1. Ancestral Voices 2. Prophesying War: The Western Front, 1914-1917 3. Major Morton of SIS, 1919-1922 4. The Occult Octopus, 1923-1926 5. ‘God Save the King and his Agents Provocateurs’: 1926-1929 6. Loose Ends: 1929-1931 7. The Beginnings of Industrial Intelligence, 1927-1931 8. ‘A Gentlemanly Form of Spying’: The Industrial Intelligence Centre, 1931-37 9. Planning for War with Germany: 1938-39 10. The Fireproof Curtain: 3rd September 1939-15 May 1940 11. Cuckoo in the Nest: Downing Street, May 1940-July 1945 12. Intelligence Liaison, May 1940-July 1945 13. Treasury Troubleshooter, 1946-53 14. Energetically Awaiting Death (1953-71)
Cabinet Office, Histories, Openness and Records Unit, London, UK
‘With unique access to secret SIS files, Gill Bennett has produced
a riveting biography of the mysterious éminence grise of 20th
Century British intelligence, Sir Desmond Morton which throws
significant light on some of the darker corners of British
politics. Above all, she reveals the inside story of Morton's
crucial role as intelligence advisor to Winston Churchill in his
fight against appeasement and later as wartime prime minister. Her
book challenges some long-held myths and will be required reading
for all students of Churchill.’ - Dr David Stafford, University of
Edinburgh ‘Churchill's Man of Mystery: Desmond Morton and the World
of Intelligence is a timely and valuable biography of one of the
great eminences grises of 20th-century Britain. Our understanding
of British secret service in the 1920s, 1930s and during the Second
World War, along with Morton's role as Winston Churchill's
'intelligence man', is powerfully illuminated by this exceptionally
well-researched study.’ - Prof. Keith Jeffery‘This excellent book
describes and explains one of Britain’s mystery men. Morton remains
a bit of a mystery, but thanks to Bennett, no longer a myth. His
role in the creation of the structure and organization of British
intelligence was crucial – no bookshelf of books on intelligence
can be complete without this study. But his reputation as a shadowy
éminence grise for Winston Churchill is put into proper and
fascinating perspective.’ - Prof. Warren Kimball, Rutgers
University‘Gill Bennett brilliantly solves the main remaining
problem of Churchill's career and sheds important new light on the
history of British intelligence. Essential and enjoyable reading
for all those interested in these fascinating topics.’ - Prof.
Christopher Andrew, University of Cambridge‘This is intelligence
history at its most meticulous. Desmond Morton's extraordinary
career, especially when he stood at Churchill's ear, has been a
subject of fascination and speculation for decades. Gill Bennett is
brilliant both at puncturing the myths and substantiating the
realities.’ - Peter Hennessy, Atlee Professor of Contemporary
British History, Queen Mary, University of London‘The secret role
of Major Sir Desmond Morton, a British intelligence officer who
became Winston Churchill’s private spy, has finally been exposed to
public scrutiny after the release to an historian of key MI6 and
Whitehall wartime records.’ - The Times‘In spite of maddening
difficulties, she has written a first-class biography, which much
extends our understanding of how the country was really governed
between 1920 and 1945.’ - The Spectator'This book is much more than
a biography of Desond Morton; it is also a textbook on the history
of SIS, including many tedious details of internal jealousies, so
it is unlikely to achieve major sales (apart from the high cost).
Nevertheless, as a piece of detective work uncovering information
about an intensely private man, it will be required reading for
those who want to know everything possible about an important
figure at WSC's elbow.' - Paul Courtenay, Vice-Chairman & Hon
Secretary, International Churchill Society (UK)
‘With unique access to secret SIS files, Gill Bennett has produced
a riveting biography of the mysterious éminence grise of 20th
Century British intelligence, Sir Desmond Morton which throws
significant light on some of the darker corners of British
politics. Above all, she reveals the inside story of Morton's
crucial role as intelligence advisor to Winston Churchill in his
fight against appeasement and later as wartime prime minister. Her
book challenges some long-held myths and will be required reading
for all students of Churchill.’ - Dr David Stafford, University of
Edinburgh ‘Churchill's Man of Mystery: Desmond Morton and the World
of Intelligence is a timely and valuable biography of one of the
great eminences grises of 20th-century Britain. Our understanding
of British secret service in the 1920s, 1930s and during the Second
World War, along with Morton's role as Winston Churchill's
'intelligence man', is powerfully illuminated by this exceptionally
well-researched study.' - Prof. Keith Jeffery'This excellent book
describes and explains one of Britain’s mystery men. Morton remains
a bit of a mystery, but thanks to Bennett, no longer a myth. His
role in
the creation of the structure and organization of British
intelligence was crucial – no bookshelf of books on intelligence
can be complete without this study. But his reputation as a shadowy
éminence grise for Winston Churchill is put into proper and
fascinating perspective.’- Prof. Warren Kimball, Rutgers
University'Gill Bennett brilliantly solves the main remaining
problem of Churchill's career and sheds important new light on the
history of British intelligence. Essential and enjoyable reading
for all those interested in these fascinating topics.' - Prof.
Christopher Andrew, University of Cambridge'This is intelligence
history at its most meticulous. Desmond Morton's extraordinary
career, especially when he stood at Churchill's ear, has been a
subject of fascination and speculation for decades. Gill Bennett is
brilliant both at puncturing the myths and substantiating the
realities.' - Peter Hennessy, Atlee Professor of Contemporary
British History, Queen Mary, University of London‘In spite of
maddening difficulties, she has written a first-class biography,
which much extends our understanding of how the country was really
governed between 1920 and 1945.’ - The Spectator ‘The secret role
of Major Sir Desmond Morton, a British intelligence officer who
became Winston Churchill’s private spy, has finally been exposed to
public scrutiny after the release to an historian of key MI6 and
Whitehall wartime records.’ - The Times'This book is much more than
a biography of Desond Morton; it is also a textbook on the history
of SIS, including many tedious details of internal jealousies, so
it is unlikely to achieve major sales (apart from the high cost).
Nevertheless, as a piece of detective work uncovering information
about an intensely private man, it will be required reading for
those who want to know everything possible about an important
figure at WSC's elbow.' - Paul Courtenay, Vice-Chairman & Hon
Secretary, International Churchill Society (UK)
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