15 Andronov, ‘American Geosynchronous Sigint Satellites’, pp.37–43.
16 Information from William Odom, April 2008.
17 D. Campbell, ‘Phone Tappers and the State’, New Statesman, 1981, pp.54–5.
18 The position was initially filled by Robert Drake. Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.3, pp.156–7, 162.
19 Corput (Director, Communications Electronics) to Canine (D/NSA), ‘Unsatisfactory Communications Between National Security Agency, Washington and GCHQ’, 20.07.53, JCS 1954–6, 337 (9-6-51), RG 218, NARA.
20 CNO to Dir, Communication Electronics, ‘Transatlantic Channels Allocated to National Security Agency’, 30.03.56, JCS 1954–6, CCS 334 DCE (10-5-55) Sec.1, ibid.
21 S.I. 1/9, ‘Threat of Soviet Interdiction of Allied Communications’, 20.07.59, DEFE 26/6.
22 DCN/3/12, Annex A, ‘Defence Communications Network: Communications Staff Requirement, 1970–71’, 03.05.68, FCO 19/10.
23 John Adcock, Director, Blue Peter, to David Lloyd, British Space Centre RAF Oakhanger, 18.11.69, AIR 29/3905.
24 This channel – known as TGP5 – was shared with the Joint Intelligence Committee. Webber (Office of the Canadian Chief of Defence Staff) to DSB, ‘Transatlantic Communications Consolidation’, 26.04.68, FCO19/43. See also Burrough (C/GSPS) to Bates (FCO), 21.08.69, ‘Telegraph Cable Channels to Australia’, FCO 19/50.
25 ‘Satellite Communications Post-SKYNET II’, mtg at Cabinet Office, 16.02.71, FCO 19/183. GCHQ was represented at the Skynet discussions by John Burrough, who was Director of Plans, and accompanied by two senior GCHQ colleagues, Katherine Fox and John Adye, the latter becoming Director in 1989. This was Burrough’s last post; by 1976 he would be chairman of Racal. See Burrough (GCHQ) to Le Bailly (DGI), 05.06.72, Folder 3, Box 21, Le Bailly papers, CCC.
26 Snelling (FCO), ‘Satellite Communications’, 23.03.72, FCO 19/183.
27 DSB 10/72 (Draft), ‘Replenishment of Skynet Phase II Satellites in 1976/77’, 07.06.72, ibid.
28 In the 1960s Cheltenham had helped to steer national policy on language-teaching. Indeed, Arthur Cooper, GCHQ’s senior sinologist (and brother to the well-known Bletchley Park veteran Josh Cooper), had been loaned to the Department of Education and Science as Research Adviser on the Development of Modern Languages. He had also assisted the University Funding Council as a special adviser during its national review of the teaching of Chinese. See Young (Nuffield) to Hooper (D/GCHQ), 07.02.67, FCO 79/20; ML (67) 1st mtg, Appendix, ‘Inter-Universities Chinese Language School’, 28.02.67, ED 181/110.
29 Lavington, ‘In the Footsteps of Colossus’, pp.44–7.
30 This was developed at Eastcote by Tony Riddington of GCHQ and Harry Carpenter from Elliott Brothers Ltd, based at Borehamwood. Ferranti also assisted with this work.
31 There were also comsec machines at Eastcote called ‘Donald Duck’ and ‘High Speed Checker’. Ibid.
32 SRH003, Samuel S. Snyder, ‘Influence of US Cryptological Organizations on the Digital Computer Industry’, 1977, File 5750/363, Box 142, CNSG records, RG 38, NARA.
33 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.1, p.204; Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.2, p.368.
34 Bamford, Puzzle Palace, pp.137–8.
35 Brundle to Veale, 15.06.77, enclosing ‘Oakley and Benhall – Long Term Planning Study’, F/4752/6000/22, CM 23/133.
36 Burnett, Tait and Partners, ‘GCHQ Phase II, Benhall Site, Cheltenham’, 09.09.76, ibid.
37 This was partly the work of the 1976 Perry Commission. See Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.3, pp.217–18.
