PO Box 8000, London SE11 5EN

(Media) 020 7238 8431

Service Authority (Liaison with Service Authority for National Crime Squad, at same  headquarters- ensures effective co-ordination)

PO Box 2600, London SW1V 2WG. 020 7238 2600

1992 saw the launch of what was to become a fifth full-blown Intelligence Service, the NCIS or National Criminal Intelligence Service effectively redrew the battle-lines.The NCIS has grown immensely in role, structure and influence in the last decade and very largely in the shadows. It has the power to carry out most of the duties previously the domain of MI5 and indeed without the adverse publicity. Most significantly its excellent working relationship with MI6 and its executive powers have combined to cast doubt on the need to maintain a separate and very expensive organization such as the Security Service. Personnel 900 or more.

 Modern crime is no longer simply a matter for the local police, as national and international organised crime groups continue to network across the globe and carry out a huge proportion of criminal acts. As a result, today's criminal intelligence gathering must be done on a global scale to compete with the professional criminal networks, and this is exactly the role played by the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS).  NCIS is an umbrella organisation providing strategic intelligence on serious and organised crime to law enforcement agencies both nationally and internationally. NCIS defines an organised crime group as satisfying the following criteria; contains at least three people, criminal activity is prolonged or indefinite, criminals are motivated by profit or power, serious criminal offences are being committed.  NCIS coordinates much of the UK's higher level criminal intelligence activity, developing intelligence packages for operational law enforcement agencies such as the National Crime Squad. It provides specialist facilities for investigators, such as target flagging, interception facilities and access to foreign law enforcement. The Specialist Intelligence Branch (SIB) provides strategic and tactical intelligence in specialist areas of organised crime. NCIS also develops knowledge products such as the National Intelligence Model which aim to standardise intelligence methods throughout the country. NCIS is a multi-agency organisation employing staff directly and seconding staff from over 25 partner agencies such as HM Customs and Excise, HM Immigration Service, the Inland Revenue, UK Passport Agency, Medicines Control Agency, Financial Services Authority and regional police forces. With headquarters in London, five regional offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester and Wakefield, and a satellite office in Belfast, the NCIS can analyse localised information with national and international awareness.

The regional offices are managed by the UK Division of NCIS, which also includes a specific Scottish/Irish Liaison Unit based in London. The International Division of NCIS incorporates the UK National Central Bureau of Interpol, the UK Europol National Unit, the UK European Drug Liaison Officer network, the UK Immigration Officer network and hosts foreign liaison officers.
Access to local information allows NCIS a broader view of criminal networks and key players working in the United Kingdom, and with this intelligence they can work with law enforcement partners against football hooliganism, drug trafficking, smuggling and other organised crime. On an international level, the same information in combination with shared intelligence from European and global organisations can be used to combat similar criminal activity across a variety of borders. Previously, the practice of intelligence gathering was based on investigation in response to criminal activity, but now the aim of NCIS is to provide an active intelligence gathering service that creates long-term plans for crime prevention. NCIS was established in April 1992, and whereas in the past, UK intelligence gathering organisations have had a reputation for secretive and often covert methods of operation, the NCIS Authority changed that perception. This process of regulation and accountability to outside authority has obviously been a little more complicated for organisations such as MI5 that have worked behind closed doors for most of the last century, but for modern organisations such as NCIS a regulatory body, the NCIS Service Authority, was created at the same time it began work. Placed on statutory footing 1st April 1998.

John Abbot 1992-

National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU)

Launched in April 2001 as part of the NCS, and became the UK's first national law enforcement organisation tasked to combat serious and organised cyber crime of a national or international nature. In the same month, the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 was published and made the National Crime Squad a non-departmental public body, which means it operates independently of government ministers, despite the Home Office remaining responsible for their work.National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, PO Box 10101, London E14 9NF

In addition, the Prime Minister proposed the establishment of a multi-agency programme to tackle immigration-related crime known as Project Reflex. This led to the formation of the Immigration Crime Team in January 2002, whose role it is to combat illegal immigration into the UK by organised criminals. The ICT, staffed by the National Crime Squad and the Immigration Service, is located at Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

New Scotland Yard, Broadway, London SW1H OBG. 020 7230 1212

Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations (ACSO)
The Met has various specialist units that work across the capital or which fulfil a national role. A number of these are grouped into a section of the organisation known as Specialist Operations. They deal with tasks such as intelligence, security, protection of politicians, embassies and royalty, and the investigation of certain categories of serious crimes, including racial and violent crime and terrorism.

Special Operations -13 (Anti-Terrorist Branch SO13)
Anti-terrorism campaigns. (Hotline) 0800 789321
In 1970, a small investigation unit was founded within the Metropolitan Police Service as the result of an increase in politically-motivated crime in the Capital. Several weeks later the home of Robert Carr, then Minister for Employment, was damaged by an explosion. Responsibility for this was later claimed by a home-grown terrorist group calling itself "The Angry Brigade".As a result, the Metropolitan Police Bomb Squad was formed. It was renamed the Anti-Terrorist Branch in March 1976 following the increasing number of bombings, assassinations and other terrorist incidents.  The Anti-Terrorist Branch is fully equipped to provide a 24-hour service, with teams of officers immediately available to respond to any type of incident or investigation. Senior investigating officers are supported by experienced detectives, forensic scene examiners, search trained personnel and surveillance officers. Other facilities include an extensive major incident room and research team.

Responsibilities to investigate all acts of terrorism within the Metropolitan Police area including economic terrorism, politically motivated crimes, and some cases of kidnap and extortion. to help with investigations in other areas of the country. The Commander of the Anti-Terrorist Branch is appointed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) as the national co-ordinator for the investigation of acts of terrorism and cases involving animal rights extremism to take responsibility for prevention and planning as well as running counter-terrorist exercises for training and contingency planning purposes

The Counter-Terrorist Search Wing advises generally on all aspects of specialist searches, with responsibility for the policy, training and licensing of search trained officers within the MPS, and to provide explosives officers within the MPS. Uses Paddington Green Station at 4 Harrow Road, W2 as its 'secure' CT holding centre.

Intelligence functions were re-organised as part of the general re-structuring of Specialist Operations and as a result, the Criminal Intelligence Branch was formed in March 1960. Its terms of reference were initially to collect, evaluate, and disseminate information about organised crime and prominent criminals. It provides surveillance and technical intelligence support - conventional surveillance teams, photographers and the Technical Support Unit offer a wide range of solutions to today's policing problems. The surveillance teams' specialist skills are highly regarded, serving not only the needs of Specialist Operations Department but any other area or division that may require them.

SO10 has specific responsibility for covert operations.

Intelligence Evidence Unit. Provides photographers who primarily work with the surveillance teams to provide important and often crucial intelligence/evidence on active criminals, using still photographers and video cameras.

Facial Identification Team uses the most up-to-date technology to identify suspects and unidentified persons. Infos - a computer pool which provides centralised searches of all intelligence databases available to the MPS.

Telephone Subscribers Unit deals with all enquiries about hard-line and mobile telephone subscribers, as well as some records of calls.

Special Operations-11 (Intelligence  SO11)
SO11 has a broad responsibility for gathering, collating and analysing intelligence about criminal activity.

Specialist Intelligence Section (SIS) develops collection plans on highly organised and professional groups of criminals involved in major crime and maintains data bases.

Financial Intelligence Unit provides co-ordination of financial investigations and is that part of the SIS which receives disclosures of suspicious financial transactions under the relevant money laundering regulations and co-ordinates investigations throughout the Metropolitan Police area.

Strategic Analysis Unit analysis and production of high grade packages for service distribution. Focused on commercial robbery, serious sexual offences, murder, drugs and firearms offences. The evaluation includes comparative case analysis, specific profile analysis and crime pattern analysis. It also operates the London Crimestoppers Scheme which offers the facility for members of the public to contact police and supply information on criminal activities anonymously.

Informants - deals with all matters of policing involving informants. Scene advice/evidence gathering - crime scene co-ordinators provide on-scene advice and evidence-gathering, 24 hours a day, at scenes of serious crime, throughout the Metropolitan Police area.

Prison liaison - the Prison Liaison Section provides liaison between the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office and the Prison service and establishes a cross-flow of relevant information and intelligence. 

It main responsibilities are to gather, collate, analyse and then exploit intelligence on extremist political & terrorist activity, Initiate, develop and conduct intelligence operations against terrorists and political extremists, Disseminate intelligence for operational use to law enforcement agencies at local, national and international levels, Provide armed personal protection for Ministers of State, Foreign VIPs and other persons at threat from terrorist or extremist attack, Police the ports within the London area to detect terrorist or criminal suspects while travelling into, or out of the country.  Assist other Government agencies to counter threats to the security of the United Kingdom from both public disorder from whatever source.Works closely with HM Customs & Excise Investigations Division, the Immigration and other Government authorities. It has acted as the executive arm of MI5 since 1909 and until the Security service assumed the lead role in anti-terrorist operations in 1992 remained the main defence against IRA activities in Britain. The SB have full time access to the PNC Police National Computer set up in 1974 and the PNC2 created in 1991 using software fully compatible to the Schengen Information Service, and all subsequent upgrades.

The European Liaison Section (ELS) of Special Branch was formed in 1977 and will  play a significant role in the Euro-Security system known as the Schengen Agreement or more properly as the

Schengen Information System (SIS).

A computerized information exchange system based in Strasbourg and which has been gradually expanded since early 1994. 

