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{{Short description|Intelligence agency}}
The '''Naval Intelligence Division''' ('''NID''') was the intelligence arm of the ] ] before the establishment of a unified Defence Staff in 1965.
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox government agency
|type = Division
|agency_name = Naval Intelligence Division
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|headquarters = Admiralty Building<br />]<br />]
|formed = 1912
|dissolved = 1964
|superseding = ]
|employees =
|budget =
|chief1_name =
|chief1_position =
|chief2_name =
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}}
The '''Naval Intelligence Division''' ('''NID''') was created as a component part of the ] in 1912. It was the intelligence arm of the ] ] before the establishment of a unified ] in 1964. It dealt with matters concerning British naval plans, with the collection of ]. It was also known as '''"Room 39"''', after its room number at the Admiralty.<ref>{{cite book| last = Dorril| first = Stephen| title = MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service| publisher = ]| year = 2002| page = | isbn = 0-7432-1778-0| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/mi6insidecovertw00dorr/page/137}}</ref>


==History==
The Foreign Intelligence Committee was established in 1882, and renamed the Naval Intelligence Department in 1887. Its first head was Captain William Henry Hall; ], who was Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) during ], was his son.
The Foreign Intelligence Committee was established in 1882<ref>Allen. ''The Foreign Intelligence Committee''. p. 68.</ref> and it evolved into the Naval Intelligence Department in 1887.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Obituary |department=Obituaries |date=13 March 1895 |page=10 |issue=34523 |column=F }}</ref>


The NID staff were originally responsible for fleet mobilization and war plans as well as foreign intelligence collection; thus in the beginning there were originally two divisions: (1) intelligence (Foreign) and (2) Mobilization. In 1900 another division, War, was added to deal with issues of strategy and defence, and in 1902 a fourth division, Trade, was created for matters related to the protection of merchant shipping. A coastal defence division was added in 1905 which took over duties related to intelligence on port and coastal defences of foreign powers. The Trade Division was abolished in 1909 in the wake of the Committee of Imperial Defence inquiry into the feud between the ], ] and former Commander-in-Chief ], ], when it was discovered that the captain heading the Trade Division had been supplying the latter with confidential information during the inquiry. The NID staff were originally responsible for fleet mobilisation and war plans as well as foreign intelligence collection; thus in the beginning there were originally two divisions: (1) intelligence (Foreign) and (2) Mobilisation. In 1900 another division, War, was added to deal with issues of strategy and defence, and in 1902 a fourth division, Trade, was created for matters related to the protection of merchant shipping. The Trade Division was abolished in October 1909 in the wake of the ] inquiry into the feud between the ], ] and former Commander-in-Chief ], ], when it was discovered that the captain heading the Trade Division had been supplying the latter with confidential information during the inquiry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/WW1Book-MN1a.htm|title=The Merchant Navy|volume=1|first=Archibald|last=Hurd|publisher=John Murray|year=1921|access-date=7 November 2015}}</ref>


In 1910, the NID was shorn of its responsibility for war planning and strategy when the outgoing Fisher created the so-called Navy War Council as a stop-gap remedy to criticisms emenating from the Beresford Inquiry that the Navy needed a naval staff—a role the NID had been in fact fulfilling since at least 1900, if not earlier. After this reorganisation, war planning and strategic matters were transferred to the newly created Naval Mobilisation Department and the NID reverted back to the position it held prior to 1887—an intelligence collection and collation organisation. In 1910, the NID was shorn of its responsibility for war planning and strategy when the outgoing Fisher created the Navy War Council as a stop-gap remedy to criticisms emanating from the Beresford Inquiry that the Navy needed a naval staff—a role the NID had been in fact fulfilling since at least 1900, if not earlier. After this reorganisation, war planning and strategic matters were transferred to the newly created Naval Mobilisation Department and the NID reverted to the position it held prior to 1887—an intelligence collection and collation organisation.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ChpqA02Sa10C&q=%22Naval+Intelligence+Department%22+%22Navy+War+Council%22&pg=PT441|title=The First World War: Volume I: To Arms|first= Hew |last=Strachan|year=2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0199261918}}</ref>


In 1912 the division was established as a component part of the new ] organisation when that body was abolished in 1917 it continued as a division of the new ] until 1964 when the ] was abolished.
The importance of the NID early on was recognized to a degree that by 1902, no issue within the ] was decided, no matter how trivial, without the NID having its say on the matter.


