British Intelligence in 1909

British Intelligence in 1909

In 1909, “British Intelligence” was actually a bit of a misnomer. England had no unified intelligence force. And though there were intelligence divisions of the army, the navy, and the police, they were laughably behind other countries in the intelligence game.

The Novels That Created Spy-Mania

Then came a write named William Le Queux. He wrote spy novels. He wrote wildly popular, wildly imaginative spy novels. They always, always focused on German agents invading the UK…and they were convincing. So convincing that the average British citizen began calling in reports of enemy-spy activity every time they saw a German tourist or waiter.

Le Queux and his publishers were clever, too. They would not only come up with stories about calculated German invasions, they would map them out along the subscription routes of the papers that serialized his books, so that the towns ripe for “invasion” were also the ones with the most readers. Those readers, in turn, would be delighted-and-terrified to see their own little hamlets and villages featured in Le Queux’s books. Subscriptions would sky-rocket…and suspicions would mount. Everyone began looking for the real spies among them and reporting them to an overwhelmed and beleagured police force who had no idea what to do with all these reports.

It got to the point where the general populace and the novelist himself were convinced that William Le Queux knew more about England’s intelligence game than the government did. They were convinced that Germans were sneaking in and undermining their country.

And the Crown couldn’t honestly assure them otherwise…because the Crown had no unified intelligence agency to gather, evaluate, and file or dismiss all the concerns. So in direct response to the spy-mania that had seized the country thanks to the works of this novelist, they changed that in 1909.

MI5 – England’s First Unified Intelligence Agency

In 1909, England took its first step into what one might call the modern intelligence game. They did it by creating an organization that would combine intelligence reports from all the separate military and police forces, which included at the time the army, the navy, and the police force.

For the first time, there was a centralized, unified organization to collect and evaluate intelligence, both at home and abroad. Here, reports were gathered from the army and naval agents in the field. Here, police reports from within the UK could also be gathered. Which meant that finally they had a way to compare reports of espionage within England with reports from their own intelligencers in Germany and other European countries, to determine whether in fact their political rival was sending agents into England.

The novel A Beautiful Disguise takes a fictional view on the formation of MI5, inserting characters into the fledgling organization that were certainly not real…but also drawing inspiration from actual scandals in European intelligence.

Russian Colonel Alfred Redl

From 1903-1913, Russia’s highest-ranking intelligence officer, Colonel Alfred Redl, was in fact in the pay of Germany, proving that other European nations were playing an intelligence game far beyond what England was doing at the time. Over that ten years, many Russian agents-in-the-field in Germany vanished. Not exactly unusual, given how dangerous a game espionage is…but as it turns out, their disappearances were no accident.

They’re superior was selling them to the enemy. Agents would vanish–killed–and Redl would get a payment from his German counterparts.

In 1913, Redl retired…but he apparently didn’t let the Germans know. Another payment came in. Suspicious, his successor followed the delivery of the money and was shocked to see the courrier go to Redl’s home. He quickly evaluated the books, realized there was a direct correlation to other such payments and when their agents went missing, and arrested Redl. Redl, further, was discovered to have been using the money to fund a secret life of homosexuality, which was illegal at the time.

The story has a bitter ending. Redle was left in a hotel room with a loaded gun and an unspoken command. He did exactly what he was expected to do: he shot himself, leaving a note that said, “Passion and levity have destroyed me. I pay with my life for my sins. Pray for me.”

Where Truth Meets Fiction

If you’ve read A Beautiful Disguise already, then you’ll be able to see the parallels between this sad true story and my fictionalized scandal that MI5 was facing before it even officially launched. There was no similar scandal on record in England at the time, but without question, such things were possible, given that they were happening even then in other European countries.

And as it happens, England upped its intelligence game just in time to get their feet under them before political rivalry boiled over into war.

W R I T E   T O   F R A N C O

Have questions about the circus or managerie?
You can email Franco directly at
Ringmaster@TheImpostersLtd.com

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There’s So Much to Explore!

Learn more about the Edwardian circus that defined the Imposters’ childhood, get fashion tips from Lady M, explore the theater of the day, meet the team, pet the animals, go behind the Top Secret stamp to learn about intelligence in the early 20th century, train yourself to be a private investigator, and dive into some fun and games!

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British Intelligence in 1909

British Intelligence in 1909

In 1909, "British Intelligence" was actually a bit of a misnomer. England had no unified intelligence force. And though there were intelligence divisions of the army, the navy, and the police, they were laughably behind other countries in the intelligence game. The...

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Circus Buildings

Circus Buildings

In the footsteps of itinerant jesters and strolling players of the past, the world of circus emerged, illuminating the glimmer of wanderlust in the hearts of their audiences. As the late 18th century dawned, troupes began touring to even the tiniest hamlets, bridging...

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Investigator’s Tool Kit

Investigator’s Tool Kit

Let’s Fill Your Kit!

A good investigator knows never to leave home without a few crucial tools…do you have these in YOUR bag?

Keys

Keys

Did you know that in Victorian and Edwardian times, there were only about 18 lock designs in all the world? And 90% of the locks could be unlocked with one of THREE master keys!

It’s no surprise, then, that the Imposters always carried the most common master keys in their pockets or bags.

Today, it’s a bit trickier…but if you frequently need to find your way into locked rooms (from forgetfulness, of course!), you can buy model door handles and locks and lock pick sets specifically designed to help train you.

Measuring Tape

Measuring Tape

Precision is often required in the world of investigating. Just ask Yates, who occasionally drills holes to plant listening devices. To avoid drilling in the wrong place, he falls back on the obvious: measure twice, bore once. 😉 Soft, pliable measuring tapes may be a bit more difficult to use, but they’re easy to slip into a pocket and don’t weigh you down.