38 Aid, Secret Sentry, pp.164–5.
39 GCHQ was already processing the calculations for Foreign Office pay. Heath (FCO) min. to Hillyard (FCO), 11.08.67, ‘The Use of Computers in the Diplomatic Service’, FCO 19/5.
40 Sly, Horse Grows Horns, pp.210–11
41 Bontoft (GCHQ) to McDonald (PRO), G/9374/1315/1, ‘Records Review and Indexing’, 13.11.73, PRO 69/219.
42 Bontoft (GCHQ) to McDonald (PRO), G/9542/1315/1, ‘Personal Files’, 03.12.74, ibid.
43 About 6,500 feet was ‘end product’ which was of long-term value. Another 14,500 feet was essentially historical material that was used infrequently. There were also six hundred feet of personal files and 1,400 feet of registered files relating to policy. McDonald (PRO), memo, ‘Visit to GCHQ’, 29.10.73, ibid.
44 Anslow (PRO), ‘Note on Visit to GCHQ, 15–16 June 1971’, ibid.
45 Laver (T) to Lees (T), 4.01.65, T 224/1127. See also Couzens (T) to Henley (DEA) memo, ‘The Government and the British Computer Industry’, 04.01.65, ibid.
46 Hooper (D/GCHQ) to White (CAB), D/7873/1802/13, 3.03.69, CAB 163/119.
47 Poulden (GCHQ) to Stewart (Sec. JIC), D/8987/1402/37, ‘JIC (A) Sub-Committee on Automatic Data Processing’, 29.09.69, ibid. Poulden was in the chair, the GCHQ rep was H. Long, and the secretary, also provided by GCHQ, was J.R. Cheadle.
48 JIC (A) (ADP) (71) 1st mtg, 15.02.71, CAB 182/81.
49 JIC (A) (ADP) (70) 2nd mtg, 03.08.70, CAB 182/75.
50 JIC (A) (ADP) (71) 2nd mtg, 14.06.71, CAB 182/81.
51 COS (73) 13th mtg (4), ‘The Intelligence Coordinator’s Annual Review of Intelligence 1975 and his Report on Reductions in Intelligence Expenditure’, 15.05.75, DEFE 32/22.
52 Aldrich, ‘Policing the Past’.
53 Trend (Cab Sec) to Heath (PM), 09.10.70, enclosing JIC (A) memo, ‘Release of SIGINT Records’, DEFE 23/107.
54 Romeril (FCO) to Williams (PRO), ‘Soviet Interest in British Documents Released Under 30-Year Rule’, 30.07.70, DEFE 31/7.
55 DCDS(I) to Def Sec, DCDS (I)/10, ‘Release of Sigint Records’, 15.05.69, DEFE 13/615.
56 Hunt (Cab Sec) to Wilson (PM), ‘Marchetti and Marks and Winterbotham’, 08.04.74, PREM 16/670.
57 Helms to Bundy, 28.11.76, File: Richard Helms, Box 2, 2nd Series, William Bundy papers, Princeton University Library.
58 Hunt (Cab Sec) memo, ‘Visit of Mr George Bush’, 24.03.76, PREM 16/1151. Wilson to Bush (DCI), 5.04.76 and Bush (DCI) to Wilson, 07.04.76, ibid.
59 Note for the Record, 16.02.76, PREM 16/1150.
60 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.3, pp.65, 97–9.
