Mansfield Smith-Cumming facts for kids
Quick facts for kids CaptainSir Mansfield Smith-Cumming KCMG CB |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal NavySecret Intelligence Service |
| Active | 1878–1909; 1909–1923 |
| Rank | Captain Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service |
| Operation(s) | World War I |
|
|
|
| Birth name | Mansfield George Smith |
| Born | 1 April 1859 Lee, Kent, England |
| Died | 14 June 1923 (aged 64) London, England |
| Spouse |
Leslie Valiant-Cumming
(m. 1889) |
Sir Mansfield George Smith-Cumming (born April 1, 1859 – died June 14, 1923) was a British naval officer. He became the very first chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), which is also known as MI6. He is often called the original 'C', a nickname that future spy chiefs would also use.
Contents
Mansfield Smith-Cumming's father, Colonel John Thomas Smith, was an engineer. He designed a special machine for making coins. This machine was even shown at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851.
Mansfield started his naval training at age 12. He joined the Royal Navy and served in places like Malaysia and Egypt. But he got very seasick, so he had to retire from the navy in 1885. Later, he added 'Cumming' to his name after he got married in 1889.
Becoming the First 'C'
In 1909, a new group called the Secret Service Bureau was formed. It was created because people were worried about spies in England. This bureau was split into two parts. One part, led by Vernon Kell, handled spying inside Britain. The other part, led by Cumming, handled spying outside Britain. This became the Foreign Section.
Over time, Cumming became known as 'C'. He often signed his letters with just a 'C', usually in green ink. This became a tradition for all future heads of the Secret Intelligence Service. The famous author Ian Fleming even used this idea for the character 'M' in his James Bond novels.
In 1914, Cumming was in a serious car accident in France. Sadly, his son was killed. Cumming himself was badly hurt and lost one of his feet. He later enjoyed telling dramatic stories about how he lost his leg. He would sometimes surprise people in meetings by poking his artificial leg with a knife!
Before World War I, the spy service didn't have much money. Cumming often relied on agents like Sidney Reilly, who was known as the Ace of Spies.
World War I and Beyond
Spying During the War
When World War I began, Cumming worked with other intelligence leaders. They arrested many German spies in England. Some of these spies were found guilty of treason.
During the war, Cumming's Foreign Section became known as MI6, or the Secret Intelligence Service. The section that handled spying inside Britain became MI5. Many famous people worked as agents for MI6 during the war, including writers like John Buchan and W. Somerset Maugham.
MI6 agents even discovered that a certain bodily fluid could be used as invisible ink! However, they stopped using it because of the smell it produced.
Work in Ireland
After World War I, there were big changes in how British intelligence was organized. This happened when the Irish Republican Army (IRA) started fighting for Ireland's independence.
Cumming and MI6 set up a new spy unit in Ireland in 1920. This unit included officers trained by Cumming's department. However, on November 21, 1920, the IRA attacked and killed many of Cumming's agents. This day became known as Bloody Sunday. Because of this, most of the remaining MI6 agents were quickly pulled out of Ireland.
A special blue plaque was put up in 2015 at the MI6 headquarters in London. It honors Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming and his important work.
See also