A Dependable Watch

A Dependable Watch

Accuracy is important in more than physical measurements–it’s just as crucial in matters of time. When coordinating efforts, it’s vital that all members of the team have a dependable, accurate watch, and that the team has syncronized their timepieces. In 1909-1910, Wilsdord hadn’t yet perfected his Rolex wristwatch, and pocket watches were still the most reliable.

Pocket Torch

Pocket Torch

Okay, I admit it…I exaggerated how small flashlights were by 1909, just for ease of storytelling. The ones commercially available at the time were a bit bulky for a lady’s handbag. But let’s just assume our crew had some ingenuity and rigged their own. At any rate, small flashlights come in handy for everyone. Especially those slinking about in the dark!

Pen and Paper

Pen and Paper

This may seem obvious, but how often do we find ourselves needing to write something down but lacking the utensils? A pen or pencil and a notebook is a must for any investigator…even ones as skilled in memorization as the Fairfax siblings.

Listening Device

Listening Device

We think of microphones as being modern inventions, and they are…but as early as the late 1800s, there were amplification devices, first designed as hearing aids. The Imposters are in possession of a rather cumbersome Aukophone (a later version pictured here that is considerably more transportable) that had been their grandfather’s as he lost his hearing. Very handy for listening in on hushed conversations!

First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit

Though adhesive bandages weren’t invented until 1921, first-aid kits have been around for far longer than that! And though the Imposters pride themselves on their skill and care, they still wouldn’t risk leaving evidence behind them in the form of blood drops in case of scrapes or punctures. They would most assuredly have a first-aid kit with bandages and salves with them on any excursion.

W R I T E   T O   Y A T E S

Have an investigative questions?
You can email Yates directly at
Yates@TheImpostersLtd.com

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Train the Brain

Train the Brain

What Does It Really Take to Be a Spy?

We have action/adventure ideas about spy training, thanks to movies lik The Bourne Identity and James Bond. But you know what the most important skill is for an intelligence officer?

A good memory!

Memory training is not only the most common training across all branches of intelligence, it’s also the oldest. Not weapons, not hand-to-hand combat…memory.

Because spies are sent into the field to gather information, pure and simple. That leads them into danger sometimes, sure. But that information-gathering is always key.

So how to organizations take ordinary citizens and turn them into memory machines?

The Classic “Bunch of Items” Technique

The oldest method is a very simple one, so tried and true that it’s still in use. It’s simply this:

Every day, perhaps even several times a day, have someone bring in a tray or a box with a set number of items on it. Start with 10. Then go up to 15. Then to 20. And so on. Set a timer or stopwatch and look at the items for a set amount of time. First a minute. Then 30 seconds. Then 15. And so on.

Then write down as many objects as you can remember.

Sounds easy, right? And it is…until it isn’t. As the items increase and the time decreases, it forces you into new levels of memory creation.

Then new complications will be introduced. Perhaps after you’ve looked but before you’ve written anything down, someone has a conversation with you. Or perhaps while you’re looking, there’s a distraction going on.

These complications simulate the real-life environments that spies will be working in.

Put It In Your House

Each agent will discover ways that work best for them. One modern agent shared with a reporter in recent years that his method was to “put it in his house.”

For this technique, you start by choosing the environment you are most familiar and comfortable with. The home that you dream about most often. The one you could navigate with your eyes closed. Often this is a childhood home, or the place you’ve lived the majority of your life. Transient places aren’t recommended.

Next, as you encounter new information, you turn it into an image or even imagine the words written down on a piece a paper. And then you put that object in a specific location in your house and visualize it there.

So let’s say I just met Sue, who will be of interest to my superiors. I take a mental photograph of Sue–red hair, brown eyes, 5’7″ perhaps–and I put that photograph in a frame and put it on my mantle. Or perhaps it’s a number–a date, maybe. I write that date down on my calendar that hangs on my fridge. A drop location could become a knick-knack that I store in my curio cabinet.

This method would require just as much practice as the older one, because you’re still training your brain to store and process information in a new way.

The Benefits

The fun thing is that these exercises aren’t just useful for spies–they’re useful for all of us! You could make memory games part of your routine in order to keep yourself sharp and improve your own mental faculties, no matter what your profession!

W R I T E   T O   S I R   M E R R I T T

Have an intelligence questions?
You can email Sir Merritt directly at
SirMerritt@TheImpostersLtd.com

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Ready to Be a Spy?

Ready to Be a Spy?

Ready to test your spy skills?

Every intelligence agent is trained to notice details and remember them. This is crucial for the Imposters but also true of agents in MI5, MI6, the CIA, KGB, and pretty much every other intelligence agency in history.

So let’s play a game to help you start your training!

 

  • Someone should choose 25 random objects and put them in a box or suitcase. Sit the box or case at one end of a large room or long hallway. Have a master list of the items in the box written down.
  • Line up your participants at the opposite end of the room or hallway. This area is “Headquarters.”
  • With a timer or stopwatch (phone apps or smart watches work great!), give each person 30 seconds or 1 minute (depending on size of space) to get to the end with the box, look inside at what all’s in there, and get back to Headquarters. As soon as they get back, send the next person down, and so on until everyone has taken a look. (You could also send 2 or 3 people down at a time, but no talking among them!)
  • Give everyone a sheet of paper and have them write down all the objects they could remember.
  • Compare everyone’s list, having them help each other and fill in what others missed. Compare to the master list, or else bring the box down and hold up each object.
  • Give out the “random objects” as prizes to the participants, letting the person who’d gotten the most right choose first.

W R I T E   T O   S I R   M E R R I T T

Have an intelligence questions?
You can email Sir Merritt directly at
SirMerritt@TheImpostersLtd.com

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