Maintains close links with both,

Europol  PO Box 90850, NL-2509 LW The Hague, The Netherlands

Interpol  General Secretariat, 200 quai Charles de Gaulle, 69006 Lyon, France

(This also includes SO-1 Major Enquiry Teams; SO-5 Child Protection; SO-6 Specialist Crime and SO-7 Serious & Organized Crime)

This is the nearest that the British Civilian Police have to a SWAT-style response unit and though most Police Forces in the UK have increased the numbers of armed Officers none have chosen to create a genuine para-military capability as yet. SO19 is based on the Metropolitan Police firearms instructors, with the unit being primarily trained for containment and as snipers. Several small teams are however trained for assaults in situations where it should not prove necessary to request SAS assistance. They also handle most non-political hostage rescue situations. Weapons in use include the 'Glock’ 17 automatic pistols,  9mm H&K MP5 7.62mm L39A, Enfield Enforcer and Parker-Hale sniper rifles and a range of other automatic rifles and side-arms. SO19 is divided into a number of subsections dealing with different aspects of firearms work. These include Operational: For example the crews for Armed Response Vehicles, teams of Specialist Firearms Officers who deal with pre-planned firearms operations and the Rifle Section, which provides a counter-sniper capability. Training: The unit provides courses and refresher training for all firearms officers and more than 2,000 officers attend training courses every eight weeks. 

Background. The Metropolitan Police in 1884, following the murders of two constables, were given permission from the Commissioner of the day, to carry revolvers during uniformed night time patrols. These were called ‘Comforters’ and each Officer would make up their own mind if they wished to carry them. This was the nearest we have ever been to a fully armed service and that was over a hundred years ago.  In 1909, a bungled robbery at Tottenham led to an extraordinary rampage by two Latvian anarchists armed with semi-automatic pistols. It left 25 wounded and two dead. At the end of the following year, five police officers were shot in the City of London - three fatally - as a result of another robbery by several Russian immigrants with anarchist sympathies. Two were eventually traced to a house in Stepney (a third having been accidentally shot by his comrades during the first confrontation). So began the Siege of Sidney Street in January 1911. It led to a five hour exchange of fire between the forces of order - contingents of the City of London and Metropolitan Police supported by a detachment of Scots Guards from the Tower and the desperate men armed with two 7.63mm Mauser semi-automatic pistols and a Browning. Something in the region of 2000 rounds of ammunition were expended and the building destroyed before the threat from the gunmen was neutralised. Their burnt corpses were later discovered. Home Secretary, Winston Churchill, did not come off too well in the ensuing press coverage. In typical style Churchill arrived at the ‘Battle of Stepney’ to take charge of operations. More positively, the debacle led to the purchase of 900 .32 Webley semi-automatics by the Metropolitan force (although Winston would have preferred Mausers). When the Lord Trenchard arrived as Metropolitan Commissioner in 1931 modest efforts were made to standardise instruction. A specific number of men from each division were required to parade for the annual range day and better records kept of their shooting. And, from July 1936, guns could only be issued if there was good reason and if the officer had been "properly instructed" (and not merely at his own request for night duties). WWII led to more guns being given to the police for protection duties but there was a suspension of annual range days (as had happened in the First War). Indeed, annual practice was not generally reinstated in the Met until 1954. With it came certain small improvements: ammunition allocation was slightly increased, and courses of firing became more practical, save for a curious over-emphasis on left handed shooting. The much publicised Bentley/Craig case of 1952 led to renewed debate on armed crime and the proper response to it. But, it was the dramatic crime wave of the 1960s and, in particular, the brutal murder of three plain clothes officers in Shepherd’s Bush in 1966 that finally galvanised the Metropolitan Police into serious action. During the hunt for one the criminals, Harry Roberts, a Malaya veteran and former Army marksman, weapons had by necessity been issued to untrained officers. This was clearly a most unsatisfactory situation.

This time, however, the deficiency was recognised and a specialist firearms unit was created in the same year. It started as part of D6, the branch of the Met with responsibility for Civil Defence. Training practices were heavily influenced by those developed by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (which had for many years operated a famous firearms school at its academy at Quantico, itself the result of the FBI experience of armed crime and the proper response to it). This was not a perfect situation, there were indeed flaws in the FBI training system, but it was a vast improvement on what had preceded it in Britain.  The specialists of the Met Firearms Unit, later renamed D11 developed their own methods and an excellent reputation for their marksmanship skills. Their initial role was as shooting instructors but later they would be deployed operationally too. They were highly influential nationally, as were the West Yorkshire force which introduced ‘Instant Response Cars’ as early as 1976.  By the end of the 1970s, a decade which saw the successful resolution of the Spaghetti House and Balcombe Street sieges the police service had adapted to the new threats. It had considered both armed crime and terrorism and had responded, after considerable thought, with new tactics, equipment and training. By accident or policy, large numbers of officers were being authorised to use firearms in this era. 

A number of highly publicised incidents in the 1980s, including the Cherry Groce, John Shorthouse and Stephen Waldorf cases, where innocent individuals were accidentally shot by the police, led to a major review of training and policy and showed the dangers of complacency. A greater emphasis was put on stress management and realism in training and gradually the number of authorised officers was reduced so that only those officers with current, well practised, skills would be asked to undertake armed duties. Basic training courses were extended, and national training facilities were developed. All these efforts, were not just intended to prevent accident, there was a need to improve practical marksmanship. As their role changed significantly, another important, though little debated, change took place: there was a gradual shift towards a more militaristic appearance for specialist firearms officers. It was clear to many outside observers that post Prince’s Gate, the police service was being influenced in its dress and choice of weapons (notably the adoption of the H & K MP5) by its contact with specialist military units like the Counter Revolutionary Warfare division of the Special Air Service (SAS).  Today, there are far fewer officers authorised to use firearms. They are better trained and receive more frequent follow up training than in the past. Briefing and planning skills have also been much refined. There are around 1750 authorised firearms users while in 1984 the figure was 4,600 out of a force of some 26,000..The new approach, is to use Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs), first introduced in 1991, for immediate response and containment, with tactical advisers and specialist teams to back them up as required (the teams are trained in skills such as rapid entry and hostage release and may also be deployed for pre-planned operations). At any one time in the Met, about a dozen ARVs - each of which contains three officers - are available for deployment and half a dozen specialist teams.

Former ROYAL ULSTER CONSTABULARY (RUC)

Headquarters: Brooklyn, 65 Knock Road, Belfast BT5 6LD. 028 9065 0222

The Special Branch is formally constituted as the E Department. It is organized and subdivided by function into three regions (Belfast, North and South). E1 looks after vetting of personnel, internal security, the supply of under cover vehicles and security of communications (mail and telecommunications). E2 is the department responsible for legal liaison, the interrogation centres and SB activity in prisons. E3 collates all intelligence gathered by field operators, informers and uniformed officers. It is split into three sections. E3A evaluates intelligence on republicans, while E3B and E3C are concerned with loyalists and leftists and other groups (eg animal rights) respectively. E4 is the operations division which carries out the day-to-day field work of intelligence gathering. E4A carries out person-to-person surveillance and achieved a certain notoriety through ‘shoot-to-kill' actions in the 1980s which were the subject of the Stalker inquiry. Technical surveillance - the installation of bugs, tracking devices etc. - is the responsibility of E4B. Finally, E4C and E4D carry out photographic and video surveillance. While E5 liaises with the Army’s SMIU.

Counter Terrorist Sections included the E4A Surveillance unit formed 1976, Special Branch, Special Patrol Group (SPG) 1972, replaced by Divisional Mobile Support Units (MSU) 1980, and CT Specialists BRONZE SECTION formed from SPG in 1976 and since divided into Special Support Unit and HQ Mobile Support Unit in 1980.

Special Interrogation Centres; ‘Police Office’ PO1 Castlereagh Centre-Belfast(38 cells and 21 rooms)/used by Army Intelligence as well and PO2 the Gough Centre, Magilligan in Armagh(24 cells and 9 rooms)

Background: Pre-1939 GPO Telephone Interception Unit at the Central Exchange at Moorgate which worked with the Met Police and MI5. WW2 saw the entire Investigative service placed under MI5 command, returning in 1945 to the GPO as the POID, however the Transcription Staff based at Blenheim Palace were to be permanently absorbed into MI5 as Section A3 (later A2A). 

Tapping Centres in the 1950's saw a degree of centralization and  included the Metropolitan Police Training & Monitoring centre at the PCO in Petty France, replaced in the 1960's by a more secure centre in the Duke of York’s Barracks (300 lines), and for MI5/6 another 300-line centre at 8/14 Douglas Street SW1 just behind MI6 London Station (VBR) at 60 Vauxhall Bridge Road.  The POID centre was at Caroone House, near St Paul’ as IT4/NE1 (MONDIAL International Exchange) until 1971. MI5 also had an additional Phone Tapping Centre on the 4th Floor of a building  (375 Charles House) in Kensington High Street.

1971-1980  Operating under cover names PO/THQ/OPD/EDD, the main interception centre moved to Ebury Bridge House, 93 Ebury Street (TINKERBELL-1). OP5 changed to ES4 under new BT control, while the POID becoming BTID. By 1981 moved to top two floors of CHANTRY HOUSE, Ecclestone Street, Victoria (TINKERBELL-2 and Special Studies-9/SS9). Cover names included Network Services Division (NS3.4 Field Projects) with contact number at London Telecom Region HQ at Camelford House, Albert Embankment (800 or so lines). By mid-1984 operating from the top two floors of BT's former HQ at 2-12 Gresham Street, in the City of London and the BT(Secret) Department AS-314-2W in the basement of 8 Craythorne House(ex GPO 1980's), Newgate Street, near St Paul’s. Equipment Strategy Division (ESD) name changed to Operational Strategy Coordination Division (OSCD) in 1980's, unit responsible for control of PO/BT 'tapping' activities.

MI6 Telephone intercepts were for some time handled at the London Station or VBR, by a group of specialists and linguists known as UKZ and operating with a team of specially cleared BT engineers known as the OND. Metropolitan Police Interception and Special Services Centre was situated at 113 Grove Park, Camberwell, London SE5 and served as a joint MI5/MI6/MPSB/C7/GC & CS unit. This had been in operation as 'Grove Park' since around 1919 and was still a covert listening site well into the 1980's. Some operations were transferred to Sandridge near St Albans in the late 1930's and that base was taken over by GCHQ in 1946. A fleet of detector vans was based there throughout the 1950's and 1960's. By 1970's had reverted to Home Office control and had became a Surveillance Research centre developing equipment for Gove Park and other users.