===World War I===
During ] the NID was responsible for the Royal Navy's highly successful cryptographic efforts, '']''.
During ] the NID was responsible for the Royal Navy's highly successful cryptographic efforts, '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic_heritage/60th/interactive_timeline/Content/1960s/documents/19600101_1960_Doc_3978516_Room40.pdf |title=The Room 40 Compromise|publisher= U.S. National Security Agency|year= 1960|access-date=7 November 2015}}</ref> The interception and decoding of the ] played a role in bringing the United States into the War. It has described as the most significant intelligence triumph for Britain during World War I,<ref name=BBC2017>{{cite news|title=Why was the Zimmerman Telegram so important?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38581861|access-date=17 January 2017|work=BBC|date=17 January 2017|quote=It was, many believed, the single greatest intelligence triumph for Britain in World War One.}}</ref> and one of the first occasions on which a piece of signals intelligence influenced world events.<ref name=BBCHistory2017>{{cite news|title=The telegram that brought America into the First World War|url=http://www.historyextra.com/article/bbc-history-magazine/telegram-brought-america-first-world-war|access-date=17 January 2017|work=BBC History Magazine|date=17 January 2017}}</ref>


===World War II===
The NID also initiated the ] whose role was information gathering, ] and ]. The leader of one operation, ], is widely acknowledged as the main model upon which ] (who also worked for the NID) based his most famous creation, ].
Naval ] messages were handled differently from Army and Air Force Ultra because the Admiralty was an operational HQ and could give orders during a battle; while the Imperial General Staff (Army) and Air Staff would give commanders general orders such as, "clear the enemy out of Africa" without telling them how to do it. Hence verbatim translations of naval decodes were sent by ] to the NID and nowhere else (except for some naval intelligence sent directly from ] to Commanders-in-Chief in the Mediterranean).<ref>''Top Secret Ultra'' by ] p16,17 (1980, Cassell Ltd, London) {{ISBN|0-304-30546-4}}</ref>


] which decrypted ] messages for ] to translate and analyse had less information for ] as the Kriegsmarine operated Enigma more securely than the German Army and Air Force. Hut 4 also broke various hand cyphers and some Italian naval traffic.<ref>Briggs, p. 67</ref>
The ] was produced between 1941 and 1946 to provide information for the ].


The NID also initiated the ] whose role was information gathering, ] and ]. Members of the unit, including ], are acknowledged as inspirations for ] (who also worked for the NID) in the creation of his fictional spy, ].<ref name="TLOIF">Pearson, p. 194-195</ref>
In 1965, the three service intelligence departments were amalgamated in the new ] and the NID and DNI ceased to exist.


==Geographical section==
secret service.data encrpyeted
The Geographical Section of the Naval Intelligence Division, Naval Staff, Admiralty, produced a series of Geographical Handbooks from 1917 to 1922 to provide information for the ]. The ] was produced between 1941 and 1946 to provide information for the British Armed Forces.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://cybergeo.revues.org/4460 |title=The Naval Intelligence Geographical Handbook Series (Great-Britain, 1941-46) : a description and a call for comments|year=2000|doi=10.4000/cybergeo.4460|access-date=7 November 2015|last1=Gosme|first1=Cyril|journal=Cybergeo|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Amalgamation==
In 1965, the three service intelligence departments were amalgamated in the new ] at the ].<ref>Dylan, p. 184</ref>

However, well before the mid-1990s another Royal Naval branch existed, namely the '''Directorate of Naval Security & Integrated Contingency Planning''' (DNSyICP), which is based at HM Naval Base Portsmouth under the staff command of the Second Sea Lord & C-in-C Naval Home Command.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

==Directors of Naval Intelligence==
Directors of Naval Intelligence included:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Senior%20Royal%20Navy%20Appointments%201865-.pdf|title=Senior Royal Navy appointments|access-date=7 November 2015}}</ref>
* ], 1895&ndash;1899
* ], 1899&ndash;1902
* ], 1902&ndash;1905
* ], 1905&ndash;1907
* ], 1907&ndash;1909
* ], 1909&ndash;1912
* ], 1912&ndash;1913
* ], 1913&ndash;1914
* ], 1914&ndash;1919
* ], 1919&ndash;1921
* ], 1921&ndash;1924
* ], 1924&ndash;1927
* ] (Acting), 1926&ndash;1927
* ], 1927&ndash;1930
* ], 1930&ndash;1932
* ], 1932&ndash;1935
* ], 1935&ndash;1939
* ], 1939&ndash;1942
* ], 1942&ndash;1946
* ], 1946&ndash;1948
* ], 1948&ndash;1951
* ], 1951&ndash;1954
* ], 1954&ndash;1960
* ], 1960&ndash;1964
* ], 1964&ndash;1965

