BH-Espionage dates

2015

Max Hastings the Secret war

1909

Secret Intelligence Service (MI5) founded

1909

Security Service (MI6) founded

Zinoviev Letter 1924

suggested that a Labour government would continue its plans to normalise ties with the Soviet Union.

Venlo incident 1940

a covert operation by the German Nazi Party's Sicherheitsdienst

1940

Fall of France

1940

Special Operations (SOE) founded

June 1941

German invasion of Russia (M/Y)

Noor Khan 1914-1944

She was the first female wireless operator to be dropped into occupied France to help the resistance and send messages back Britain and was rewarded the George Cross.

Violette Szabo 1921-1945

worked for 'F' Section in Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War and rewarded the George cross.

Alistair Maclain 1922-1987

was a Scottish novelist who wrote popular thrillers and adventure stories such as Guns of Navarone.

1957

Gun of Navarone novel

1961

Guns of Navarone film

Ian Fleming 1908-1964

an English writer, best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels

1953

Casino Royal (first James Bond novel)

1962

Dr. No (first James Bond film)

John le Carre 1931-2020

was a British author, best known for his espionage novels, many of which were successfully adapted for film or television. Smiley and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

1963

The Spy who came in from the Cold novel

1979

Smiley’s People (Alec Guinness as George Smiley) BBC

2011

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Gary Oldman as George Smiley)

Kim Philby 1912-1988

Double agent for soviet union

Operation Mincemeat

was a successful British deception operation of the Second World War to disguise the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily.

2024

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly warfare