The secret R12 Department at the Martlesham Heath Telecommunications Complex near Ipswich is a major R & D source of surveillance technology and works closely with GCHQ/MI5/MI6/NCIS, while similar work was also carried out at the JSERL-Joint Services Electronics Research Laboratory at Baldock in Hertfordshire(former wartime GPO DF Station along with Burnham), where bugging equipment for use in Ulster and by both MI5 and MI6 was developed.  MI5 interceptions are made via the BTID facilities on the 25th and 26th Floors of the Euston Tower and fed to the Transciption Unit at Thames House via a secure digital line. Since 1995 the transcribers have used the 'Marshbrook' computer system and updated versions which transcribe, analyse, log and file all interception communications. 2003 - Current Hi-Tech System controlled from the BT National Network Central Operations Unit, National Special HQ, Broggyntyn Hall, Oswestry, Shropshire, for many years the National Emergency Network Control Centre. (Microwave Network Link at ALBRIGHTON).

BT Worldwide Network Management Centre at Oswestry, Shropshire, was opened on 5 September 1990 at a cost of £4 million. The Centre monitored all of BT's System X exchanges (57 trunk and 373 local exchanges) and the company's three digital internal exchanges. Has overall control of interception of international calls. The new National Network Control Centre officially opened on September 12, 2002.The video wall measures 16.32m by 3.06m made up of 36 monitors. The giant screen is the same as used in modern digital cinemas with more than 800,000 individual mirrors behind the screen, a solid-state system that ensure razor sharp images. The control centre was developed for BT by CCC Network Systems using FreeVision technology: the wallboard was supplied by Synelec. The £10 million state-of-the-art building at Oswestry in Shropshire, gives engineers a helicopter view of the state of health of the UK's communications networks. They can view telephone call, data and broadband traffic at a glance, responding to incidents world-wide which could impact on quality of service not only to BT's customers but also to other UK operators and service providers and helps HMG and the Intelligence Community have both oversight and eventual control of the entire network. Has overall control of the interception of national calls.

Britain’s telephone network, System X, was designed with wiretapping capabilities built in and indeed all the digital exchanges built since the mid 1990’s have an intercept capability under the aegis of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.

GCHQ/DTMS (Diplomatic Telecommunications Maintenance Service) controls the GTN Government Telephone Network and any monitoring needed. DTMS HQ at MI6 HMG CC Communications Establishment at Hanslope Park, near Milton Keynes, Bucks.

BT Research Centre, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich. Top Floor houses

Dept R12 Special Investigation Division, works closely with Private Industry, MP, MI5, MI6, GCHQ and the MOD on advanced bugging and anti-bugging devices.

Dept R18 Speech Recognition, Synthesis and Coding Division works closely with GCHQ and JSRU.

Sandridge, St Albans. Joint MI5/MI6 EW R & D Site(moved from PO Dollis Hill building as  Special Investigations Unit Research) - first established as a GPO interception site in 1937, along with the future CSOS at Cupar (Hawklaw) and Brora.

All telecommunications to and from both Ulster and the Republic have been monitored  for many years by a variety of British secret facilities having been intercepted by such sites as the 13 storey, windowless concrete tower at Capenhurst in Cheshire.

Army Tapping Centre. Top Floor, Churchill House, PO/BT Building, Victoria Square, Belfast. .

GCHQ - Dublin Embassy.

14th Royal Signals Regiment operated from the Divis Flats in Belfast and Clooney Park in Derry.

POID Special Section, GPO Headquarters and King Edward Buildings, King Edward Street, St Pauls, EC1.  Foreign Sorting Office at London Chief Office - MAIL INTERCEPTION CENTRE. For many years housed a sizeable MI5 section which coordinated mail and phone interceptions with 'Special Sections' established within all central GPO offices around the country.  Later moved to:

'Post Office Bureau Services' unit within the 300 strong POID Special Section CPD(SS), Room 202, HQ Union House, St Martins-le-Grand, near St Pauls, London EC1A 1DQ.

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary (UKAEAC)
HQ Building E6, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB  01235 463760
 was set up as part of the UKAEA by the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1954 with a statutory remit to protect nuclear material on behalf of the Government both on UKAEA sites and in transit. Subsequent legislation extended this remit to BNFL and Urenco sites when these bodies were created. The Constabulary is authorised to deploy armed police officers to protect nuclear material and Armed officers accompany sensitive secret movements of material to and from Sellafield. These movements, in unmarked vehicles, include plutonium from Sellafield, tritium from BNFL Chapelcross near Carlisle, movements of MOX (plutonium and uranium) fuel to Carlisle Airport and to Barrow docks.  Under the AEA (Special Constables) Act of 1976 they were given far greater powers. They can now carry arms at all times; have the power to enter any house or premises at will; they can arrest anyone on suspicion anywhere in the UK. The AEA police carry weapons to patrol certain areas inside the razor wired perimeter of Sellafield. They have their own firing range inside the Drigg nuclear dump site and their own team of trained dog handlers. Its officers are trained to the highest standards set by Home Office and Scottish police forces, including advanced training in the use of firearms. At each of the sites its officers have a close working relationship with their opposite numbers in the local police force. The Constabulary has a strength of around 500 officers and is accountable to Parliament through the Department of Trade and Industry. A Police Authority, representing the prime users of its services, agrees the Force's funding and decides its policing plans and objectives. Independent regulation of security in the civil nuclear industry is provided by the Directorate of Civil Nuclear Security.  They recruit and operate independently of the civil police. This police force is accountable to the Atomic Energy Authority, who in turn are responsible to the Secretary of State of the relevant government department. Culham-Dounreay-Harwell-Risley-Windscale-Winfrith

Additional reports on the Home Office, MI5, SIME, other related security units and operations during both world wars, Northern Ireland and the MPSB and ATU are available from AFI Research

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Main Buildings, Horseguards Avenue, London SW1A  2HB, 020 7218 9000 

MOD War Room below Main Buildings in Whitehall code-named PINDAR and built in early 1980’s

The MOD set up in 1946 only fully came into being in 1964 when five older departments were joined to create a unified ministry responsible for the Armed Forces. The departments that were brought together included the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry, the old Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry for Aviation Supply. The first four ministries combined in 1964, but in 1971 the MOD took control of military aircraft and guided weapons supply, previously controlled by the Ministry for Aviation Supply. The original four departments still exist within the present MOD, although the Ministry for Aviation supply is now called the Procurement Executive.  Of all the departments the MOD absorbed, the Admiralty is by far the oldest, with its origins dating back to the Navy Board set up by Henry VIII in 1546 to monitor the naval issues of the day under the jurisdiction of the Lord High Admiral and then the Admiralty Board. The War Office also has a lengthy heritage, dating back to 1666, when the first Secretary at War, responsible for the Army, was killed in battle at sea against the Dutch. The remaining two departments, the Air Ministry and Procurement Executive were relatively young compared to the Army and Navy ministries, but that has more to do with the timing of the invention of the plane than anything else. The Air Ministry was formed in 1918 as the guiding force behind the creation of the Royal Air Force, which was itself a combination of the Royal Flying Corps (part of the Army) and the Royal Naval Air Service. Before 1940, the Air Ministry was also responsible for the supply of military aircraft, but this became the function of a variety of different ministries until 1971 when it became a responsibility of the Procurement Executive within the MOD.

JOINT SERVICES HEADQUARTERS (Permanent) at the RN HQ Northwood, Middlesex.  Established in 1996. The Joint HQ connects the policy and strategic functions of the MOD with the conduct of operations. The Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF) was also established in August 1996, while the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) was established in April 1999 and operational by October 2001.

(Subordinate centres were at Pitreavie Castle,near Dunfirmline in Fife and Mount Batten, Plymouth)

US European Command War Headquarters are in huge underground facilities built at High Wycombe (Daws Hill) in Buckinghamshire in early 1980’s and linked to UK equivalent at Northwood in Middlesex.

Basil Hill Barracks, Building 111, Park Lane, Corsham, SN13 9NR. 01225 814886

DCN-Defence Communications Network (Microwave Network Link at FIVE WAYS, Hawthorn)

Bases includes;

RAF Chelveston, nr Wellingborough (opened 1991- replaced RAF Greatworth);

RAF Edlesborough, nr Dunstable;

RAF Oakhanger, nr Bordon in Hampshire (SATCOM-also has USAF/DSCS/CIA unit);

RAF Milltown nr Chesterfield;

RAF Balado Bridge, near Kinross, Fife (US DSCS & MF/HF);

RAF Bampton Castle in Oxfordshire (SIGINT 2 SU, control centre - replaced RAF Stanbridge) and

RAF Boddington, just North East of Gloucester (SIGINT - HQ handles military traffic for GCHQ)

Forest Moor, Blubberhouse Moor, Yorkshire. Built 1943, rebuilt 1992-93.

Important Naval Communications and DF.

Crimond, Fraserburgh. RN/NATO HF.LF.

Mountbatten, Plymouth HQ.

Fort Southwick, Portsmouth HQ.

Knock Hill, Pitraevie Castle HQ (RN & RAF)  & Rosyth.

Other sites of interest;

RAF Boulmer, Northumberland. 75 SU & 500 SU

RAF St Eval, near Newquay. former base near RAF St Mawgan. Large aerial field.

Established  1964
Mission: To provide the Ministry of Defence with accurate and timely intelligence in support of the policies of HMG in the UK and where ever a potential  threat exists to British Forces. Formed to act as a central clearinghouse for intelligence generated by all military intelligence departments.

