Clandestine

Chapter 5 - The Intelligence Corps

It takes me a full 45 seconds to tie my shoes. It has little to do with my advanced age or my increasing lack of flexibility; it is a consequence of the fact that I was retrained to tie my shoes in the army where a simple bow wasn’t up to specifications. Hence I have spent the last 4 decades entertaining onlookers with my over-under-inside- outside-tuck-loop-around-over-again-underneath-and-through routine. It is a relic of my basic training that has stayed with me forever, much like my acquired taste for powdered milk and my 40-push-up routine in the morning.

Thankfully after four months as a very average private in her majesty’s army an opportunity was presented that would allow me to complete the remainder of my national service in a more civilised and interesting manner. In January of 1956 each soldier was asked to sit a series of academic examinations covering a range of topics including basic grammar, mathematics, comprehension, history, science, and geography. The tests were completed over two days. Most of my unit felt the exams were cruel and unusual punishment; however, I thought it was lovely respite from the daily routine. A week later, as I returned to my barracks after a 12-mile tramp in full pack through the highlands of bonnie Scotland, I noticed a letter on my bunk. The note asked me to see my commanding officer. I read the order with trepidation, as the last time I had had a note placed on my bed it was followed by a three-day trip to the stockade.

When I reached Commander Armstrong he commanded me to be at ease and informed me that I had been ordered to report to Military Headquarters in Hertfordshire, England. I was to board the train that night at 6 pm, with all of my possessions, which would bring me to my destination just before 11 in the evening. I was notified that the trip had something to do with my test results.

The civilian train to Hertfordshire gave me some time to myself to sit, read, muse, and contemplate -- four skills rarely called upon during basic training. I also became aware that every man, woman, and child would cast a gaze in my direction as they passed by my seat. There is just something about the sight of a young man in uniform, and the attention was nice.

I arrived in Hertfordshire, at what looked to be a mansion, just before midnight and checked into a room that had been prepared for me. The bed was big and comfortable, and before long I had drifted off to sleep. In the morning I peeked over at the alarm clock that I had not set and was shocked to note that the time was 9 a.m., a full three hours after I was normally meant to rise in the morning. No one knocked on the door and there were no messages for me so I took my time to enjoy the accommodations, which included a private bathroom. I spent time soaking in a warm bath and dallied by the sink while I shaved in peace. It was after 10 a.m. when I strolled down the steps and saw a full breakfast for me staying warm on a hot plate. The lady who ran the rooming house let me know that when I was finished my breakfast she would arrange a jeep to take me over to Colonel Green for a briefing. When I asked for the time of the meeting I was told whenever I was ready. Clearly I was not in Inverness any more. After a second helping of eggs and a double order of toast I was on the road, dressed in my military regalia with polished black shoes, to meet Colonel Green.

Colonel Jason Green was a tall, grey-haired man who spoke to me in a manner that I had become unfamiliar with in my first four months of military service. He was kind, thoughtful, and inquisitive. He asked me questions about my family and upbringing and seemed to already know that I had attended Oxford before commencing my service.

Colonel Green informed me that I had scored in the 99th percentile on the tests which were given to all soldiers in the army. He asked me if I had heard of the Intelligence Corp and whether I would consider joining this branch of the forces. I asked how it would differ from my current posting. The Colonel educated me on the intricacies of this new position. A stint in the Intelligence Corp would consist of my becoming involved in missions that were of interest to national security. It would include travel throughout Europe and abroad, and I would be trained in several languages and covert techniques. I might be put to work as a researcher, analyst, or field agent. I would have to sign and swear to complete secrecy with respect to information that I would become privy to through my time in British Intelligence.