GCHQ

by Richard Aldrich

22 Ken Sly replaced Nicodemus ‘Naky’ Doniach as head of JTLS in 1966.

  23 Bramall (CBFHK) to Carver (CDS), ‘Force Levels in Hong Kong’, 03.07.74, FCO 46/1172.

  24 Hunt, Russell and Scott, Mandarin Blue, pp.121–2.

  25 http://www.rafmtd.co.uk/vintage/vintage.html.

  26 Potts (DD/AEI) minutes, ‘Chinese Interest in Nuclear Weapons’, 15 and 17.06.60, IAE410/8G, FO 371/149546.

  27 Eden to Selwyn Lloyd, 30.04.56, M.86/56, AP 20/21/84, Avon Papers, BUL.

  28 Eden to Selwyn Lloyd, 04.05.56, M.95/56, AP20/21/94, ibid.

  29 Lashmar and Oliver, Britain’s Secret Propaganda War, p.69.

  30 Zuluetta to Millard, 25.05.56, PREM 11/1450; Eden min., 26.05.56, ibid.

  31 MoD to GHQ Middle East Land Forces, DEF 4572, 19.09.56, AIR 20/9228.

  32 MoD to GHQ Middle East Land Forces, DEF 4386, 17.08.56, ibid.

  33 Packard, Century, pp.432–3.

  34 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.1, pp.236, 239.

  35 Aldrich, Hidden Hand, p.486.

  36 Ranelagh, The Agency, pp.301–3.

  37 This was known as the Paramount Committee.

  38 Pedlow and Welzenbach, The CIA and the U-2, pp.115–17.

  39 DDE Diary, 28.10.56, DDEL. On American reactions see especially Andrew, President’s Eyes Only, pp.230–2.

  40 Dulles to Phleger, 11.05.64, Folder 31, Box 53, Allen Dulles papers, Princeton University.

  41 Hahn, United States, Great Britain and Egypt, pp.224–30; Dorril, MI6, pp.642–3.

  42 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.1, p.235.

  43 Selwyn Lloyd to Director of GCHQ, E.M. Jones (D/GCHQ), 20.09.56, AIR20/10621 (I am indebted to W. Scott Lucas for drawing this document to my attention); GHQ ME to MoD, 17.08.56, AIR20/9228.

  44 Presentation given by Wg Cmdr B. Paton, 51 Squadron, on ‘Cold War Intelligence Gathering’, RAF Hendon, 18.04.00.

  45 Horne, Macmillan 1957–1986, p.96.

  46 Wright, Spycatcher, pp.109–11.

  47 P. Hennessy, ‘What the Queen Knew’, Independent on Sunday, 21.12.94.

  48 VCAS memo, ‘Manning of Special Signals Units’, 01.57, AIR 20/10100.

  49 Hailsham to Eden, 17.10.56, DEFE13/230; Draft Brief, 01.12.56, ibid; D(57) 3, ‘Defence Facilities in Ceylon’, 21.01.57, ibid. See also ‘W/T Stations and Perkar’, T 225/1486.

  50 UKHC Ceylon to Defence Dept, 21.04.50, DO 35/2418.

  51 Mtg at the Admiralty, 26.10.51, DO35/2418; L62/370A, ‘Ceylon, Anderson WT Station’, 6.07.54, ADM 1/25489, TNA; Milt Branch to C in C EI, 23.03.55, ADM 1/24680.

  52 ‘Note on Retention of Those Service Facilities in Ceylon which are Vital to the Defence of the Commonwealth’, T225/485.

  53 Hailsham to Eden, 17.10.56, DEFE 13/230; Draft Brief, 01.12.56, ibid; D(57) 3, ‘Defence Facilities in Ceylon’, 21.01.57, ibid. See also ‘W/T Stations and Perkar’, T225/1486.

  54 Horne, Macmillan 1957–1986, pp.96–7. See also Macmillan diary, 17.07.58, BOD.

  55 Youle (ADC(D)), ‘Report on the Disposal of Equipment and Stores and on Various Accounting and Contracts Aspects Arising From the RAF Withdrawal from Iraq, April–May 1959’, 26.06.59, AIR 20/10769.

