Books
Alan Turing: the enigma of intelligence
Andrew Hughes (Unwin 1985)
If you have a chance, read Alan Turing: the enigma of intelligence by Andrew Hughes (Unwin 1985). Now in paperback, Hughes’ excellent biography rescues from near obscurity a true eccentric genius. It is of interest to us because of Turing’s essential work on the Ultra project and related subjects at the government Code and Cypher School (now GCHQ) during the war.
There is now enough material around for a good book on GCHQ and its history. Who’s going to write it?
KGB Today: The Hidden Hand
John Barron (Coronet 1985)
John Barron’s KGB Today: The Hidden Hand is now available in paperback (Coronet 1985). Chapman Pincher in Too Secret Too Long says’Fedora’ was ‘definitely not Viktor Lessiovsky, as has been claimed. The most likely candidate seems to be Vladimir Chuchuken, a KGB agent at the UN in New York from 1962 to 1977’ (p609). Chuchukin is named as a KGB disinformation officer in Barron’s previous book The KGB (1974) (p212). Surely the FBI had more sense than to recruit a disinformation expert…
Just to point out that there are now at least five books out now on Klaus Barbie, none of which contain more than a page on Barbie’s recruitment by British intelligence in 1945. Tom Bower’s (revised, updated, Corgi 1985) and John Beattie’s (Methuen 1984) are available in paperback.
Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution
Stephen Knight (Panther 1977),
Nearly every household has a copy of Stephen Knight’s book on Freemasonry (Granada paperback 1985), and they probably accept its central point that freemasonry has a very important influence on British life (as we accept it). Unfortunately the book is garbage.
I must admit I was, for a time, taken in by his previous book, Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution (Panther 1977), until fundamental flaws were discovered, such as the fact that Sickert (who plays an important part in the story) did not have a studio in Cleveland Street. “In fact No.15 was pulled down a year before the murders.” Donald Rumbelow, ex-policeman, completely demolishes Knight’s book in his study of the evidence and different theories. (The Complete Jack the Ripper, Star Books, 1979). “Long before the end of the book one is asking over and over again ‘Where’s the evidence?’ The answer, of course, is that there isn’t any. Knight has skilfully woven his story and tells it well. But where he can be checked, using the same documents, he falls down badly.” (p154)
Knight, of course, does have a get-out clause when it comes to evidence in his present book. “He told me he had never come across a case of the KGB using freemasonry in England, and added ‘Of course that does not mean that it has not happened.’ (The Brotherhood p 290)
Special Boat Squadron
Barry Pitt (Corgi 1985)
Special Boat Squadron by Barry Pitt (Corgi 1985) deals with operations carried out in the Aegean during WW2. Pitt had hoped to write a detailed history of the post-war SBS but..(p220) “The author was by no means surprised when all his applications for information on post-war SBS activities were turned down – with the utmost charm and politeness, but with an equally unyielding implacability … the SBS was of such vital importance decisions had been taken at the highest levels that no information should be officially released which might impair it.”
The Pornbrokers
Martin Tomkinson (Virgin 1982)
We take it as fact that our underworld is small potatoes compared to that of the USA, though we wouldn’t know if it wasn’t the case, so few books have been written about it. Bert Wickstead’s (ex Scotland Yard) slight but useful Gangbuster (Futura 1985) is welcome. It contains some material on gangland boss Bernie Silver. Which is by way of recommending The Pornbrokers (Virgin 1982) by Martin Tomkinson which has recently been remaindered. Silver, it is said, organised the recruitment of prostitutes who worked in Northern Ireland on behalf of British intelligence. Anyone know more? For the American side an excellent introduction is Martin Short’s book of the ITV series Crime Inc.: the story of organised crime. (Methuen 1984)
SD