British secret service - Richard Deacon

This book traces the development and organization of Intelligence and counter-espionage services in the UK from the reign of Henry VII to the present day. In this up-dated edition, Deacon includes more information now available on MI6 operations and personnel between 1918 and 1939, and in particular on Secret Service links with "The Trust", the Soviet-manipulated organization which posed as being anti-Bolshevik. New material on SIS activities in World War II is provided, mainly concerning the strengthening of MI6 after the disaster of Venlo, when two agents were kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Germans.;Much of the new material is conerned with the 1980s and there are details on the careers of the more recent heads of MI5, such as Sir Anthony Duff, Patrick Walker and Colin Verel McColl. Finally, Deacon supplies some answers to Peter Wright's allegations, both as regards moles inside MI5 and alleged attempts to frame and destroy Harold Wilson when he was Prime Minister.