  56 Ibid.

  57 Philpott to VCAS, ‘RAF Requirements in Cyprus’, 27.04.59, AIR 20/10328.

  58 Stanford (AIR) to Herbecq (T), 15.05.57, T 225/753.

  59 Easter, ‘GCHQ’, p.684.

  60 Cyprus Committee, ‘The Boundaries of the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus’, memo by Minister of Defence, 07.05.59, AIR 20/10328.

  61 Carruthers (HQSBAA) to Heskett (MoD), 23.11.70, AIR 20/10260.

  62 COS.715/27/5/60, Sec. COS to Wright (MoD), ‘Sovereign Base Areas’, 27.05.60, AIR20/10932.

  63 COS (61) 447, ‘Cyprus – Future Policy’, 23.11.61, AIR 20/11067.

  64 Thorneycroft (Min Def) to Douglas-Home (PM), ‘Retention of our Facilities in Cyprus’, 3.01.64, DEFE 1/396. Also COS 6/64 ‘Cyprus’, 03.01.63, ibid.

  65 See the brilliant account in Jones, Britain and the Yemen Civil War, pp.35, 116–17.

  66 COS 1447/11/7/9 enclosure, Cheyne to Bayne (Sec. COS), 08.07.69, DEFE 32/18.

  67 ANZAM JIC Report No3/1964, ‘The Military and Subversive Threat from Indonesia’, 01.07.64, AWM 121125/G/1.

  68 Blaxland, Signals Swift and Sure, pp.97–8.

  69 Porritt, ‘Tim Hardy’, pp.7–8.

  70 COS 1447/11/7/9 enclosure, Cheyne to Bayne (Sec. COS), 08.07.69, DEFE 32/18. Hence most of the SAS memoir accounts do not mention tactical sigint.

  71 Walker, ‘Borneo’, pp.7–15.

  72 Here 9 Signals Regiment became 9 ANZUK Signals Regiment, with Australia’s 121 Signals Squadron doing most of the sigint work until it was withdrawn by the Whitlam government in the 1970s.

  73 Blaxland, Signals Swift and Sure, pp.94–5.

  74 JIC Aust Report No.4/1968, ‘Australian Intelligence Priorities’, 29.05.68, AWM 121 25/B/1.

  75 JIC (FE) 17/65 (Final), ‘An Assessment for Planning Purposes of the Likely Duration of the Confrontation’, 04.03.65, AIR23/8646.

  76 COS 219/65, ‘Possible Military Responses to Continued Confrontation’, 30.12.65, ibid.

  77 Van der Bijl, Confrontation, p.139.

  78 COS 1447/11/7/9 enclosure, Cheyne to Bayne (Sec. COS), 08.07.69, DEFE 32/18.

  79 Easter, British Policy Towards Indonesia, pp.23, 28, 108, 125, 207, 223. Easter’s book is excellent on the matter of sigint.

  80 McNaughton memo, ‘McNamara–Healey Conversation in London’, 30.05.65, File: Klein Memos, Box 5, NSF – Name Files, LBJL.

  81 Van der Bijl, Confrontation, p.80.

  82 Blaxland, Signals Swift and Sure, pp.94–5.

  83 The SAS remained in Brunei into the 1970s, largely in the context of counter-coup activity. The SAS ‘Special Task Squadron’ trained the Special Branch unit designated to be the Sultan’s bodyguard. They also trained an additional unit known as the ‘snatch squad’, whose role was to rescue the Sultan in the event of a coup. Only the leader of the unit was told of its covert role; even the Sultan was not informed for fear he would talk. See HQ Special Air Service Group memo, ‘SAS Assistance for RBMR’, 08.05.72, FCO 24/1390.

  Chapter 9: Blake, Bugs and the Berlin Tunnel

  1 Macmillan diary, 21.02.59–3.03.59, BOD. I am most indebted to Peter Catterall for drawing my attention to this passage.

  2 Clandestine Services History, ‘The Berlin Tunnel Operation’, 25.08.67, CIA microfilm, Europe, Reel 2, LL.

  3 BSCB 17th mtg, ‘Appendix E, ‘Scramble Facilities for CCG (BE)’, 07.10.46, FO 371/54986, TNA; BSCB 12th mtg, Appendix F, ‘Directory Enquiries’, 10.05.46, FO 371/54984.

