MI7 facts for kids

MI7 was a special part of the British War Office, which was like the main office for the army. Its job was to work with the press (newspapers and media) and create propaganda. Propaganda is information shared to influence how people think.

MI7 was first set up during the First World War. After the war ended, it was closed down. But when the Second World War began, MI7 was started again. The new MI7 wasn't as big or important as it was in the first war. However, it still helped connect the War Office with other important groups like the Ministry of Information.

MI7 in the First World War

When the First World War started, a small group called MO5(h) was formed. This group was in charge of checking what the newspapers printed and sending out official news from the War Office. At first, only two officers worked there, but they quickly realized this wasn't enough. Within two weeks, the group grew to include a senior officer and eight assistants.

In February 1915, this group became MO7. It was part of the War Office and focused on publicizing army news. MO7 was the first to let war reporters visit the Western Front in May 1915. Their main goal was to make sure the military kept control over what the newspapers and reporters published. In January 1916, MO7 officially became Military Intelligence Section 7, or MI7.

What MI7 Sub-sections Did

MI7 was divided into smaller teams, each with a specific job. These jobs changed a bit over time, but here's a general idea of what they did:

• MI7 (a) - This team was in charge of checking and approving news before it was published. This is called censorship.
• MI7 (b) - This team handled propaganda for people both in Britain and other countries. They also wrote press releases about army matters.
• MI7 (c) - This team translated documents. After 1917, they also managed foreign visitors.
• MI7 (d) - This team focused on propaganda for foreign newspapers and reviewed what they were publishing. This was part of MI7(b) until late 1916.

Famous Writers in MI7

Some well-known writers worked for MI7(b). A.A. Milne, who wrote the famous Winnie the Pooh books, served in MI7(b). He joined after he was injured during the Battle of the Somme.

Another writer, Lord Dunsany, also worked with Milne. He was an Anglo-Irish fantasy writer who joined MI7 after being wounded in the Easter Rising. His books Tales of War and Unhappy Far-off Things include some of the stories he wrote while working for MI7.

MI7 Headquarters Location

De Keyser's Royal Hotel in London. This building later became Adastral House and was a headquarters for MI7(b).

From April 1916 to October 1917, most of the MI7(b) staff worked at Adelphi Court in London. Then, the entire section moved to Adastral House. This building used to be a hotel called De Keyser's Royal Hotel. It was located near Blackfriars Bridge. The hotel went bankrupt and was taken over by the government in May 1916. Both the Royal Flying Corps and MI7 used it as an office.

Finding MI7 Documents Today

Because MI7 was a secret intelligence branch, many of its papers were destroyed to keep things secure. Even more documents were destroyed when MI7 closed after the First World War.

However, some important files can still be found in places like the British National Archives. Also, some documents from MI7(b) survived because one of its officers, Lieutenant James Price Lloyd, kept them. In 2012, after he passed away, his family found about 150 files from his time at MI7(b) in his home in Wales.

This collection included many stories written between 1917 and 1918, especially "Tales of the VC" (Victoria Cross). These stories describe the bravery of soldiers from across the British Empire. You can see over 90 of these stories on the National Library of Wales website.

MI7 in the Second World War

In September 1939, at the start of the Second World War, MI7 was reformed. It became the Press and Propaganda section of the War Office's intelligence department. Most of its staff were civilians, not soldiers. Around June 1940, MI7 was moved to work under the Ministry of Information.

MI7 in Movies and TV Shows

The name MI7 has often been used in fiction for spy agencies, similar to the real-life MI5 or MI6.

• In the James Bond movie Dr. No (1962), there are mentions of James Bond working for MI6. However, in one scene, the words are changed to "MI7," even though the actor's lips clearly say "MI6."
• In an episode of The Professionals called "Operation Susie," the main agency CI5 clashes with parts of MI7 that have different plans.
• Rowan Atkinson's character, Johnny English, from the spy spoof movies Johnny English, Johnny English Reborn, and Johnny English Strikes Again, is an MI7 agent. He first appeared as MI7 agent Richard Latham in commercials for Barclaycard.
• In the movie St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold, a character named Kelly Jones, who used to be the head girl, now works as an agent for MI7.