Valentine Vivian
Encyclopedia
Colonel Valentine Patrick Terrell Vivian CMG
CBE
(1886–1969) was the vice-chief of the SIS
or MI6 and was the first head of its counter-espionage
unit, Section V. It was Vivian, who while attempting to introduce new blood into the service, selected Kim Philby
who was later to become notorious as "The Third Man"
double agent
and who defected to the Russians causing considerable harm to the system he had infiltrated.
, London. He was the youngest of nine children of Tom Comely, portrait painter, and Elizabeth Baly Farquhar, miniature painter. His brother Sir Sylvanus Percival Vivian
(1880–1958) was former Registrar General
of England from 1921 to 1945.
In 1911, Vivian married Mary Primrose Warlow daughter of the Venerable Edmund John Warlow, archdeacon of Lahore
, India.
, Ludhiana
, Jhang
, Hissar
, Sialkot
, and Lahore
railway police. He was senior superintendent of police for the Dehli province and in October 1914 became assistant director of central intelligence (Simla
). He retired from the Indian Police in 1925.
In the mid-1920s, agency director Sir Hugh Sinclair
, the second "C", wanted to absorb MI5
, the UK's counter-intelligence agency, into the SIS
; when his attempt was finally rejected, in 1925, he formed the CE section, later (1939) renamed "Section V".
Between 1925 and 1931, organisational rivalries proliferated among Vivian's CE section, the domestic intelligence agency, MI5
, and Scotland Yard
. A network of domestic agents known as the 'Casuals' had provided information to CE section. In 1930, after a series of meetings of the Special Services Committee, the Casuals were transferred to MI5
, where they became "M Section"; many still provided the SIS with information.
Under Vivian, Section V focused on the activities of the Comintern
, which Vivian initially "regarded ... as a criminal conspiracy rather than a clandestine political movement". Vivian was the author of the 1932 report (FO 1093/92) on the Hilaire Noulens
case, though his authorship was only revealed in 1994.
During the First World War Vivian served in the Indian Army in Turkey and Palestine. At one point early in his career, he served in the Department of Criminal Intelligence (Simla) in India.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1886–1969) was the vice-chief of the SIS
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
or MI6 and was the first head of its counter-espionage
Counter-Espionage
-Cast:* Warren William as Michael Lanyard* Eric Blore as Jamison* Hillary Brooke as Pamela Hart* Thurston Hall as Insp. Crane* Fred Kelsey as Detective Wesley Dickens* Forrest Tucker as Anton Schugg* Matthew Boulton as Inspector J...
unit, Section V. It was Vivian, who while attempting to introduce new blood into the service, selected Kim Philby
Kim Philby
Harold Adrian Russell "Kim" Philby was a high-ranking member of British intelligence who worked as a spy for and later defected to the Soviet Union...
who was later to become notorious as "The Third Man"
Cambridge Five
The Cambridge Five was a ring of spies, recruited in part by Russian talent spotter Arnold Deutsch in the United Kingdom, who passed information to the Soviet Union during World War II and at least into the early 1950s...
double agent
Double agent
A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...
and who defected to the Russians causing considerable harm to the system he had infiltrated.
Family background
Valentine Vivian was born on 17 March 1886 in KensingtonKensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London. He was the youngest of nine children of Tom Comely, portrait painter, and Elizabeth Baly Farquhar, miniature painter. His brother Sir Sylvanus Percival Vivian
Sylvanus Percival Vivian
Sir Sylvanus Percival Vivian was the 7th Registrar General of England and Wales , and the longest serving Registrar General after George Graham....
(1880–1958) was former Registrar General
Registrar General
General Register Office, in England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and many Commonwealth nations, is the government agency responsible for civil registration - the recording of vital records such as births, deaths, and marriages...
of England from 1921 to 1945.
In 1911, Vivian married Mary Primrose Warlow daughter of the Venerable Edmund John Warlow, archdeacon of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, India.
Early career
Vivian joined the Indian Police (Imperial Service) in December 1906 and was posted as assistant district superintendent of police for Punjab, reaching the rank of assistant superintendent in November 1907, and subsequently superintendent of police for AmbalaAmbala District
Ambala district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in India. Ambala town is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district has an area of 1568.85 km².-History:...
, Ludhiana
Ludhiana District
-Rainfall:The rainfall in the district increases from the southwest toward the northeast. About 70% of the rainfall is received during the period of July through September...
, Jhang
Jhang District
Jhang District is a district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city of Jhang is the district's capital. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the district's population was 2.8 million, of which 23 percent lived in urban areas. By 2008, according to estimates, the population had...
, Hissar
Hisar District
Hisar district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state, India. Hisar city serves as the district headquarters. The district is also part of Hisar division, which is headed by a commissioner who belongs to the Indian Administrative Service....
, Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
, and Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
railway police. He was senior superintendent of police for the Dehli province and in October 1914 became assistant director of central intelligence (Simla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
). He retired from the Indian Police in 1925.
In the mid-1920s, agency director Sir Hugh Sinclair
Hugh Sinclair
Admiral Sir Hugh Francis Paget Sinclair KCB , nicknamed "Quex", was a British intelligence officer. Between 1919 and 1921, he was Director of British Naval Intelligence, and helped to set up the Secret Intelligence Service before the Second World War.-Career:Sinclair joined the Royal Navy in the...
, the second "C", wanted to absorb MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, the UK's counter-intelligence agency, into the SIS
Sis
- Places :* Sis * Sis, Armenia, a town* Sis, Azerbaijan, a village* Sis, Iran, a city* Kozan, Adana, Sis in Armenian* Mountains of Sis, a range of the Pre-Pyrenees- Other :...
; when his attempt was finally rejected, in 1925, he formed the CE section, later (1939) renamed "Section V".
Between 1925 and 1931, organisational rivalries proliferated among Vivian's CE section, the domestic intelligence agency, MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, and Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
. A network of domestic agents known as the 'Casuals' had provided information to CE section. In 1930, after a series of meetings of the Special Services Committee, the Casuals were transferred to MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, where they became "M Section"; many still provided the SIS with information.
Under Vivian, Section V focused on the activities of the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
, which Vivian initially "regarded ... as a criminal conspiracy rather than a clandestine political movement". Vivian was the author of the 1932 report (FO 1093/92) on the Hilaire Noulens
Jakob Rudnik
Jakob Rudnik was a Ukrainian-born agent for the Otdel Mezhdunarodny Sviasy , the Communist International's clandestine International Liaison Department...
case, though his authorship was only revealed in 1994.
During the First World War Vivian served in the Indian Army in Turkey and Palestine. At one point early in his career, he served in the Department of Criminal Intelligence (Simla) in India.
External links
- Discusses SIS director Sir Stewart Menzies'sStewart MenziesMajor General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB, KCMG, DSO, MC was Chief of MI6 , British Secret Intelligence Service, during and after World War II.-Early life, family:...
reorganisation of units into "Headquarters" and "Foreign" divisions, including Section V