  4 Assistant Deputy Commissioner ACABRIT to FO, Sec.4134, ‘Signal Security’, 23.02.48, CG1114/G, FO 371/70897.

  5 CC(M) (49) 16, 04.08.49, DEFE 41/78; JIC (52) 73, ‘German Security’, 21.11.52, CAB 158/74.

  6 Davies, SIS and the Machinery of Spying, pp.215–16.

  7 Ibid.

  8 Stafford, Spies Beneath Berlin, 2nd edn, pp.131–2.

  9 Davies, SIS and the Machinery of Spying, pp.215–16.

  10 Blake, No Other Choice, pp.180–1.

  11 Clandestine Services History, ‘The Berlin Tunnel Operation’, 25.08.67, CIA microfilm, Europe, Reel 2, LL.

  12 Stafford, Spies Beneath Berlin, 2nd edn, pp.141–2.

  13 CIA internal histories reproduced in Steury, Front Line, pp.328–405; Clandestine Services History, ‘The Berlin Tunnel Operation’, 25.08.67, CIA microfilm, Europe, Reel 2, LL.

  14 Richelson and Ball, Ties that Bind, pp.260–1. Stafford is sceptical on this point. Spies Beneath Berlin, 2nd edn, pp.39–42.

  15 Aid, Secret Sentry, pp.46–7.

  16 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.1, pp.92–3. Information from Matthew Aid.

  17 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.2, pp.341–2.

  18 Blake, No Other Choice, p.181.

  19 By 5 May 1956 there had been over two thousand visitors. Political Branch (Berlin) to Chancery, 08.05.56, WG 137
3/5, FO 371/124647.

  20 Peck (Berlin) to Hope (Bonn), 04.05.56, WG 1373/4, ibid.

  21 Blake, No Other Choice, p.216; Andrew, Defence of the Realm, p.488.

  22 BBC2, Cold War: Espionage (Ted Turner Productions), broadcast 18.04.99.

  23 CIA internal histories in Steury, Front Line, pp.328–405; Wallace and Melton, Spycraft, pp.138–9.

  24 Leary, ‘George Blake and the Berlin Tunnel’.

  25 White to Dulles, 29.09.61, Folder 30, Box 57, Allen Dulles papers, Princeton University.

  26 Strong (JIB) to Minister of Defence, Harold Watkinson, 29.08.60, DEFE 13/9. Also private information.

  27 Riste, Norwegian Intelligence Service, p.11.

  28 Aldrich, Espionage, Security and Intelligence, pp.147–9. See also Radford (JCS) memorandum, ‘Clandestine Listening Devices’, 06.04.56, file: Presidential papers 1956 (8), Box 3, Presidential subseries, Special Assistant Series, OSANA, WHO, DDEL.

  29 Kennan, Memoirs, 1950–1963, p.157.

  30 Colville to Morrison, 09.10.52, DEFE 13/16; MoD memo, ‘Russian Eavesdropping’, enclosed in Morrison (MoD) to Colville, 13.10.52, ibid.

  31 Eden to Churchill, 25.10.52, PREM 11/760; Alexander to Churchill, ‘Russian Eavesdropping’, 15.07.54, ibid.

  32 Blake, No Other Choice, pp.162–3.

  33 Ibid., pp.163–4.

  34 Montgomery Hyde, George Blake, pp.43–5.

  35 Macmillan diary, 21.02.59–3.03.59, BOD. I am most indebted to Peter Catterall for drawing my attention to this passage.

  36 SM–276–56, ‘Clandestine Listening Devices’, 6.04.56, JCS records 1954–6, 371.2 (1-31-56) Sec.1 RB, RG 218, NARA.

  37 Kahn, ‘Soviet Comint’, p.17.

  38 Bryant, Dog Days at the White House, p.27.

  39 State Dept to Moscow, No.3499, 19.03.64, File: Hidden Microphones, Box 9, NSF – Intelligence File, LBJL.

  40 Conversation with members of the Borehamwood Local History Society.

  41 His assistant at Chester Road was Major C.R. Crooker of SIS. Notes of a mtg at 4 Chester Rd, Borehamwood, 30.11.56, T220/1444. Also Pidgeon, Secret Wireless War, pp.177–9

  42 Skidmore (T) to Rigby (T), 10.06.58, T 220/1220. This file has since been lost by the Treasury, and I am indebted to Philip Davies for sight of his copies made at an earlier date.

