Claire Hubbard-Hall: Secret Servants of the Crown, Kartoniert / Broschiert

Klappentext

Featuring the real-life inspiration for Miss Moneypenny of the James Bond novels and films, here is the first authoritative account of the hidden female army who were the cornerstone of the British secret state across two world wars and beyond.

To the undiscerning eye, they were secretaries, typists, personal assistants, and telephonists. But those innocuous job titles provided the perfect cover. Often overlooked and underestimated by outsiders, the women of British intelligence encoded, decoded, and translated enemy messages, wrote propaganda, and oversaw agents, performing duties as diverse as they were indispensable.

One of those women was Kathleen Pettigrew, super-secretary to three consecutive Chiefs of MI6, and widely regarded as the inspiration for author Ian Fleming's Miss Moneypenny. Serving her country for four decades, Kathleen amassed a formidable knowledge of people and events. From the surprise apprehension of World War I courtesan spy Mata Hari to the unmasking of MI6 officer Kim Philby, the "Third Man" of the Cambridge spy ring, Kathleen created, organized, and archived an empire of top-secret information.

Though most women toiled in offices and backrooms, there were also agent-runners and agents, prized for their ability to hide in plain sight. Drawing on extensive research and unique access to family archives, Claire Hubbard-Hall portrays many of these remarkable figures---including the brilliant, multi-lingual Lunn sisters, glamorous spy Olga Gray, and Jane Sissmore, MI5's first female officer---and reconsiders the priceless contributions they made.