61 Banner (NSA) to Phillips, 06.02.76, D6/31/76, Box 144, File 9, Phillips papers, LC.
62 Oldfield (C/SIS) speech, ‘Cord Meyer, Farewell 1 July 1976’, Box 2, File 6, Meyer papers, LC.
63 D. Campbell and M. Hosenball, ‘The Eavesdroppers’, Time Out, 21.05.76.
64 Campbell, ‘Official Secrecy and British Libertarianism’, p.77.
65 Robertson, The Justice Game, p.110; N. Wilkinson, Secrecy and the Media, p.366.
66 McEwan memo, ‘The Aubrey Berry Campbell Defence Committee’, 30.03.78, DEFE 13/1303.
67 Robertson, The Justice Game, pp.107–9, 127–9.
68 ABC Newsletter, 10.03.78, ‘Cheltenham 27 May – “B” There!’, DEFE 13/1303.
69 DIS (CS), ‘(2) The American Connection’, 14.07.77, DEFE 47/34.
70 2nd PUS memo, ‘The ABC Case’, 02.08.78, DEFE 13/1303.
71 Brind (MoD) memo, ‘The ABC Case’, 07.08.78, ibid. See also Owen, Time to Declare, pp.344–5.
72 Duff to PUS, ‘ABC Case’, 09.11.78, ibid.
73 Hockaday to D of HQ Sy, 27.06.78, DEFE 47/34.
74 Young (DD Sy), ‘State Research Association’, 06.04.78, ibid.
75 Hanley (DG MI5) to Allen (CSD), 30.06.77, ibid.
76 Hunt (Cab Sec) to Callaghan (PM), 22.05.78, DEFE 13/1304.
77 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.4, p.427.
78 Constance, ‘How Jim Bamford Probed the NSA’, pp.71–4.
79 ‘Pelton’, Odom (NSA) daily log, 12.11.86, File 8, Box 25, Odom papers, LC.
80 Not everyone was thrilled. Hugh Alexander, who had spent the 1950s working for LCSA, was utterly furious that Ultra had been revealed.
81 Milner-Barry, ‘Action This Day’, pp.272–6.
82 Welchman to Milner-Barry, 30.04.89, File: Bletchley Material, Box 1, 2nd Series,
William Bundy papers, Princeton University Library.
83 Milner-Barry to Hooper (Cab), 27.02.75, MNBY 1, CCC.
84 Reproduced in Andrew, ‘Gordon Welchman’, pp.277–9.
85 Bundy to Milner-Barry, 30.10.85, File: Milner-Barry, Box 1, 2nd Series, William Bundy papers, Princeton University Library.
86 ‘Peter Wright MSS’, Odom (NSA) daily log, 29.05.87, File 1, Box 26, Odom papers, LC.
87 He also came up with the idea of a Staff Counsellor to ‘deal with problems of conscience’. See ‘Peter Marychurch’, Odom (NSA) daily log, 09.09.87, File 2, Box 26, Odom papers, LC.
88 Milner-Barry to Bundy, 30.04.89, File: Milner-Barry, Box 1, 2nd Series, William Bundy papers, Princeton University Library.
89 Howard, ‘Reflections’, p.241. Margaret Thatcher’s memoirs, The Downing Street Years, do not mention either Peter Wright or the GCHQ trade unions affair.
90 Wesley Wark, ‘In Never Never Land?’, pp.196–203.
THE 1980s: INTO THE THATCHER ERA
Chapter 19: Geoffrey Prime – The GCHQ Mole
1 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, p.19.
2 Andrew, Defence of the Realm, pp.706–7.
3 Ibid., pp.670–81; Heseltine, Life in the Jungle, p.247.
4 Aldrich, Hidden Hand, p.546; CIA, Special Report – Office of Current Intelligence, ‘The British Communist Party’, OCI No. 275638, File UK General, 1963, Box 171, NSF Files, JFKL.
5 Paymaster General George Wigg, to Prime Minister Harold Wilson, enclosing ‘The Organisation of Security in the Diplomatic Service and Government Communications Headquarters’, 17.08.66, PREM 13/1203.
6 SPM (74) 4, ‘Double Certification of Destruction of Secret and Top Secret Documents – Exemptions’, 11.01.74, CAB 134/3843.
7 Cole, Geoffrey Prime, pp.54–76.
8 Ibid, pp.39–40.
9 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, p.2.
