The True Intrepid

by Bill MacDonald

The World War II intelligence exploits of William Stephenson-the mysterious man known simply as "Intrepid" who is said to be the real-life model for Ian Fleming's James Bond-were celebrated in his lifetime in espionage lore the world over. As head of the British Security Coordination, a predecessor of the CIA, Stephenson was responsible for the hugely successful covert political war against all sources of Axis strength and support. Subsequently, though, some observers questioned certain aspects of Stephenson's career. Others attempted to discredit his reputation or reduce his role in history. He died relatively forgotten. In this fascinating re-examination of the historical record, Bill Macdonald documents Stephenson's clouded early life and unravels the tangled strings of information that run through secret papers and previous books to reveal the astonishing details of the man who "Nothing deceives like a document." There were a number of British appointments at the BSC, but essentially, Stephenson contacted his friends, put them to work and had them find staff. They recruited thousands-many of them Canadian women. Included in this volume are many interviews with former members of the secretaries, cipher clerks, covert operatives and with former BSC agent, British author, Roald Dahl. The True Intrepid weaves its way through deception, treachery, war, espionage and a search for the "true" James Bond.

Genres: Nonfiction, World War II, History, Biography

432 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2001

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Stephenson, who was knighted for his contribution in running the British Security Coordination (BSC) in the U.S. during World War II, was highly manipulative in his own career and with his own biographers. All of the details provided by him concerning his youth were false. No trace of him could be found anywhere in CIA documents – secret or otherwise – according to CIA historian Thomas F. Troy. This for a man who was friends with Bill Donovan, first chief of the OSS during World War II, and a man who was influential in setting the goals and directions of the future CIA.

Stephenson himself destroyed all documents relating to the BSC, though he smuggled a large number of them out over a period of months so that he could write his own “official” history of the BSC in Canada. Even then, the history was placed in selective hands and there were allegations that Stephenson had several versions written.

Americans might think these ideas quaint necessities during World War II and England’s fight for survival. But even at the time J. Edgar Hoover and several American politicians believed that allowing a foreign spy ring on U.S. soil was bad policy, particularly one that would have more than 450 employees. And Jennet Conant’s book, “The Irregulars,” makes it clear that Stephenson and Churchill felt no compunction about interfering in American politics. As an example effecting one of the highest offices in the country, Conant notes that the BSC policy in 1944 was to deny the vice-presidential nomination to the sitting VP, Henry Wallace, because the English government didn’t believe Roosevelt would survive much longer and they regarded Wallace as too willing to cooperate with the Soviet Union.

Macdonald’s book starts with the challenge of writing about Stephenson decades after “official’ biographies appeared about the spymaster:

“Stephenson’s obituaries said he was a Canadian, born in Winnipeg in 1896, a graduate of Argyle High School, and the song of a lumber mill owner. However there were no lumber mill owners named Stephenson in Winnipeg at the turn of the century. No one with his parents’ names lived in the city then. Manitoba Vita Statistics had no record of the ex-spy chief’s birth. There was no Argyle High School.”

The more fundamental problem is how governments deal with spy agencies, which have the ability to operate as shadow governments? It is especially important for democracies where decision-making is diffused – but our senators and representatives are kept blind with what monies are being spent.

It is also a lesson to students of history to take "official" accounts with a major grain of salt.

[Steven W Oatway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb book that helps you to understand the amazing life of William Stephenson and the real facts about the "British Security Coordination" or BSC organization that "Little Bill" Stephenson ran at the request of Winston Churchill. My mother worked for them in Washington, DC but was sworn to secrecy and never did tell us much. So after many documents were released to the public in 2000 and this type of book was finally able to be written I looked for every book I could find on Mom's co-workers and wonder if she did talk to Bill after the War. She did have some fascinating guests over to our house when I was a boy so maybe one was Bill.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very intriguing read. So many things done by Canadians...continuing the tradition of getting down to doing what needs to be done, and saying little about it afterward. And from this read it seems that little of what we knew about "Intrepid" was not all that accurate. But he and the people he worked with are responsible for the freedoms the western world has enjoyed for nearly 70 years. Who knew he was largely responsible for creating OSS which became CIA? A Canadian you say?

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supposedly my mother worked for this gentleman. She was hired in late 46 or early 47, so after the war, but maybe to help translate many documents and listen to taped conversations in Polish or French and translate those. I highly doubt her name will appear in the book, but you never know!!