Vernon Kell
Encyclopedia
Major-General Sir Vernon George Waldegrave Kell, KBE
, CB
(21 November 1873 – 27 March 1942) was the founder and first Director General (DG) of the British Security Service, otherwise known as MI5
.
and had been awarded the V.M. (Gold, 4th class) and his English wife.
After graduating from Sandhurst
, Kell was commissioned into the South Staffordshire Regiment
and fought in the Boxer Rebellion
in 1900. As he could speak German, Italian, French and Polish with equal facility, he served and studied in China and Russia and subsequently learned to speak their respective languages.
While he served as an intelligence staff in Tientsin, he was also the foreign correspondent of the Daily Telegraph.
On his return to London from China in 1902 Kell was employed as a German intelligence analyst at the War Office
until 1906, eventually rising to the rank of staff captain.
Rising public fears of German espionage in the UK precipitated the need for an official government intelligence agency, consequently in 1909 Kell was selected by the War Office and the Admiralty as one of two officers, alongside Mansfield Smith-Cumming
, to head the newly formed Secret Service Bureau. The two officers decided to divide intelligence concerns thusly: Kell took responsibility for domestic concerns, whilst Cumming was to oversee foreign matters. However their working relationship was a fraught one with Cumming advocating the separation of the Bureau's work into two distinct departments, which was officially confirmed in 1910. These two distinct sections were later retitled as the Security Service and the Secret Intelligence Service (now commonly known as Mi5
and Mi6 respectively).
During World War I, Kell headed the MI5 section dealing with the Indian seditionist movement in Europe, called MI5(g)
. Among Kell's officers worked ex-ICS officers Robert Nathan
and H.L Stephenson. He worked at the time close to the Special Branch of Scotland Yard
headed by Basil Thomson
, and was successful in tracing the works of Indian revolutionaries who worked alongside the Germans during the war.
In May 1940 Kell was removed from office by Winston Churchill
, he was knighted for his services shortly before his death in 1942.
Kell was the longest serving head of any UK government department during the twentieth century, clocking up what one might term an impressive three decades at the helm of the Security Service.
While Director General of the British Security Service he was known as 'K'.
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...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(21 November 1873 – 27 March 1942) was the founder and first Director General (DG) of the British Security Service, otherwise known as 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...
.
Career
Born in Great Yarmouth in 1873, Kell was the son of Major Waldegrave Kell of the 38th Foot and his wife, Georgiana Augusta Konarska. She was daughter of a Polish émigré, Aleksander Konarski, a surgeon with the 1st Podhalian Rifle Regiment who had fought in the November UprisingNovember Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
and had been awarded the V.M. (Gold, 4th class) and his English wife.
After graduating from Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, Kell was commissioned into the South Staffordshire Regiment
South Staffordshire Regiment
The South Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 38th Regiment of Foot and the 80th Regiment of Foot. In 1959 the regiment was amlagamated with the North Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment...
and fought in the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
in 1900. As he could speak German, Italian, French and Polish with equal facility, he served and studied in China and Russia and subsequently learned to speak their respective languages.
While he served as an intelligence staff in Tientsin, he was also the foreign correspondent of the Daily Telegraph.
On his return to London from China in 1902 Kell was employed as a German intelligence analyst at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
until 1906, eventually rising to the rank of staff captain.
Rising public fears of German espionage in the UK precipitated the need for an official government intelligence agency, consequently in 1909 Kell was selected by the War Office and the Admiralty as one of two officers, alongside Mansfield Smith-Cumming
Mansfield Smith-Cumming
Captain Sir George Mansfield Smith-Cumming, KCMG, CB was the first director of what would become the Secret Intelligence Service , also known as MI6...
, to head the newly formed Secret Service Bureau. The two officers decided to divide intelligence concerns thusly: Kell took responsibility for domestic concerns, whilst Cumming was to oversee foreign matters. However their working relationship was a fraught one with Cumming advocating the separation of the Bureau's work into two distinct departments, which was officially confirmed in 1910. These two distinct sections were later retitled as the Security Service and the Secret Intelligence Service (now commonly known as 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 Mi6 respectively).
During World War I, Kell headed the MI5 section dealing with the Indian seditionist movement in Europe, called MI5(g)
MI5(g)
The MI5, or the MI5 G section, was a branch of the MI5 that was formed during World War I to address the war time espionage operation by the Indian revolutionary movement in Europe. The department arose by renaming the MO5, which was renamed MI5 in 1916. The MI5 itself, working under Vernon Kell,...
. Among Kell's officers worked ex-ICS officers Robert Nathan
Robert Nathan (Indian civil servant)
Sir Robert Nathan, KCSI, CIE was an Indian Police Officer notable for his works against the Indian revolutionaries in Bengal, Britain and North America.-Early career in India:...
and H.L Stephenson. He worked at the time close to the Special Branch of 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...
headed by Basil Thomson
Basil Thomson
Sir Basil Home Thomson, KCB was a British intelligence officer, police officer, prison governor, colonial administrator, and writer.-Early life:...
, and was successful in tracing the works of Indian revolutionaries who worked alongside the Germans during the war.
In May 1940 Kell was removed from office by Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, he was knighted for his services shortly before his death in 1942.
Kell was the longest serving head of any UK government department during the twentieth century, clocking up what one might term an impressive three decades at the helm of the Security Service.
While Director General of the British Security Service he was known as 'K'.
Awards
Kell was awarded the following awards:- Officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
- Officer of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(France) - Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Companion of the Order of the Bath
- Order of Saint LazarusOrder of Saint LazarusThis article concerns the order of knighthood named after Saint Lazarus. For other uses of the name Lazarus, see Lazarus .The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is an order of chivalry which originated in a leper hospital founded by the Knights Hospitaller in 1098 by the...
- The Campaign medal for China and the 1914 War Medal
See also
- James Edward EdmondsJames Edward EdmondsBrigadier General James Edward Edmonds CB, CMG was a British First World War officer of the Royal Engineers who in the role of British official historian was responsible for the post-war compilation of the 28-volume History of the Great War...
- Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming
- Sidney ReillySidney ReillyLieutenant Sidney George Reilly, MC , famously known as the Ace of Spies, was a Jewish Russian-born adventurer and secret agent employed by Scotland Yard, the British Secret Service Bureau and later the Secret Intelligence Service . He is alleged to have spied for at least four nations...
- Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart
- William MelvilleWilliam MelvilleWilliam Melville was an Irish law enforcement officer and the first chief of the British Secret Service, forerunner of MI5.-Birth:...