Headquarters: Old War Office Buildings, Whitehall, London  SW1A 2EU. 020 7218 2407. Much of the Intelligence Analysis and Evaluation was carried out in the Metropol Buildings in Northumberland Avenue, Whitehall ,WC2N 5BP.

CDI - Chief of Defence Intelligence is one of the members of the JIO. Each service (Army, Navy, Air Force) have their own intelligence arms, the DIS provides the overall assessment and evaluation. Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS). It gathers intelligence on `threats' from surveillance, military attaches in UK embassies, SIGINT from GCHQ, and from the US NSA. 

CDI

Deputy CDI

Director General Intelligence and Geographic Resources

The three main directorates are:

DI Programmes and Resources 

DI Global Issues

DI Regional assessments

DI Scientific & Technical

DI Information Systems

DISC(Chicksands)

JARIC

Military Survey

The Defence Intelligence Staff can trace its ancestry back to 1946, when the Joint Intelligence Bureau (JIB) was established under the direction of General Keith Strong, General Eisenhower’s British wartime Chief of Intelligence. The DIS was created in 1964 by the amalgamation of all three service intelligence staffs and the civilian Joint Intelligence Bureau to form an integrated body able to serve the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces and other Government Departments.

The DIS are also involved in the setting up of the WEU Situation Centre and Intelligence Section and submits Weekly Intelligence Summaries to the Intelligence Section.  It has also responded to ad hoc requests from the Section for more detailed briefing on particular areas. The DIS works closely with WEU partners to refine current arrangements and to improve the WEU's ability to receive and circulate intelligence.

Chicksands, 1 mile West of Shefford, Bedfordshire SG17 5PR. 01462 - 752125
The Agency was created on 1 October 1996 to integrate all intelligence and most security training into a single tri-Service organisation. Core functions are to provide training in intelligence and security disciplines, training in conduct after capture, and advice on intelligence and security policy. The Defence Intelligence and Security Centre trains the Armed Forces and other intelligence agencies in intelligence and security disciplines, and conduct after capture. It acts as the Department's centre of excellence for the production of imagery intelligence. Its role is to exploit and analyse imagery from all available sources and produce intelligence products and services to meet the requirements of MOD and the operational Commands. It provides this intelligence to military commanders and the Government, in support of current military operations, defence planning and wider intelligence matters. Defence Intelligence & Security School; Joint Services Intelligence Organization; Defence Debriefing Team; Intelligence Corps; Defence Special Signals School and Army Communications & Security Group.

The Headquarters are in Elmwood Avenue, Feltham, Middlesex TW13 7AH, alongside its largest business unit, the Defence Geographic Centre.

On the 10th May 1999, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State announced that two Agencies, JARIC and Military Survey Defence Agency would merge on 1st April 2000 into a new agency to be known as the Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency. The DGIA is based at four main UK sites: Feltham in West London, RAF Brampton near Huntingdon, Tolworth in Surrey; Hermitage near Newbury, and RAF Münchengladbach in Germany. The DGIA has some 1,700 staff; over half are civilians and all three Services are represented. The Agency acts as the Department's centre of excellence for the production of imagery intelligence and geographic information in support of current military operations, defence planning, general intelligence requirements and wider Government interests

Military Survey Defence Agency Established as a Defence Agency on 2nd April 1991. Its role was to ensure the provision of geographic and geospatial support to defence planning, training and operations. It provided the Armed Forces with the accurate mapping throughout the world.

JARIC Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre RAF Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs PE18 8QL

It was not until 1905, shortly after the Boer War, that specific recommendations were made for the formation of an Intelligence Corps, despite the timeless need for intelligence throughout history. Thus in 1914 the Intelligence Corps, based in part at 5 Cork Street, Mayfair, began to develop its skills during World War One, including the use of air photographs, counter intelligence and methods of interrogation. Despite many successes the Corps planners decided intelligence was required only during times of war and the Corps was disbanded at the end of the War. Accordingly, when war broke out again, the Intelligence Corps was re-formed with the approval of King George VI on 19^th of July 1940.

The Corps' functions were similar to those it had carried out in the First World War Members were involved in security, travel control, censorship, special operations, interpreters/linguists, photographic interpreters. The Intelligence Corps played a big part in breaking the German Military and Political Code Machine - ENIGMA. At the end of the War, the Intelligence Corps played a prominent part in rounding up war criminals, and member were directly involved in the arrest of Heinrich Himmler at Bremervoerde. Since the Second World War, the Corps has deployed with the British Army on all of its major deployments- Korea, Suez, Brunei, Indonesia, Dhofar, Northern Ireland, Falkland Islands, the Gulf, Africa and the Former Yugoslavia. In recognition of its meritorious service the Corps was declared an 'Arm' on 1^st February 1985. An 'Arm' is defined as those Corps whose role is to be in close combat with the enemy.  Based at Templer Barracks, Ashford, Kent for much of the post War period, The Intelligence Corps has now moved into the 21^st Century co-located with the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC) at Chicksands. The DISC is the UK Defence Agency responsible for training all personnel training in intelligence, security and information support. Sections include: SIW Special Intelligence Wing and WIU Weapons Intelligence Unit

NORTHERN IRELAND COMMAND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

The British Army runs its own intelligence operation in the North of Ireland under the name of Northern Ireland Command Military Intelligence (NICMI). Little is known about NICMI and its true organisational structure. Top level data is handled by the Joint Action Unit, Northern Ireland (JACUNI). On the operational side, it is reputedly made up of staff from the SAS, the Royal Corps of Signals, the Royal Air Force (which pilots helicopter surveillance), 14th Intelligence Company and Field Research Units. These units were set up by Commander of Land Forces Major General Glover in 1980. All intelligence from Army sources is stored on the Crucible computer at Lisburn HQ which is maintained by 12th Intelligence and Security Company.

12th Intelligence and Security Company (EW and Computer specialists)

Formed 1972

14th Intelligence and Security Company (Surveillance & Agent handling)

Formed Mid 1978
Mission: To monitor known IRA terrorists and to carry out pre-emptive strikes against terrorist operations.
Jurisdiction: Originally Northern Ireland Only
Headquarters: Armagh. Personnel: 150 officers and men
Known as the thinking man's SAS, the 14th Intelligence & Security Company recruits its personnel from all three branches of the UK's armed forces. It was formed to provide a specialist security force that could be deployed against the various terrorist organisations that operate with the Northern Island Province. Its founder was an SAS Officer who had already served with MI6
The men of the 14th tend to be smarter, stealthier, and less aggressive than those in the SAS, and are highly trained in all forms of covert surveillance. Those men that are selected by the 14th Intelligence Company for "Hazardous duties in Northern Ireland", are put through a tough six month training course where they are taught some of the skills they need by the SAS.
The operations that are carried out by the 14th Intelligence and Security Company are often indistinguishable from those of the SAS, and like the SAS it is highly secretive organisation, whose successes are never directly credit to the 'company'.  It formed part of the Army's  Intelligence  & Security Group,  and the 14th Cpn developed out of the previous covert '4th Field Survey Troop of the RE' formed in 1974 to replace the ill-fated Mobile Reconnaissance Force or MRF 'Freddies' formed in 1970 and disbanded in 1973. Its individual field teams are usually known as 'Dets' operating out of secret bases in the province

Formed 1980-81. Replaced the Unit Intelligence Officers for Agent Running 1969-1978 and the Research Office 1978-1980. The Force Research Unit is a covert military intelligence unit of the UK Ministry of Defence, under the Army's Special Intelligence Wing (SIW)at Ashford originally(now at Chicksands). FRU is thought to specifically target terrorist organizations in Northern Ireland from a secure base within the Intelligence Corps centre at Thiepval barracks. It is not clear the relationship between FRU, Royal Ulster Constabulary, MI5, GCHQ and 14 Company, however it is assumed that all work in tandem to support counterterrorist efforts in Northern Ireland. Its crest is a man with a net; its motto is "Fishers of Men".

Its remit involves running agents to infiltrate terrorist organisations and gather intelligence. FRU's role is to:"…to target, recruit and run human sources from all divisions of the community, with priority given to the running of agents within the terrorist organisations themselves. The FRU's role is probably the most sensitive of all the covert operations undertaken within Northern Ireland. It is the only military unit that exploits pre-emptive intelligence gathered directly from its informants to combat terrorist activity." FRU secured 'restriction orders' in advance of a number of loyalist attacks in order to facilitate easy access to and escape from their 'target'. FRU, it is believed, had a representative at the weekly meetings of the Tasking and Co-ordination Group (TCG), the group responsible for liaison between all the different security forces/agencies including the RUC, MI5 and the British Army. According to the author of Ten-Thirty Three the FRU applied for 'restriction orders' at these weekly meetings which ensured that regular British Army/RUC patrols would avoid a particular area at a specified time. In theory this was to allow undercover operations to be carried out. In certain instances it is now claimed, the intention was to allow loyalist murder gangs to operate without interference. Both the McDaid and Slane families reported the presence and then sudden disappearance of patrols in their area leading up to both murders. The clear implication is that the Tasking and Co-ordination Group, composed of senior RUC and military personnel, were aware of the illegal activities of the Force Research Unit and loyalist paramilitaries from the Ulster Defence Association

SMIU-NI SPECIAL MILITARY INTELLIGENCE UNIT(Northern Ireland)

Formed in 1972. SMIU is not an established unit as such, each is actually administered directly by the Intelligence Corps. Around 50 specially selected  Officers and NCO's liaised between the Army Command and the RUC/PFNI at Knock HQ, Special Branch at various levels of operation and command.

INTELLIGENCE & SECURITY GROUP (Northern Ireland)

NITAT or Northern Ireland Training and Tactics Team while a genuine organization had a covert role in Northern Ireland and soldiers posted to 14th Intell Cpn for instance were often listed as being in NITAT, so its security role was consolidated and the name changed to I & S G in late 1978. There are at least two other I & S G  in UK and Germany. 28th Intelligence Section, probably from the I & SG, maintained surveillance of alleged IRA activities in Germany

Garnock House, near Lisburn. Army interrogation centre

Ladas Drive, Castlereagh, Belfast. MI5/RIR(UDR) Intelligence and Main Interrogation Centre. Established 1985-86.

