J.C. Masterman’s Followers (10)

J.C. Masterman

Born

in Kingston Hill, Surrey, The United Kingdom

January 12, 1891

Died

June 06, 1977

Genre

Mystery & Thrillers, Biographies & Memoirs, History

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Born on 12 January 1891, John Cecil Masterman was educated at the Royal Naval Colleges of Osborne and Dartmouth and at Worcester College, Oxford, where he read Modern History.

He later studied at the University of Freiburg where he was also an exchange lecturer in 1914, which was where he was when World War I broke out. Consequently he was interned as an enemy alien for four years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Ruhleben, where he spent much of his time polishing his German.

After his return from captivity, he became tutor of Modern History at Christ Church, Oxford, where he was also censor from 1920 to 1926.

In the 1920s he became a very good cricketer, playing first-class for H D G Leveson-Gower's XI, Harlequins, the Free Foresters, and also f Born on 12 January 1891, John Cecil Masterman was educated at the Royal Naval Colleges of Osborne and Dartmouth and at Worcester College, Oxford, where he read Modern History.

He later studied at the University of Freiburg where he was also an exchange lecturer in 1914, which was where he was when World War I broke out. Consequently he was interned as an enemy alien for four years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Ruhleben, where he spent much of his time polishing his German.

After his return from captivity, he became tutor of Modern History at Christ Church, Oxford, where he was also censor from 1920 to 1926.

In the 1920s he became a very good cricketer, playing first-class for H D G Leveson-Gower's XI, Harlequins, the Free Foresters, and also for Oxfordshire in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCC. He toured North America with the Free Foresters in 1923, Ireland with the MCC in 1924, Egypt with H H Martineau's XI in 1930 and 1931 and Canada with the MCC in 1937. He also played tennis and field hockey, participating in international competitions. As a result of his sporting prowess he was acknowledged as a master gamesman in Stephen Potter's book 'Gamesmanship'.

A crime novel, 'An Oxford Tragedy', published in 1933, was his first work and he followed this in 1957 with his second and final crime novel, 'The Case of the Four Friends'.

He also wrote one novel, 'Fate Cannot Harm Me', a play 'Marshal Ney', an Oxford Guide Book, 'To Teach the Senators Wisdom' and his autobiography, 'On the Chariot Wheel' (1975).

When World War II broke out, he became chairman of the Twenty Committee, a group of British intelligence officials, who were responsible for the Double-Cross System, which turned German spies into double agents working for the British. Apparently its name was a pun based on the Roman numeral XX and its double-cross purpose.

In 1945 he had privately published a history of his time working on the double-cross system, 'The Double-Cross System in the War of 1939 to 1945', and it was finally officially published in 1972, in the USA because the English government objected to its publication under the Officials Secrets Act.

After World War II he returned to Oxford, becoming Provost of Worcester College from 1946 to 1961 and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University from 1957 to 1958. He was knighted for his wartime services in 1959.

He died in Oxford on 6 June 1977. ...more

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J.C. Masterman’s books

Average rating: 3.78 · 547 ratings · 91 reviews · 17 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Double-Cross System: The Incredible True Story of How Nazi Spies Were Turned into Double Agents 3.98 avg rating — 351 ratings — published 1972 — 29 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Oxford Tragedy 3.44 avg rating — 139 ratings — published 1933 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Case of the Four Friends 3.45 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 1953 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Fate Cannot Harm Me liked it 3.00 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 1935 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Case of the Gifted Amateur 2.75 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	On the Chariot Wheel: An Autobiography 3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1975 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Double-Cross System in the War of 1939 to 1945 3.50 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	To Teach the Senators Wisdom: or, An Oxford Guide Book really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1952	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Double-Cross System: in the War of 1939 to 1945 really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	1972 1ST DOUBLE AGENTS WORLD WAR 2 DOUBLE CROSS SYSTEM NAZI AGENTS TURNED GIFT [Hardcover] J.C. MASTERMAN 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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J.C. Masterman’s Followers (10)

J.C. Masterman

Combine EditionsJ.C. Masterman’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
J.C. Masterman’s books