==Deputy Directors of Naval Intelligence==
Deputy Directors of Naval Intelligence included:<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mackie|first1=Colin|title=Senior Royal Navy Appointments from 1865|url=http://www.gulabin.com/|website=gulabin.com|access-date=3 February 2017}}</ref>
* ], 1918–January 1919
* ], January 1919–March 1920
* ], March 1920–April 1922
* ], April 1922–August 1923
* ], August 1923–May 1925
* ], May 1925–June 1927
* Cecil B. Prickett, June 1927–June 1929
* ], June 1929–April 1930
* ], April 1930–April 1932
* ], April 1932–November 1933
* George A. Scott, November 1933–December 1935
* the Hon. Claude P. Hermon-Hodge, December 1935–February 1938
* Geoffrey C. Cooke, February 1938–February 1940
* William D. Stephens, February 1940–January 1941
* ], February 1941–April 1942
* Charles A. G. Nichols, April 1942–May 1944
* Ian M. R. Campbell, May 1944 – 1945
* ], March 1948–March 1951
* ], March 1951–November 1953
* Charles E. Keys, November 1953–January 1956
* George F. M. Best, January 1956–January 1958
* Nigel H. G. Austen, January 1958–September 1959
* ], September 1959–October 1962
* William P. B. Barber, October 1962 – 1965


==See also== ==See also==
*], who worked as a personal assistant to DNI then Captain John Godfrey *], who worked as a personal assistant to DNI Rear Admiral John Godfrey (Inspiration for Bond's M)
*] Author, adventurer, journalist, NID officer, member of the ] and noted as an inspiration for ].<ref name="TLOIF"/>
*], who executed one of its best-known operations
*], who worked for Fleming in the NID, participated in several operations and has been claimed as one of the inspirations for ].
*]
*], who worked closely with DNI Rear Admiral W.R. Hall and later wrote his biography.
*], who executed one of its best-known operations, ]
*], who worked alongside Fleming in the NID during ]
*], NID officer and member of the 30 Assault Unit under Fleming, noted as an inspiration for ].
*] *]
*], Russian Naval Intelligence
*], the US Navy's intelligence arm


==External link== ==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite journal |title=The Foreign Intelligence Committee and the Origins of the Naval Intelligence Department of the Admiralty |last=Allen |first=Matthew |journal=The Mariner's Mirror |volume=81 |issue= 1 |date=February 1995 |pages=65–78 |doi=10.1080/00253359.1995.10656533}}
*{{cite book|author=Briggs, Asa|author-link=Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs|title=Secret Days: Code-breaking in Bletchley Park|year=2011|publisher=Frontline Books, London|isbn= 978-1-84832-615-6}}
*{{cite book|last=Dylan|first=Huw |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sSTSBAAAQBAJ&q=Kenneth+Strong+Joint+Intelligence+Bureau&pg=PA32|title=Defence Intelligence and the Cold War: Britain's Joint Intelligence Bureau 1945-1964|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2014|isbn=978-0199657025}}
*{{cite book|title=The Life of Ian Fleming|first=John|last= Pearson|publisher=], London|year= 1966|isbn= 978-1-85410-898-2}}

==External links==
* *


{{Naval Service (British)|state=collapsed}}
]
{{Admiralty Department|state=collapsed}}
]
{{UK_Intelligence Agencies}}
{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 08:06, 7 October 2024

Intelligence agency

Naval Intelligence Division
United Kingdom
Division overview
Formed1912
Preceding Division
Dissolved1964
Superseding Division
JurisdictionGovernment of the United Kingdom
HeadquartersAdmiralty Building
Whitehall
London
Parent departmentAdmiralty Naval Staff

The Naval Intelligence Division (NID) was created as a component part of the Admiralty War Staff in 1912. It was the intelligence arm of the British Admiralty before the establishment of a unified Defence Intelligence Staff in 1964. It dealt with matters concerning British naval plans, with the collection of naval intelligence. It was also known as "Room 39", after its room number at the Admiralty.

History

The Foreign Intelligence Committee was established in 1882 and it evolved into the Naval Intelligence Department in 1887.

The NID staff were originally responsible for fleet mobilisation and war plans as well as foreign intelligence collection; thus in the beginning there were originally two divisions: (1) intelligence (Foreign) and (2) Mobilisation. In 1900 another division, War, was added to deal with issues of strategy and defence, and in 1902 a fourth division, Trade, was created for matters related to the protection of merchant shipping. The Trade Division was abolished in October 1909 in the wake of the Committee of Imperial Defence inquiry into the feud between the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir John Fisher and former Commander-in-Chief Channel Fleet, Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, when it was discovered that the captain heading the Trade Division had been supplying the latter with confidential information during the inquiry.