  43 Bridges (T) to Strang (FO), 18.08.52, ibid

  44 Scott (FCO) to Pumphrey (T), 22.10.56, T 220/1220. Re-equipment costs in 1956 were £41,000.

  45 COS (57) 49th mtg ‘Research on Eavesdropping’, Confidential Annex, 25.06.57, AIR 20/10100.

  46 Skidmore (T) to Rigby (T), 10.06.58, T 220/1220.

  47 Pumphrey (FO) to Skidmore (T), 03.01.57, T 220/1446.

  48 Pumphrey (FO) to Skidmore (T), 11.01.57, ibid.

  49 Skidmore, note on visit to Hanslope on 18.01.57, ibid.

  Chapter 10: Embassy Wars

  1 Jones (T) to Edminston (T), ‘Sensitivity Check File’, 16.12.86, T 220/1220. This file, detailing the ‘bug shop’, has since been lost by the Treasury, and I am most indebted to Philip Davies for sight of his copies made at an earlier date.

  2 B.5. Report re: movements of P.S. Kuznetsov, 29.04.52, KV 2/1636.

  3 The William Marshall case is discussed in Chapman Pincher, Traitors, pp.86–7.

  4 Note of a meeting between MI5, MI6 and Gambier-Parry, head of DWS, 30.04.52, KV 2/1636.

  5 Titchner (Moscow) to Carey-Foster (FO), 09.05.52, KV 2/1636.

  6 Ibid.

  7 MI5 report by Storrier, ‘W.M. Marshall’, 20.05.52, KV 2/1667.

  8 MI5 report by Storrier, ‘W.M. Marshall’, 19.05.52, ibid.

  9 MI5, note of a meeting with Director of B Division, 10.05.52, ibid.

  10 MI5 note of a meeting with Maltby (DWS) by Simkin, 11.06.52, ibid.

  11 MI5 note of a meeting with Churchill and Cherwell by Dick White (MI5), 16.06.52, ibid.

  12 MI5 memo, ‘The Case of William Marshall’, 19.06.52, ibid.

  13 Simkin (MI5) min to B2A, 27.06.52, KV 2/1638.

  14 MI5, note of a meeting at Leconfield House, 20.06.52, ibid. See also White (MI5) to Sillitoe (DG/MI5), 23.06.52, ibid.

  15 Eden (SoS FO) to Churchill (PM), PM/52/64, ‘W.M. Marshall’, 26.06.52, ibid.

  16 MI5 report on visit to Hanslope Park, 08.05.52, Appendix, ‘List of DWS Personnel in Moscow from December 1950 to December 1951’, KV 2/1636. Ker had an MI5 personal file, no.702,720.

  17 M15 memo, 15.06.52, KV 2/1641.

  18 Burbidge (MI5) to Carey-Foster (FO), ‘William Marshall’, 05.07.52, KV 2/1639.

  19 B2A, note for the file, interview with Hibberson, 22.07.52, ibid. The implication was probably that he did not think Marshall was homosexual.

  20 West, A Matter of Trust, pp.47–8.

  21 Titchner (Moscow) to Carey-Foster (FO), 9.05.52, KV 2/1636. Smythe PF.751,565 and Howarth PF.759,863.

  22 Aldrich, Hidden Hand, pp.403–4.

  23 Slessor to Sec of State, enclosing ‘TASS Agency Monitoring Station’, 13.07.51, AIR 75/92.

  24 JIC (51) 83rd mtg,(3), ‘TASS Agency Radio Monitoring Station’, CAB 159/10

  25 Ross (PUSD) min. 23.08.51, NS1921/15, FO 371/94949.

  26 Yerofereev to Morrison (SoS FO), 15.08.51, ibid.; Holder min. 26.09.51, ibid.

  27 SRT (58) 2(Final) (Revised) Appendix D, ‘The Threat to Radio Transmissions from the UK from Soviet and Satellite Forward Signals Intelligence Operations’, 23.07.58, DEFE 21/70.