10 Cole, Geoffrey Prime, pp.114–17.
11 Ibid., pp.117–19
12 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, pp.13–14.
13 Andrew, Defence of the Realm, p.578.
14 Anton and Pemrobuch, Radioespionage, pp.238–41. Also private information.
15 Cole, Geoffrey Prime, pp.135–6.
16 Statement of Stella Rimington (MI5), 09.11.92, ‘Police Witness Statements’, p.62, Regina vs. Michael John Smith, http://cryptome.or/smith-witnessstatement.doc
17 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, pp.7–8.
18 Ibid., p.7.
19 Ibid, pp.8–9.
20 LPG was moved in phases between 1974 and 1977.
21 Lumley (GCHQ), Head of Security Division (R), ‘The Prime Case: Security Commission’, RLO 170, 10.06.83, MSS.384/3/57, GCHQ-UR, WMRC.
22 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, p.9.
23 Ibid., pp.9–10.
24 Lumley (GCHQ), Head of Security Division (R), ‘The Prime Case: Security Commission’, RLO 170, 10.06.83, MSS.384/3/57, GCHQ-UR, WMRC.
25 Sly, Horse Grows Horns, p.213.
26 Lanning and Norton-Taylor, Conflict of Loyalties, p.49.
27 Lumley (GCHQ), Head of Security Division (R), ‘The Prime Case: Security Commission’, RLO 170, 10.06.83, MSS.384/3/57, GCHQ-UR, WMRC.
28 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, p.2.
29 Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.4, p.407.
30 Richelson, The Wizards of Langley, pp.157, 203–5
31 Andrew and Gordievsky, KGB, pp.438–43; Aid, Secret Sentry, pp.164, 183–7; Johnson, American Cryptology, Vol.4, p.407.
32 Andrew and Gordievsky, More Instructions from the Centre, pp.100–1.
33 Head of Naval Home Division memo, ‘Project Neat’, 10.11.70, AIR 20/12879.
34 Lanning and Norton-Taylor, Conflict of Loyalties, p.51; Aid, Secret Sentry, p.129.
35 Prime, Time of Trial, pp.21–5.
36 Ibid., pp.72–3.
37 Cole, Geoffrey Prime, pp.62–3, 136–9.
38 He left Rochester Prison on 13 March 2001, after serving half his thirty-eightyear sentence.
39 Cole, Geoffrey Prime, pp.156–7
40 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, pp.20–1.
41 Lumley (GCHQ), Head of Security Division (R), ‘The Prime Case: Security Commission’, RLO 170, 10.06.83, MSS 384/3/57, GCHQ-UR, WMRC.
42 Conversation with Steve Woolner (CSE), Odom (NSA) daily log, 08.08.85, File 5, Box 25, Odom papers, LC
43 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, p.4.
44 Ibid., p.34.
45 Wynn (GCHQ), ‘Improved Physical Security at Oakley’, F/6007/9/1, 24.02.87, MSS.384/3/35, GCHQ-UR, WMRC.
46 Woods (BMA) to Duffton (SCPS GCHQ Main Branch), RVW/JNL/FB, 15.12.83, MSS.84/3/19, GCHQ-UR, WMRC.
47 Report of the Security Commission May 1983, Cmnd 8876, p.3.
48 John Coats and Ian Batley, ‘Stress of Eavesdropping’, Sunday Times, 15.04.84. See also ‘Secret of GCHQ Suicide’, Daily Mail, 07.04.84.
49 Thomas, Espionage and Secrecy, pp.141–2, 194–8.
50 Report of the Security Commission, October 1986, Cmnd 9923, pp.27–9.
51 The American problems are discussed in P. Earley, ‘Spy Fiasco’, Washington Post, 07.02.88.
52 Bearden and Risen, The Main Enemy, pp.324–6.
53 ‘Walker Case’, Odom (NSA) daily log, 21.10.85, File 6 Box 25, Odom papers, LC.