In 1910, the NID was shorn of its responsibility for war planning and strategy when the outgoing Fisher created the Navy War Council as a stop-gap remedy to criticisms emanating from the Beresford Inquiry that the Navy needed a naval staff—a role the NID had been in fact fulfilling since at least 1900, if not earlier. After this reorganisation, war planning and strategic matters were transferred to the newly created Naval Mobilisation Department and the NID reverted to the position it held prior to 1887—an intelligence collection and collation organisation.

In 1912 the division was established as a component part of the new Admiralty War Staff organisation when that body was abolished in 1917 it continued as a division of the new Admiralty Naval Staff until 1964 when the Admiralty Department was abolished.

World War I

During World War I the NID was responsible for the Royal Navy's highly successful cryptographic efforts, Room 40. The interception and decoding of the Zimmermann Telegram played a role in bringing the United States into the War. It has described as the most significant intelligence triumph for Britain during World War I, and one of the first occasions on which a piece of signals intelligence influenced world events.

World War II

Naval Ultra messages were handled differently from Army and Air Force Ultra because the Admiralty was an operational HQ and could give orders during a battle; while the Imperial General Staff (Army) and Air Staff would give commanders general orders such as, "clear the enemy out of Africa" without telling them how to do it. Hence verbatim translations of naval decodes were sent by Hut 4 to the NID and nowhere else (except for some naval intelligence sent directly from Bletchley Park to Commanders-in-Chief in the Mediterranean).

Hut 8 which decrypted Enigma messages for Hut 4 to translate and analyse had less information for Ultra as the Kriegsmarine operated Enigma more securely than the German Army and Air Force. Hut 4 also broke various hand cyphers and some Italian naval traffic.

The NID also initiated the 30th Assault Unit whose role was information gathering, reconnaissance and sabotage. Members of the unit, including Ralph Izzard, are acknowledged as inspirations for Ian Fleming (who also worked for the NID) in the creation of his fictional spy, James Bond.

Geographical section

The Geographical Section of the Naval Intelligence Division, Naval Staff, Admiralty, produced a series of Geographical Handbooks from 1917 to 1922 to provide information for the British Armed Forces. The Naval Intelligence Division Geographical Handbook Series was produced between 1941 and 1946 to provide information for the British Armed Forces.

Amalgamation

In 1965, the three service intelligence departments were amalgamated in the new Defence Intelligence Service at the Ministry of Defence.

However, well before the mid-1990s another Royal Naval branch existed, namely the Directorate of Naval Security & Integrated Contingency Planning (DNSyICP), which is based at HM Naval Base Portsmouth under the staff command of the Second Sea Lord & C-in-C Naval Home Command.

Directors of Naval Intelligence

Directors of Naval Intelligence included:

Deputy Directors of Naval Intelligence

Deputy Directors of Naval Intelligence included:

See also

References

  1. Dorril, Stephen (2002). MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service. Simon & Schuster. p. 137. ISBN 0-7432-1778-0.
  2. Allen. The Foreign Intelligence Committee. p. 68.
  3. "Obituary". Obituaries. The Times. No. 34523. London. 13 March 1895. col F, p. 10.
  4. Hurd, Archibald (1921). "The Merchant Navy". John Murray. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  5. Strachan, Hew (2003). The First World War: Volume I: To Arms. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199261918.
  6. "The Room 40 Compromise" (PDF). U.S. National Security Agency. 1960. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  7. "Why was the Zimmerman Telegram so important?". BBC. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017. It was, many believed, the single greatest intelligence triumph for Britain in World War One.
  8. "The telegram that brought America into the First World War". BBC History Magazine. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  9. Top Secret Ultra by Peter Calvocoressi p16,17 (1980, Cassell Ltd, London) ISBN 0-304-30546-4
  10. Briggs, p. 67
  11. ^ Pearson, p. 194-195
  12. Gosme, Cyril (2000). "The Naval Intelligence Geographical Handbook Series (Great-Britain, 1941-46) : a description and a call for comments". Cybergeo. doi:10.4000/cybergeo.4460. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  13. Dylan, p. 184
  14. "Senior Royal Navy appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  15. Mackie, Colin. "Senior Royal Navy Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. Retrieved 3 February 2017.

Sources

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