(No 341?) Gilnahirk Road, Belfast. GCHQ/CSO Monitoring and Interception Facility(WW2 GPO Interception site, taken over in 1947 by GCHQ. Closed officially in 1978 as a CSO Base)

Torr Head, Ballycastle. Major Army communications Site(probably has a SIGINT function)

Oxford Island. RN adar and Communications Base(may have SIGINT capability)

(though officially closed in 1978 as a CSO Base Island Hill, Comber may have continued to be used by

GCHQ as an internal communications monitoring facility)

Belleeks.

Camlough.

Crievekieran.

Crosslieve (Dromintee).

Drumucknavall.

Foxhall Mountains.

Fathom Mountain.

Faughill Mountain.

Glassdrummond.

Lislea.

Sturgeon Mountain.

Slievesrack

.Slievenbala(twin posts)

Broadway Tower, Belfast.

Templar House, Belfast.

Divis Tower, Belfast.

Monitoring facility also reported to be based in 'Ward-19', Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast

Northern Ireland Military Command -Thiepval Barracks

GOC Land Forces HQ.

39^th Brigade HQ.

SMIU HQ.

SAS Liaison Office.

British Army Press office.

Belfast Regional Command. Thiepval Barracks, Belfast (corresponds to PFNI/RUC Belfast )

North East Regional Command. Ebrington Barracks, Derry (corresponds PFNI/RUC Rural East)

South East Regional Commanmd. Drumadd Barracks, Armagh (corresponds PFNI/RUC Rural West)

Abercorn Barracks, Ballykinlar, Co Down.

Lisanelly Barracks, Omagh, Co Tyrone.

Palace Barracks, Hollywood, Co Down

St Patricks Barracks, Ballymena Co Antrim

Mahon Barracks, Portadown, Co Armagh

Shackleton Barracks, Derry.

Alexander Barracks, Aldergrove, Co. Antrim.

North Howard Street Barracks, Belfast.

Fort Jericho, Belfast

Girwood Barracks, Belfast.

Musgrave Barracks, Belfast.

Founded: 1888

Headquarters: Admiralty Building, London.
Established by Captain Henry Oliver the Naval Intelligence Department was originally a signal interception and code breaking section within the Royal Navy. However, this changed, when Admiral 'Blinker' Hall became head of the NID in 1914. Blinker Hall was considered by many to be one of the most intelligent and devious head of any British secret service department and is to have struck terror into the hearts of the enemy. Under his leadership, he not only built improved the existing cryptography section by employing, he also set up a Code Breaking School to help clear the back log of captured German messages, and also set up an extensive network of agents and spies in neutral countries. Probably the NID’s finest moment, and the one move which helped bring the United States into the First World War was the interception of the Zimmerman telegram which indicated that the Germans were about to introduce unrestricted submarine warfare off the American Seaboard. Between the two world wars, NID or Room 40 (Old Building) as it was more often called was scaled down on the orders of the head of MI6, Sir Mansfield Cummings, probably because Hall's network of agents were better trained and more well equipped than his own agents. During the Second World War, the Naval intelligence Department once more grew in size, and planned and executed a number of operations, probably the most famous of which was Operation Mincemeat. This was an operation that was aimed at deceiving the Germans into thinking that landings for the forth-coming invasion of Sicily would take place in Greece. To achieve this a corpse, supposedly a Royal Marines major carrying plans for an allied invasion of Greece, was deposited by a British submarine on the Spanish coast in the hope that the Spanish authorities would inform the Germans. This plan, carried out in May 1943, was a resounding success, and the Germans diverted a significant force to the defence of Greece. At the end of WWII the Naval Intelligence Department was once more comparable in size and function to MI6 with its own agents, and once again it was scaled down, and now is a shadow of its former self. These days, NID concentrates on gathering and evaluation intelligence from a variety of separate naval sources including research ships, signal intelligence and underwater sensor arrays.

RAF AIR INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (AIS) 

Founded: 1912

Headquarters: RAF West Drayton, London.
Founded shortly after the famous Sheerness Zeppelin incident, the Air Intelligence Service was supposed to allowed the UK to be able to classify all air movements within the UK. The AIS originally collated aircraft sightings from the other two branches of the armed services, the police and coast guard stations. During the first world war, the AIS provided tactical support for the Royal Flying Corp's activities in France against the Germans including keeping accurate tallies on the number of German aircraft destroyed in dog-fights, and the makes and models of German aircraft in use. Towards the end of the First World War, the AIS was asked to provide the Army with intelligence on German Troop positions, and so the Photo Reconnaissance Unit was formed as part of the AIS. During WWII, the AIS were once more responsible for co-ordinating all reports of enemy aircraft and providing Photo Reconnaissance work for the War Office. These days, the AIS are also responsible for co-ordinating NATO satellite intelligence that is gathered by UK via the network of NATO owned spy satellites. Finally, the AIS is responsible for co-ordinating with the Civilian Air Authority to provide a list of all current sanctioned civilian aircraft flights within the UK so that Military flying can be conducted as safely as possible in the busy skies of the UK.

Founded: 4th May 1972

Originally set-up to look into complaints of low-flying aircraft, AS2 had its brief widened to include the investigation of ‘UFO’ reports some time in 1979. The reason seems to be a rumoured growing concern within the MoD that the large number of ‘UFO’ sightings reported to RAF bases, police stations and the MoD itself might have a defence implication after all.

SPECIAL FORCES DIRECTORATE (Special Forces Group)

Formed in 1987 and is directly in control of the SAS and SBS from its Headquarters at the Duke of Yorks Barracks in West London. The Director of SAS, an Army Brigadier, is also the Director Special Forces, while the deputy is a Royal Marines (SBS) Colonel. It maintains close contact with both the Intelligence Service (SIS/MI6) and Security organization (MI5) and with similar foreign SpecOps Commands, in particular USSOCOM.

SPECIAL AIR SERVICE (SAS)

Founded: 4th March 1941
HQ and 'Ready  Unit': Duke of Yorks Barracks, Chelsea, London SW3. Depot: Stirling Lines, Credenhill, Hereford (moving from Bradbury Lines/Stirling Lines, Hoarwithy Road, Hereford in late 1990's)  Personnel: 550-800. Microwave Network Link at COLDWELL.
 

22 Regiment SAS

Has four operational squadrons (A, B, D, G and R) comprising of four troops each (except R which is similar to the TA SAS, but all it members have had previous service in the British Armed Forces). Each troop should have 32 men organised into four 8-man patrols. However as the regiment is always undermanned this is not always the case.
Each troop has a speciality in terms of an "insertion skill". These are:
Air: Parachuting
Mountain: Climbing And Walking
Mobility: Vehicles and Motorbikes
Boat: Boats and Canoes
The squadrons rotate every six months between three roles. These are:
Special Projects: Anti-Terrorism Role
Team Tasks: Overseas Training
Squadron Training: Deployment and Training

The Regiment remains one of the prime anti-terrorist and hostage rescue units in the world. It also has its headquarters at the Duke of York Barracks in West London while the main training base and depot has recently moved to new accommodation at Credenhill just to the north west of the city of Hereford in the west midlands of England. It is presently organized into five operational units, four Sabre Squadrons each with 4 operations squads of 16 men each again in turn divided in 4 four-man specialist units known as the Boat, Air, Mountain and Mobility Troops and the fifth unit being its own communications support in the form of the 264^th (SAS) Signals Squadron, which provides for secure links for operations worldwide.

A Squadron

Troops: 1(Boat), 2(Air), 3(Mobility), and 4 (Mountain). Formed from local British Army volunteers in Malaya, 1950. Active service includes Malaya 1950-58; Oman, Jan-Feb 1959; first squadron in Borneo, Jan-April 1963; first squadron in Aden/Radfan, April-May 1964; thereafter served in Aden, like other squadrons, for a few weeks at a time during retraining during Borneo tours; Borneo June-Oct 1964 and May-Oct 1965; Oman 1970-76, on four-month tours as part of British Army Training Team (BATT); Northern Ireland since 1976; Gulf 1990-91, provided two half-squadron motorised raiding groups for work behind Iraqi lines and the Balkans since 1993.

B Squadron

Troops: 6(Boat), 7(Air), 8(Mobility), and 9 (Mountain). Formed from volunteers from 21SAS and other ex-SAS reservists who agreed to return to regular service for three years, Malaya 1950. Active service: includes Malaya 1950-59; disbanded 1959; reformed for service in Borneo, 1963; Borneo Nov 1964-Feb 1965 and Nov 1965-Feb 1966; Aden at various times, including providing teams for undercover work in the city itself; Radfan 1966; Oman (Musandam Peninsula) 1970, including first operational free-fall jump by 22SAS; Oman (Dhofar) 1970-76; Battle of Mirbat, 18 July 1972; like other squadrons did several four-month tours; Prince's Gate, London, 5 May 1980 (Operation Nimrod); Falklands War 1982- proposed operations at Port Stanley and on Argentine mainland cancelled; Gulf 1991, provided three road watch patrols, including Bravo Two Zero; also provided reinforcements to A and D Squadrons;. Balkans since 1992; Afghanistan and Middle East since 2001.

