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Cambridge Five Spy Ring — Part 29

69 pages · May 23, 2026 · Broad topic: Intelligence Operations · Topic: Cambridge Five Spy Ring · 69 pages OCR'd
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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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