Spyhunter: The Secret History of German Intelligence by Michael Shrimpton

Author:Michael Shrimpton [Shrimpton, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JUNE PRESS
Published: 2014-08-21T23:00:00+00:00

17

The Inter-War Period (2)

The Bodyline Operation

Whilst the ‘Hun’ would not score many runs if he tried it himself, as he does not play with a straight bat, he does understand the importance of cricket to the English. So much so he made sure that he was able to interfere with the selection of the England cricket team. The principal German asset in the cricketing establishment for many years, recruited at Oxford (he was an Oriel man) was Trinidadian-born Sir Pelham Warner. Sir Pelham captained MCC in Australia on the 1903/1904 and 1912/13 tours. Marylebone Cricket Club is the custodian of the laws of the game, and as late as the 1970s overseas tours were conducted in our name. Our colours are in attractive shades of red and yellow.

The intelligence about Sir Pelham would have come as a great disappointment to his coach at Rugby School, Tom Emmett, but might not have surprised his superior in intelligence at the Foreign Office in the latter stages of the Great War, John Buchan. He of course wrote the spy novel The Thirty-Nine Steps, of which several rather good films have been made, the best (in my, as ever, humble opinion) in 1959, starring that fine actor Kenneth More. Any intelligence officer who has ever had to deal with dim-witted policemen will find himself or herself instinctively sympathising with Kenneth More’s character.

Admiral of the Fleet Earl Jellicoe, who interrogated Warner, in a very gentlemanly way of course, in the flag quarters of HMS New Zealand, en route to Alexandria, after the war, would not have been surprised either. It is not usual for members of the MCC Committee to be invited to join former First Sea Lords on battlecruisers. Warner found himself batting on a sticky wicket, albeit not for the first time. In 1908 he scored 64 not out, out of 95, for MCC on a very sticky wicket against Yorkshire.

It was John Buchan who first suspected Warner indeed he was forced to resign from the Foreign Office, under the pretext of poor health. A. C. Maclaren, Sir Stanley Jackson, C. B. Fry and the great Prince Ranjitsinhji1 all refused to tour Australia with him in 1912/13, which ought to have said something to Intelligence. Sadly the liaison between Intelligence and the MCC Committee was not all that it should have been.

So far as is known to British Intelligence, emphasising that I have only ever had lunch with British Intelligence, and the odd drinkies, and am not part of it, Sir Pelham is the only German spy ever to have scored a Test Match century. That was a fine 132 not out in the First Test Match against South Africa on Lord Hawke’s tour. Had MI6 offered to play German Intelligence at cricket Sir Pelham would have been an automatic choice for the ‘Hun’ for many years.

He was the archetypal gentleman spy, indeed he played for the Gentleman, at Lords in 19012, putting together a century opening stand with C. B. Fry, the only English cricketer to have been offered the throne of Albania3.

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