D Squadron

Troops: 16(Air), 17(Boat), 18(Mobility), and 19 (Mountain) Formed in Malaya 1951. Active service includes Malaya 1951-58; Oman (Jebel Akhdar) Nov 1958-Feb 1959; Borneo April-Aug 1963, Dec 1963-April 1964, Feb-May 1965, July-Sept 1966; Aden at various times in between Borneo tours; Northern Ireland as a rifle company, Sept-Nov 1969; Oman 1971-76, four-month tours; provided first troop for patrol/ambush work in Northern Ireland, Jan 1976; Falklands War 1982- formed a squadron-strength strike force; part of task force to retake South Georgia (Operation Paraquat), late April; Pebble Island raid (Operation Prelim), 13 May; Darwin/Goose Green raid on night of main landings, 21 May; seizure of Mount Kent area, 24 May-1 June; later relieved some G Squadron patrols; two troops on raid on seaward side of Wireless Ridge, 13/14 June; Gulf 1990-91, operated as a motorised raiding force behind Iraqi lines, Feb-April, troops coming together for certain operations; Balkans since 1992; Afghanistan and Middle East since 2001

G Squadron

Troops: 21(Mobility), 22(Mountain), 23(Boat), and 24 (Air) Formed from a troop-sized cadre from the Guards Independent Parachute Company January 1967. Active service includes Oman 1970-76, including the Battle of Mirbat, one of the few times when two SAS squadrons were present in Dhofar; Northern Ireland from 1976; Falklands War 1982, ten 4-man patrols inserted on East and West Falkland from 10 May; one troop on Wireless Ridge raid; Gulf 1990, became the first squadron deployed, but later returned to UK to take over CRW duties and Balkans since 1993. This Squadron was formed to replace the disbanded C Squadron Formed from100 Rhodesian soldiers, originally known as Far East Volunteer Unit, Southern Rhodesia 1950. Which saw active service in Malaya 1951-53; disbanded on return to Southern Rhodesia; reformed 1961 and participated in several exercises in the Middle East, 1962-63; became the basis of the Rhodesian SAS in 1964; formal links with Britain cut after Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Rhodesia, 1965; participated in the Zimbabwe/Rhodesia civil war, 1966-1980, especially external operations in Zambia and Mozambique; expanded to become 1^st SAS Regiment in 1978 and finally disbanded 1980.

CRW (Counter Revolutionary Warfare).

The main anti-terrorist capability is known usually within the SAS as the SP (Special Projects) Team and is drawn from whichever of the four Sabre Squadrons is on standby. Each squadron takes it in turn for a six-month period to act as the 'crisis alert unit'. The SP team is normally made up of approximately 80 personnel who are divided into four troops of sixteen men and while the SP operates similarly to the other squadrons during periods of training, the picture changes significantly when a terrorist incident occurs.

The alert troop is broken down into a surveillance/sniper unit, while the remaining soldiers form the assault group. In addition, a Royal Air Force C-130 remains on standby at RAF Lyneham at all times should the SP Team require immediate long-range transportation. Unlike most special operations groups, the SAS rotates all of its squadrons through CRW/SP duty. Because of this, all SAS personnel are considered counter-terrorist qualified and refresher training is constant. Organizationally, the Special Projects unit is broken down into Red and Blue Teams, each with snipers and EOD trained experts

Operations Research Unit 

This is a major contributing factor to the continuing success of the SAS. It develops unique equipment for use by the SP team. It is this unit that developed the highly effective and now-widely used stun ('flash-bang') grenade. Other equipment included specialized ladders for train and aircraft assaults, night vision goggles, and audio/video equipment. 

Training Directorate

Ensures that proficiency in firearms is constantly refined for close quarter's battle (CQB) in the 'Killing House' at the Hereford Training Depot. The basic CQB course is six weeks, during which troopers may fire in excess of 2,000 rounds. This skill is further enhanced during a squadron's SP duty. Adding an element of realism to the training is the use of live personnel as hostages during room clearing operations. SAS counter-terrorist and hostage rescue training is further facilitated by the inclusion of high-ranking members of the UK government, many of who (including the Prime Minister) take part in actual training exercises. 22^nd SAS demands an extraordinary level of physical fitness, stamina and technical ability from its personnel. They are trained in combat shooting and combat swimming, explosives and EOD, sabotage, sniping, heliborne-insertion, desert, mountain, arctic and jungle warfare and survival, languages, camouflage, parachuting using paravanes, HALO (high altitude and low opening) and HAHO (high altitude high opening), hostage rescue, defensive driving, as VIP bodyguards and much more.

The SAS Armoury

Has at their disposal a huge range of British and foreign weapons and explosives, including many used by the world's terrorists including 9mm SIG-Sauer L105A1 (P226), often used with the optional 20-round magazine. A custom-made variant of this, the 9mm SIG-Sauer L106A1 (P226K), has a shortened slide. The compact 9mm SIG-Sauer L107A1 pistol (P228) since 1992. For close-quarter assault, the 9mm H&K L80A1 submachine gun (MP5K), 9mm H&K L90A1 submachine gun (MP5KA1), 9mm H&K L92A1 submachine gun (MP5A3) and 9mm H&K L91A1 suppressed submachine gun (MP5SD3) which have been partly replaced by the 5.56mm H&K L101A1 assault carbine (HK53A3). In more conventional military operations, the 5.56mm Colt AR-15A2 Model 705 assault rifle is preferred, along with the 7.62mm H&K L100A1 battle rifle (G3K), 5.56mm FN L108A1 MINIMI and 5.56mm FN L110A1 MINIMI-Para light machine gun, 7.62mm Enfield L7A2 general-purpose machine gun and 40mmSR Colt M203 underbarrel grenade launcher (under AR-15A2 Model 702). Sniper rifles include the 7.62mm H&K PSG1 rifle, 7.62mm Accuracy International L96A1 bolt-action rifle, 7.62mm Accuracy International AWS suppressed bolt-action rifle, 8.6mm (.338 Lapua Magnum) Accuracy International L115A1 bolt-action rifle and 12.7mm (.50 BMG) Barrett L82A1 sniper rifle (Model 82A1). Since 2001 a number of 5.56mm Diemaco C8SFW carbines have been delivered (Canadian-built variants of the Colt CAR-15A3). These will mount a 40mmSR H&K AG36 underbarrel grenade launcher. The 18.5mmR (12-gauge) Benelli M1 Super 90 semi-automatic shotgun is also used in 'house-clearing'. The 5.56mm Enfield L85A1standard assault rifle of the British Army is only used by Territorial Army SAS units and when the 22^nd SAS wish to pass as conventional soldiers. Vehicles include Land Rover 110 Defender utility vehicles armed with L7A2 machine guns. The 8^th Flight of the Army Air Corps provides four Agusta A109A helicopters for use with the SAS, while the RAF's 7^th Squadron supplies Boeing Chinook HC.3 helicopters (equivalent to CH-47D/E) with 7.62mm General Electric M134 miniguns.

Operational composition

This is such that the squadron is the largest force normally used to conduct a single operation, though in most cases the standard combat unit will be one or more patrols of four men. However operations of smaller size will usually require the squadron HQ to run a forward mounting base or to directly command troops in the field. If more than one squadron is " in-theatre" a regimental tactical headquarters will be deployed to take command. Sometimes even if a squadron or less is involved, the CO of the regiment will be present though Squadron commanders are usually the highest-ranking SAS members to take part in actual operations. A full-strength squadron would have six officers and seventy-eight other ranks, divided into a Headquarters and four Troops.

The Officer Commanding (OC) is a major, with a captain as his Second in Command (2IC) and operations officer. Also in the HQ are the Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM), a warrant officer class 2, the Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant (SQMS), a staff sergeant, and a few clerks, storemen and armourers.

Each of the operational Troops, whether it specializes in mountain warfare, boating and diving, free-fall parachuting or vehicles, is authorised a captain and fifteen other ranks, further split into four 4-man patrols. In practice a squadron is almost never up to strength. Because of the shortage of 'badged' officers, the SSM with upto fifteen years of SAS experience, will often act as 2IC. Many 16-man Troops will not have officers and in these cases a staff sergeant, otherwise the troop 2IC, will be in command. The squadrons are rotated every six months to carry out different duties; these include squadron training in the UK or overseas, especially in the United States, Middle East and Brunei. Training foreign Special Forces. So called 'Strip Alert' or Crisis Response duty, ready for deployment anywhere in the world on very short notice and counter-terrorist duty, during which a squadron will come under the direction of the regiment's Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) Wing.

 21 (Artists) Regiment -Territorial SAS

With its HQ Squadron (Greater London); A Squadron (Greater London); B Squadron (Wales) and C Squadron (East Anglia and Eastern Wessex). This is actually the oldest SAS unit having been established in 1946 as a reserve unit and which currently recruits highly trained personnel in Southern England. It acts as a mirror unit for the 22^nd SAS, as well as emphasising intelligence gathering. The second territorial unit is the

23 Regiment -Territorial SAS

With its HQ Squadron (West Midlands), A Squadron (Scotland), B Squadron (Yorkshire and Humberside) and C Squadron (North and North West of England) and which recruits largely in the north of England and Scotland. Formed in London in 1959, it was soon moved to Birmingham. It has squadrons based in some of the more important commercial areas and indeed can be used to 'monitor social unrest' for the Intelligence Services. It was created out of the Joint Reserve POW Intelligence Organization (TA) and the JRU-Joint Reconnaissance Unit(TA), this unit keeps alive the skills developed by the highly secretive Second World War organization, MI-9/P15/IS(9) and carries out combat rescue, escape and evasion, prisoner of war rescue or interrogation and clandestine intelligence gathering.

There is also an additional communications unit the

63 (SAS) Signal Squadron

Royal Corps of Signals which is based in South East England and Eastern Wessex, this squadron's four troops, authorised 31 men each, provide communications support to 21 and 23 SAS. All TA SAS squadrons are authorized 79 all ranks each. With a total of eight squadrons the two regiments have a combined establishment of 632. The Sabre squadrons operate in the normal four-man patrols building up to sixteen-man troops.

The Special Forces make use of the services of former personnel though both the TA units and a variety commercial companies set up by ex SAS/BBS and SIS members to provide the private sector with specialist security services and in particular the authorities with clandestine capabilities ranging from surveillance, bodyguards, mercenaries and perhaps other more covert operations. 

