing that] could.do. Sus
Penseful as it would be. 1 tust
had to sit back and let events
take their course; hoping that
my work the nizht before would
bear fruit before Roberts got
is teeth into the case.
sobuk On Teturn to my office 1
ief awaiting me He looked
thoroughly disconcerted and }
found luck had veered in mv
favour again.
Roberts, It appeared, though
doubdtless as Ifon-hearted as the
7 next man, had an unconquerab!
distaste for flying and was plan-
fing to go by boat. Nothing that
the Chief could say would induce
him to change his plans
nad originally hoped that 1
could so manoeuvre the discus-
slon with the Chief that he
himself would suzgest my fiving
to 1 But the Robs
interlude spurred me to direct
action,
So I said that. in view of the
brivadier’s defection. I could
MCNGasy VOUOY.
Telegranhic correspondence on
was safe on Brit.
instructions were |
every” “er subject under the Sistructions were, 10.
. ng many that must
have». Top Becret. went oa Mterview into such «
I was in Istanbul «
Volkov away to sat
he could be inter:
those qualified for t
gaily 83 vetore.
If we believed Voikov’s warn-
ing, we should have concluded
that all telegraphy was t
erous. If we disbelieved it,” thought that I co
Se efounl have oaPacted our Reed along further
that we were by
satisfied tha} Volkov
provocateur.
It would be most u
therefore, if his infor
given currency be:
Asses its authentdc:
that I could do np
expert, of cou
driven a coach-and-f:
my fabrications Bu
Bot an expert, and
le.
station in Istanbul to take the
necessary action without delay.
‘As it Was. the only result of
Volkov's tip Was to delay by two
ot three weeks action on his
own behalt.
The answer obviously lay deep
tm the psychology of wishful
thinking. Not being an expert
on codes and ciphers, I com
cluded that it was no business
of mine to draw attention to
the gross inconsistency of our prove pilab!
conduct. Anyway. there were sper remine.
more immediate problems to ri Hy
considered. boost, The pilot an
It had been agreed at the the intercom that,
THE AMOROU.
SPY OF LUTO
Philby's book throws an
interesting sidelight
during the war, t
there emerged a w
on how, factory explanation
Axis powers Every evening on ;
sent ‘sples into Britain. He was lodging he prompt
at that time directing the work Jandiady under (sc
of counter-espionage agents in’ destine watchers
Spain and Portugal. He writes:
Precious few Spantards or
Portuguese showed willingness
to stick out their necks for Alter a few wet
Fascism, Many of those who decided that the tor
accepiec missions did so simply be stopped. Simoes
to get out of Europe or into in. So as to leave
Britain. or both. Besides. we chance. he was th
held the master-key to German “tough” interrona
intentions in regular perusal of on Ham Comm
their signals. Tommy Harris (of
The case of Ernesto Simoes-~iet loose on him.
may be taken as a representa- It was beyond H
tive example We learnt from=srealiy tough wild 1
the German signals that they “he did his best. He
had recruited Simoes in Lisbon ~ that he was in a Br
for service in England, Hls Service prison; be
Instructions were given to him the reach of the |:
In the form of mlcrodots scat- gulate knew not!
tered about bis clothing: his whereabouts and
communications were to be by find out: he might
mall. for fe, if he was
After consultatibn with MIS, If he could t
Maintained) the k:
He would then ea
Meal and go to bed
* Mt was decided toj allow him to beaten, killed, and n-
run loose in England for a bit. ever know.
in the hope that he might lead
us to other German agents. He *
was therefore unmolested on his
arrival. and was even given
discreet assistance in finding
emplovment in a Luton factory
making parts for aircraft.
The information he might
have obtained there was fust
interesting enough to tempt a
spv. “without entailing much
danger If anvthing had slipped
back to the Germans bv mis-
take.
martied couple:
His only hope wa
confession of his
the Germans. And
same sort, with |
imagination ru:
gamut. Indced,
fessed to me later t
Dainted such a bi:
picture that he ha
frighten himself
He was lodsed with a
the husband
with, mountii
Worked in the same factory. merely saying ¢
Arrangements were made for his that he was hungry
Movements to be watched and something to eat. Ai
his mail checked or 80, however, he
decision.
* . Calling for paper
scratched out a t
account of his ¢
Sermans in
his instructtons,
Within a few days Simoes
settled down to @ pattern of
behaviour which he hever sub--
sequently varied. He would ll He ex t
follow hig iandlora out of the Ot the slightest »
factory when the whistle blew, 0ing anythin
endanger himself; fh:
and see him ‘safely into the fhdanger himseit: f:
est pub
wartim Jani
He would then hurry home as Gav Tot Bie Te:
fest’ as his legs would carr Harris saw
im
account ‘squared in
with our prev:otis
He never) emerged until
the following mofning Bhen he
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