54 Lanning and Norton-Taylor, Conflict of Loyalties, p.53.
55 ‘Items for Peter Marychurch’, Odom (NSA) daily log, 15.09.85, File 6 Box 25, Odom papers, LC.
56 Smith, Inside Time, pp.87–9.
Chapter 20: A Surprise Attack – The Falklands War
1 Nott, Here Today, p.252.
2 Cooley, Unholy Wars, pp.17–18, 78. Even on Afghanistan, despite nine months of military preparations, the JIC had insisted that there would be no invasion, and only changed its mind in mid-December 1979.
3 One wonders whether this was triggered by knowledge of similar research that had been undertaken for the US government by Richard Betts.
4 Goodman, ‘The Dog that Didn’t Bark’, pp.38–42.
5 Milner-Barry to Hooper (Cab), 27.02.75, MNBY 1, CCC.
6 Nicoll (GCHQ) to Stewart (Sec JIC), ‘Central Monitoring Point for Requirements’, Z/1187/8005/10, 3.06.71, CAB190/19.
7 Goodman, ‘The Dog that Didn’t Bark’, pp.38–42.
8 Price, ‘Interview: Lord Carrington’, pp.2–4.
9 Lt General Sir James Glover (BGS Int), ‘Falkland Islands Campaign’, briefing to Odom (NSA) daily log, 15.10.82, File 1, Box 21, Odom papers, LC.
10 Carrington, Reflections on Things Past, p.358.
11 Bicheno, Razor’s Edge, pp.64–7.
12 Ibid., p.69. As Bicheno rightly pointed out, it was the Europeans, not the Americans, who bolstered the junta in this period.
13 Hastings and Jenkins, The Battle for the Falklands, pp.36–59
14 Barker, Beyond Endurance, pp.30–1.
15 Bilton and Kosminksy, Speaking Out, p.33, fn.2.
16 Lanning and Norton-Taylor, A Conflict of Loyalties, pp.12–13.
17 Hastings and Jenkins, The Battle for the Falklands, pp.58–9
18 Commander Robert Denton Green in McManners, Forgotten Voices, p.15.
19 Bilton and Kosminsky (eds), Speaking Out, p.32.
20 Middlebrook, The Fight for the ‘Malvinas’, p.1.
21 Ibid., pp.2–5.
22 Ibid., pp.6–12.
23 Air Vice Commodore Carlos Bloomer-Reeve in McManners, Forgotten Voices, p.23.
24 Keegan, Intelligence in War, p.305.
25 Middlebrook, The Fight for the ‘Malvinas’, pp.14–15.
26 Keegan, Intelligence in War, p.299
27 See, for example, Nott, Here Today, p.252; Hastings and Jenkins, The Battle for the Falklands, p.77.
28 C. Powell, ‘Reading Behind the Lines’, Spectator, 02.03.02.
/> 29 Hastings and Jenkins, The Battle for the Falklands, pp.77–8.
30 Ibid., p.69
31 Ibid., pp.75–6.
32 Franks, Falkland Islands Review, para.306.
33 West, The Secret War for the Falklands, p.44.
34 Hastings and Jenkins, The Battle for the Falklands, pp.83–4.
35 Nott, Here Today, p.257.
36 Thatcher, The Downing Street Years, p.178.
37 Nott, Here Today, p.257.
38 Thatcher, The Downing Street Years, p.179.
39 Nott, Here Today, p.258
40 Alan Clark records in his diary that John Nott’s performance before the House as Defence Secretary was ‘a disaster’, adding that he ‘faltered and fluttered and fumbled’. Entry for 3.04.82, Clark, Diaries: Into Politics, pp.312–13.
41 Major, The Autobiography, pp.76–7.
42 Entry for 05.04.82, Clark, Diaries: Into Politics, p.314.
43 Ibid., p.261.
44 Private information.
45 Wallace Turner, ‘Adm. Inman Says US has Intelligence Gaps’, International Herald Tribune, 29.04.82.
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