These have included David Stilings Watchguard based on Guernsey and established in the mid 1960's and closed down in 1976, known to mercenaries as 'Plan-A-War'; KMS Ltd, when finally exposed moved out of its Earls Court Offices to its 'sister' organization, Saladin Security at 13 Sloane Square, SW1; Control Risks; Thor Security Systems, established in 1976; and J.Donne Holdings, closed in 1981, one of its founders Maj Freddie Mace moved on to DCS.

Founded: June 1941
Headquarters:  Whale Island, Portsmouth.  Depot; Hamworthy, Poole.
Personnel: 90-100 men.

The SBS is a part of Britain's Special Forces Group. It has operated all over the world in its primary amphibious warfare role, as well as performing many other tasks. SBS has variously stood for Special Boat Section and Special Boat Squadron; since 1987 it has stood for SB Service. Before its reorganisation in 1987, the then Special Boat Squadron was about 150 strong, with about 50 reservists. Since then it has been expanded, but to what extent is not exactly clear. According to a Ministry of Defence statement on force structure, there are four squadrons (I Reservist) in the Special Boat Service.

M Squadron

The counter-terrorist force, consists of Black, Gold and Purple Troops. Sixteen-man operational troops are used, at least in the traditional swimmer-canoeist role, as they can be split into eight canoe pairs, four four-man patrols or two boat-loads. Inflatable and rigid-inflatable boats are operated by the SBS themselves, as are SDVs. The Rigid Raiders of 539 Assault Squadron RM, as well as the various landing craft used by this and other squadrons, provide further support. Air support would come from RAF Special Forces Flights, using Hercules aircraft and Chinook helicopters, and from the RN's Naval Air Commando squadrons, with Sea King helicopters. Recruits must be Royal Marines Commandos with at least three years service. They will have started off their careers with the 30-week initial stint at the Commando Training Centre or the 15-month Young Officers Course, mostly at the same establishment. Later they may have had further training in signals, heavy weapons, sniping etc. Those wishing to join the SBS must first go through a two-week aptitude test, which consists of the following: Boating Week. Candidates must pass a combat fitness test and pass the SBS swimming test, which demands 600m in 15 minutes, 50m clothed with weapon and belt kit, and 25m underwater. Complete all canoe trials, including a 5km march with Bergen and canoe and 30km canoe paddle. Diving Week. Complete a number of dives, generally show confidence and willingness to dive. Those successful will go on to the joint SAS/SBS selection course Brecon Beacons phase (3 weeks)- land navigation marches with Bergen and weapon, culminating in " long drag". The majority who drop out will do so in this phase. Pre-jungle training (2 weeks)- working in four-man patrols. Jungle Training, Brunei (6 weeks). Officer week/signals training (1 week). Support Weapons Training (1 week). Army Combat Survival Instructor Course (2 weeks)- survival, evasion, resistance and escape is well-known for its harsh 'Resistance to Interrogation training and the last phase where many will be failed ('Binned'). Continuation training takes place mainly at Hereford Demolitions (2 weeks) ,Observation Post Training (1 week),CQB Course (2 weeks), Individual Skills Courses (8 weeks)- during this time men will undergo training as Special Forces medics or signallers, or further demolitions training. Officers attend language training and a Special Forces commander's course, Static Line Parachute Course (3 weeks)- for those who are not qualified paratroopers. SBS students go on to their own 8-week boating and diving course, including underwater navigation and demolition, negotiating surf zones and navigating a 55km course in the Klepper canoe, and infiltration via submarine. Following this Marines are rated as Swimmer Canoeist Class 3, and entitled to wear the badge of this specialist qualification on the left cuff of their blue and green dress uniforms, " SC" over a wreath. This and the parachute wings worn on the upper right sleeve are their only distinctions; they wear the same green beret and capbadge as all Royal Marines, or white cap in blues. RM officers do not wear qualification badges, so they have just the parachute wings. For Marines to be promoted to Corporal they must qualify as SC2 and to Sergeant SC3. These advanced training courses emphasize operational planning and training supervision. Promotion to Sergeant also requires passing the Senior Command Course at the CTC, Lympstone in East Devon. Newly-qualified swimmer-canoeists will then join an operational troop, but of course training never ceases. They may go through further training in combat medicine, communications, counter-terrorist operations, foreign languages, SDV " driving" and many other skills. Exercises are conducted with friendly nations' units, the closest relations being with the SEALs and Dutch SBS. Weapons used include specialist and foreign weapons likely to found on the battlefield or in the hands of a terrorist group and include the silenced Sterling submachine gun, designated the L34A1 and the M16A2 a popular weapon among British special forces and often has the M203 40mm grenade launcher attached. Other weapons include the MP5 series of sub-machine guns, particularly the MP5SD which has now largely taken over the silenced SMG role, while the Browning Hi-Power remains the main pistol. The Royal Marines have a long sniping tradition, the Accuracy International L96A1 being the weapon used today. Support weapons include the 7.62mm GPMG ("Jimpy" or MAG), 66mm Light Antitank Weapon and 51mm mortar, the last even fired from specially modified canoes. Two-man kayak-type canoes are used by the SBS due to their stealth capability, portability and reliability. The latest model known to be in service is the Klepper Aeres Mark 13. Other craft are the Gemini inflatable and Avon Searider rigid-inflatable boats; these are always used with twin engines in case of failure on operations. The SBS started experiments with two-man Swimmer Delivery Vehicles in the late 1960s.Descendants of these prototypes are in service today, along with American-built four/six-man types. The Draeger LAR-V closed- circuit system is the most commonly used scuba gear today. On operations this will be worn with a dry-suit over the combat uniform. Communications are of course of paramount importance to men on long-range patrols, and the PRC-319 and PRC-320 radios are known to be in service.

 The MLTC originated in the early 1950s as the Cliff Assault Wing. As the name suggests, the main mission in those days was to get troops and equipment up coastal cliffs. However Cliff Leaders, as the members were known, also carried out exercises to improve their own climbing, originally in Wales and Scotland, but later also in Austria, Norway, Canada and the Alps. In 1962 the wing was renamed the Cliff Assault Troop, by which time it had begun training in general winter warfare techniques. Thus the CLs were called upon to prepare the men of No.43 Commando for the first Norwegian exercise carried out by the Royal Marines in October 1962. Several years later it was decided to increase the troop's expertise by putting all members through a reconnaissance course run by the Platoon Weapons Branch at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM), Lympstone in East Devon. This was done in 1965 and the unit now became known as the Reconnaissance Leader Troop. In 1970 the RL Troop became the Mountain & Arctic Warfare Cadre and moved to its present location at Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth in southwest Devon. The following year 3^rd Commando Brigade returned to the UK after several years in the Far East. The brigade's main mission now was to be on NATO's northern flank and annual exercises were to be conducted in Norway these are conducted usually in the winter and in the far north of the country. The M&AW Cadre had a big role to play in preparing the Commando units for these exercises and Mountain Leaders were attached to all units in the brigade. 3^rd Commando Brigade is among the world's leading exponents of cold weather warfare, thanks mainly to a small group of specialists who had been developing the necessary expertise for many years. The Cadre was also given the wartime role of long range foot and ski reconnaissance for the brigade. In the Falklands War of 1982 the twenty members of the Cadre and twenty men undergoing training as MLs accompanied 3 Commando Brigade " down south ". Their war began immediately after the landings of 21^st May. Four-man patrols were inserted all over the brigade's area of operations, in some cases relieving patrols of the SAS and SBS, and also mounting operations in co-operation with the latter. On 31^st May a patrol spotted Argentine commandos (Buzo Tactico) landing by helicopter near Top Malo House, in the far north of East Falkland and just south of the proposed British route to Port Stanley. A request for an air strike on the Argentinians now setting up base in the house was denied; instead nineteen more MLs under their commander, Captain Rod Boswell, were flown in an hour after dawn. After landing one group opened fire on the Argentines with 66mm rockets and light machine guns, setting the house on fire, while the others began the assault on the enemy. In the subsequent 40 minute battle four MLs were wounded; of the 17 Buzo Tactico, 8 were killed and 9 captured. The M&AW Cadre operated in the mountains of northern Iraq in 1991, during Operation Haven, the Allied effort to bring aid to the Kurdish separatists then under heavy attack from the Iraqis. MLs worked in co-operation with US Army Special Forces and also the other elements of 3^rd Commando Brigade in the area.

 In 1992, during a period of reorganization in 3 Commando Brigade, it was decided that a permanent Medium Range Reconnaissance Troop (LRRP) would be formed. Usually referred to as Recce Troop, it was to form part of the Headquarters and Signal Squadron. Initially there were four 6-man patrols, each with an ML sergeant, two ML corporals and three General Duties Marines, men drawn from a Commando. In command was an ML lieutenant. By 2002 there are six four-man patrols.

All members have gone through the sniper course at Lympstone, lasting six weeks, and a 3-week static line parachute course at RAF Brize Norton. Those who have not yet qualified as ML2s will have been trained by the Mountain Leaders to Reconnaissance Leader (RL) standard. Recce Troop concentrates on training in the same disciplines as the Cadre: in climbing and cliff assault, cold-weather survival, long range patrolling on ski and foot, long range communications, high altitude mountaineering, snow and ice climbing, target and route reconnaissance, primary interrogation and resistance to interrogation, and sabotage. In addition many members will have gone through the Army's Jungle Long Range Patrol Course, run in Brunei. Some also train as specialists in desert warfare, for the Royal Marines must be ready to deploy almost anywhere in the world. Later members may go through advanced training as divers and/or free-fall (HALO) parachutists.