  28 ‘I was one of only two senior people in GCHQ who in 1953 was solidly in favour of setting up LCSA separately from this place! The other of course was Eric [Jones].’ Hooper (GCHQ) to Penney (LCSA), 1/29, Penney papers, LHCMA

  29 Cypher Policy Board was gradually replaced by a London Communications Security Board, whose title echoed that of the main sigint controlerate, the London Signals Intelligence Board. Report of the CESD Working Party, Annex A, ‘Historical Background’, 13.05.69, DEFE 32/18.

  30 When DWS was wound up in 1972, officials lamented, ‘The buccaneering days are over; the Captains Morgan, Blood and Sharkey are now either dead or wearing a sober uniform.’ Oakeshott, 04.09.72, Oakeshott Report, CAB 185/12.

  31 JIC (53) 92nd mtg. (2), 26.08.53, CAB 159/14

  32 MI5 report on visit to Hanslope Park, 8.05.52, KV 2/1636.

  33 Statement by Victor Sheymov before the Joint Economic Committee United States Congress, Wednesday, 20.05.98, ‘The Low Energy Radio Frequency Weapons Threat to Critical Infrastructure’, http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/1998_hr/sheymov.htm

  34 Interview, Sir Roderic Braithwaite, p.8, CCC. See also Benjamin, Five Lives in One, pp.149–51. A similar event occurred at the US Embassy in Moscow in 1977.

  35 Interview with Victor Sheymov by George Lardner, 04.04.90, File 6, Box 226, Lardner papers, LC.

  36 Cradock, Experiences of China, pp.63–7.

  37 Peking to FCO, 31.08.67, FCO 21/29.

  38 Information kindly provided by the SIS archivist.

  39 Cypher Systems Working Party, 3rd mtg, 12.06.68, FCO 19/18.

  40 Campbell (Paris) to Denson (FCO), ‘Communications with Peking’, 01.09.67, FCO 21/29.

  41 Jones (SD), ‘Inspector Plitt’s Report of the Taiwan Situation’, 29.06.57, 794a.00/6–2957.1.G, File.116.11, Decimal File 1955–9, RG 59, NARA.

  42 Marshall Carter (Acting Director CIA) to McGeorge Bundy, ‘Audio-Surveillance and Countermeasures Problems Within the United States Intelligence Community’, 23.09.64, FOIA, File: NSAM 317, Box 5, NSF, LBJL.

  43 Cheasley, ‘Century House, 1000 Westminster Bridge Road, SE1, Occupational Services for G.C.B.’, March 1966, WORK12/670.

  44 ‘Report of a Visit to East Berlin to Review Security Arrangements’, 4990/12, FCO 33/2393.

  45 Reeve, Cocktails, Crises and Cockroaches, p.209.

  46 By 1973 the Diplomatic Technical Maintenance Staff had become the Communications Technical Services Department.

  47 Edkins (CTSD) to Miller (Berlin), 07.06.73, WRE 25/1, FCO 33/2092.

  48 Edkins (CTS
D), ‘East Berlin Embassy –Programme of Works’, EBE/NWB/20/73, 07.05.73, ibid.

  49 ‘Report of a Visit to East Berlin to Review Security Arrangements’, 4990/12, FCO 33/2393. See also Benjamin, Five Lives in One, pp.153–4.

  50 Reeve, Cocktails, Crises and Cockroaches, pp.212–13. The same issues arose over expanded Soviet diplomatic premises in West Berlin. The British requested that the Soviets be allocated premises with ‘the characteristics and layout which offer opportunity for technical attack’. Ian Cameron (BSSO (G)) to Jackson (BMG) and copied to John Jones (MI5), 22.07.71, FCO 33/1546.

  THE 1960s: SPACE, SPY SHIPS AND SCANDALS

  Chapter 11: Harold Macmillan – Shootdowns, Cyphers and Spending

  1 Macmillan (PM) to Home (Foreign Secretary), M271/60, 01.08.60, DEFE 13/15.

  2 Burrows, By Any Means Necessary, pp.243–4.

  3 Pocock, U-2 Spyplane, p.187.

  4 Taubman, Secret Empire, pp.305–9.

  5 Aid, Secret Sentry, pp.53–5; Horne, Macmillan 1957–1986, pp.224–6.

  6 Beschloss, Mayday, pp.356–7.