Founded: 3rd October 1978.
Mission: To protect the UK oil fields in the North Sea from terrorism and also to protect the UK's Sea Born Nuclear Weapons whilst in port, and to protect the Coastal Nuclear Power Stations from terrorist attack. UK Mainland, and Scottish islands.
Headquarters: HMS Condor, Arbroath.(45 Commando and Arctic Warfare Group) Personnel: 300-350 and contains a large contingent of combat swimmer-canoeists from the SBS. They train to carry out assaults on rigs from helicopters, small raider craft and underwater from Submarines or by parachute-scuba insertions.  A group of Royal Marines initially set-up in the late 70's to protect north sea oil rigs from terrorism. The name of the group, Comacchio, was taken from a WW2 battle honour. From the early 80's the group's role expanded to include aspects of naval security, including the guarding of Britain’s Independent Nuclear Deterrent centred mainly on the West Coast of Scotland. The group's personnel are highly trained, with emphasis on quick response and accurate shooting. They have their own small craft for waterborne movement.

The UK's Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF)

Capability is provided by the 10,000 strong 16^th Air Assault Brigade based in Colchester, Northeast of London. It comprises two out of the Parachute Regiments three elite Battalions (1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd); one airmobile trained Infantry Battalion; the 7^th Para, RHA with 18 105mm light guns; the 21^st Defence Battery, RA, with Javelin SAM and an air support component that will eventually have 18 CH47 Chinooks and 18 Puma's. However it the light of the growing demands made on the armed forces since 9-11 the helicopter element is likely to be increased to give even greater mobility and enhanced with a dedicated gunship capability in due course. The Brigade does contain one genuine Special Forces unit in the form of Pathfinder Platoon of the Parachute Regiment, which has a very effective LRRP capability and is similar in many respects to the SAS.

Marines

The Royal Marines also provides a major component of Britain's JRDF in the form of the this Brigade with its HQ in Plymouth, Devon has under its command 40, 42 and 45 Commando, battalion-sized combat units in addition to a range of support units that make this a very efficient and self-sufficient elite rapid reaction force.

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Founded: 1st April 1991
Mission: To provide a single organisation to under-take cutting edge none nuclear weapons research for the UK. Today: Essentially unchanged except that DERA now provides hi-tech research for none military organisations.

HQ Ively Road, Farnborough GU14  0LX

DERA is spread over a number of sites; Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, Fort Halstead near Sevenoaks in Kent, Malvern in Gloucestershire, and Porton Down Wiltshire.

Personnel: 11,000 staff and researchers
DERA was formed through the amalgamation of a number of research organisations that were once controlled by the MoD; the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE), the Biological and Chemical Warfare (BCW) division, the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE), and Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE). DERA provides services and research into Aircraft research such as aerodynamics, instrumentation, metallurgical research, and hypersonic engine design. In the areas of electronic communications research DERA has provided systems for satellite communications weapon guidance, semiconductor devices, lasers and night vision devices. Its main effort was concerned with defence but the work was also relevant to civil scientific projects, such as cancer therapy, satellite communications and metal cutting and welding.

Since the First World War, the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down had carried out experiments on volunteers to understand better the effects of chemical agents that might be used against British troops in warfare and improve protective measures. Has developed a close working relationship with the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infections Diseases at Fort Detrick,

about 50 miles north of Washington. By 1991 the Chemical Defence Establishment had become the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and was one of the six new Defence Support Agencies. In 1995, the Establishment, now known as the Biological and Chemical Warfare (BCW) division, became part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).

The research DERA carries out includes biological and chemical warfare interdiction, pathogen production and in experimental airborne infections, thus providing some of the earliest UK effort in the then embryonic sciences of biotechnology and aerobiology. DERA is also one of the few facilities in the UK to do active research into the Hanta and the Ebola family of viruses. On the 1^st July 2001, DERA was split into two organisations: QinetiQ, a private company, and the DSTL (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory), which remained an agency of MOD. The establishment is now known as DSTL Porton Down. DSTL now delivers defence research, specialist technical services and the ability to track global technological developments. In July 2002, the controversial US Carlyle Group took a 34% stake in QinetiQ. Controversy has also regularly surrounded the activities of Porton Down itself and indeed in July 2003 the suspicious death of Dr David Kelly once more pointed the spotlight upon this secretive establishment. Dr Kelly was suspected of being the source for embarrassing leaks to the BBC about the so-called ‘dodgy dossier’ on Iraqi WMD published in September 2002 was from 1984 to 1992 the Head of Microbiology at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. Kelly took part in the trilateral visits to sites in the former Soviet Union, made up of Russian, American and British experts. He was Senior Advisor on Biological Weapons to UNSCOM from 1994--99, and led and participated in many inspections in Iraq from 1991 to 1998. Kelly was also among the hardliners who claimed that Iraq had WMD. In October 2001, Kelly also claimed, that in 1985, Iraq had obtained Anthrax by mail order from the Virginia-based American Type Culture Collection.

Cobbett Hill Site, Pirbright Camp in Surrey. re-opened as SATCOM and Transmitter R & D site by DERA in 1994-95

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The Intelligence Services can trace their origins back to the Elizabethan spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham in as early as 1573 and indeed

for hundreds of years British agents had gathered information and taken part in secret operations, at home, and in all parts of the world on a largely ad hoc basis, but it was not until the 19th century that a formal, permanent  organization began to take shape.

In 1803 a Depot of Military Knowledge was established and that provided information, a library and maps during the Napoleonic Wars, but was disbanded in 1815 after the former Emperor's final exile. Intelligence was to be shamefully neglected until the debacle of the Crimean War where British Commanders had little information on the Russian defences, troop numbers, equipment or intentions with near catastrophic consequences. It was only Major Thomas Best Jervis's private initiative that provided suitable maps for the British and later French forces. However this did lead to the creation on 2nd February 1855 of a Topographical & Statistical Office, under Jervis, within the War Office. With a staff of 2 officers, a clerk and 26 lithographers it was established in an old coach house off Whitehall until its move in 1856 to Spring Gardens.

Director

Library

Topographical Branch

Statistical Branch with;

Section A (France, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Asia & Africa)

Section B (UK, India, Spain, & Portugal)

Section C (Austria, Scandinavia and Russia)

On the Ist April 1873 Major General Sir Patrick MacDougall (replaced in 1878 by MG Sir Archibald Allison)became the first head of a new Intelligence Branch with a staff 26 and this absorbed the TSD.

Deputy AG for Intelligence

Topographical Section

Section A((Austria, Russia and Scandinavia)

Section B (UK & Colonies)

Section C (Germany, Spain, Switzerland & Portugal)

Section D (Turkey, France, Italy, Greece, Asia & Africa)

A re-organization in 1877 placed the ID under 

A Deputy QMG for Intelligence

Central Section (Admin & Registry)

Section A (France, Belgium & Military History)

Section B (UK, Colonies & Imperial Defence)

Section C (Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark & Americas)

Section D (Russia, India, Asia, Far East, Spain & Portugal)

Section E (Austria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Sweden, Norway & Africa)

Section F (Topographical)

While on 1st June 1887 the ID finally came under a

Director of Military Intelligence(DMI), Major General Henry Brackenbury(replaced Allison in 1885 and served until 1896)adding an additional Mobilization Section. In 1896 at the outbreak of the Boer War .it was renamed the

Intelligence Division(ID)

Section L (Library)

Section H (Special Duties),added 1899, Major (later BGen Sir) James Edmonds was placed in charge and was responsible for 'special duties' including censorship, counter-intelligence and 'secret service'

During War Office re-organization in 1901 which amalgamated the ID with the Mobilization Division, Section H was replaced by Subdivision-13 which contained a 'temporary' three-man 'Secret Section', 13A. The new DG of Mobilization and Military Intelligence (DMMI), Lt,General Sir William Nicholson (who replaced Sir John Ardagh 1896-1901) argued for the section to be made permanent. He was supported by the head of Section-13 Colonel (later MG Sir) J.K.Trotter. However Lord Harwicke's Committee of Enquiry in March 1903 disagreed and 13A was abolished.

Mobilization Division

Intelligence Division(with Sub-Divisions covering Strategy; Foreign & India and Special Duties)

The restructuring of the War Office in 1904-06 saw Intelligence reduced once again to an advisory sub-committee within the DMO-Directorate of Military Operations. A new 'Special Section' (later MO5) would be formed under Major James Edmonds in late 1907 with a staff of one Major (later a Conservative MP for Woolwich in 1910) and a retired Police detective. The DMO Maj.General (later Lt.General Sir) John Ewart acknowledged the inadequacies and agreed that Edmonds should try to expand espionage operations particularly in Germany, in December 1907. The DNI Rear Admiral (later Sir) Edmond Slade was also apparently 'dismayed' to discover that the Admiralty's NID was just as unprepared for 'Secret Service'. Finally in March 1909 R. B. Haldane, the Secretary of State for War set up  with Cabinet approval, a subcommittee of the Committee of Imperial Defence to consider the threat of Foreign espionage.

Directorate of Military Operations (1904-07)

DMO

MO1 Strategy

MO2 Foreign Intelligence with 8 sub-sections A to H

MO3 Admin and Special Duties including Espionage, Censorship, WT/Cables & Library

MO4  Topographical

In the major reforms of 1907 this became

DMO

MO1 Strategy

MO2 Foreign Intelligence(Germany, Holland, Austria-Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Near East, USA, Latin America, Balkans & Africa)

MO3 Foreign Intelligence (France, Belgium, Russia, Far East and Scandinavia)

MO4 Topographical

MO5 Special Section (with CE added in 1909 with the creation of the Secret Service Bureau)

MO6 Medical Section (disbanded in August 1914, reformed in April 1915 as War Office cover for SIS and dealing with enemy ciphers)

MO7 Press Censorship (formed 24th August 1914 to deal with news censorship and public relations)

MO8 Cable Censorship

MO9 Postal censorship

and together with MO5 placed under the Directorate of Special Intelligence headed by Brg-General G.K.Cockerill

In December 1915 the Directorate of Military Intelligence was reformed and sections took the prefix MI in place of MO.

MI-1 becoming the Secretariat respons