Alexander Foote
Encyclopedia
In World War II
, Allan Alexander Foote (b. 13. April 1905, d. 1. August 1957) was a radio operator for a Soviet espionage ring in Switzerland. Foote was originally from Yorkshire
in England, and had spent some time in Spain
working for the Republican side during the Civil War
in the '30s. He decided to continue his efforts against Fascism (and, perhaps, for Communism) and volunteered for clandestine work with Red Orchestra. He was put into contact with Ursula Kuczynski
in Switzerland. He became a radio operator for the Soviet espionage operation run by Alexander Rado
and was one of those who passed information to Moscow from the Lucy spy ring
run by Rudolf Roessler
. Foote was one of those arrested when the Swiss police shut down most of the operation and was detained for a time.
After the War, he spent some time in the Eastern Bloc and then returned to the West and published his book, A Handbook for Spies. He died in the '50s.
Because of the implausible (fast, plentiful, and accurate) and never explained nature of the Lucy ring's information, suspicion attaches to all associated with it. Since Foote was a central cog, his book is thought to be rather dubious in places, and since he managed to return to the West rather easily, there have been allegations he was a British Secret Service double agent and one conduit (perhaps even the main one) of information from Britain to Roessler and thence to Moscow.
According to various sources, Foote was indeed a MI6 (SIS) double agent Rado did not know about. After the destruction of Rado's network and his escape from Switzerland, Rado met Foote in Paris and both were ordered to return to Moscow immediately. They took off aboard a Russian military airplane on January 6, 1945, taking a circuitous route (due to the war in progress) via Egypt. Their plane refueled in Cairo, where Rado defected. After returning to Moscow, Foote was subjected to intensive interrogation attempting to determine his loyalty and the possibility of his being a penetration agent. Upon successfully getting through the questioning, he was given a new false identity under the alias of Major Granatov. Posing as a German, Albert Müller, he inserted himself into postwar Berlin to establish this alias with the aim of being sent by Centre to Argentina, to attempt to penetrate escaped Nazi circles.
In March 1947, another Soviet agent "came in from the cold" that had been involved with British Intelligence, and may have been able to prove Foote's allegiance to the British. Foote managed to escape from Russian control via Berlin, fleeing to the British sector.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Allan Alexander Foote (b. 13. April 1905, d. 1. August 1957) was a radio operator for a Soviet espionage ring in Switzerland. Foote was originally from Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in England, and had spent some time in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
working for the Republican side during the Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
in the '30s. He decided to continue his efforts against Fascism (and, perhaps, for Communism) and volunteered for clandestine work with Red Orchestra. He was put into contact with Ursula Kuczynski
Ursula Kuczynski
Ursula Maria Kuczynski was a German author and spy for the Soviet Union. A daughter of Robert René Kuczynski, she joined the Communist party at an early age...
in Switzerland. He became a radio operator for the Soviet espionage operation run by Alexander Rado
Alexander Rado
Alexander Radó, born as Sándor Radó and also known as Alexander Radolfi , was a Hungarian cartographer and a Soviet military intelligence agent in World War II.-Life:...
and was one of those who passed information to Moscow from the Lucy spy ring
Lucy spy ring
In World War II espionage, the Lucy spy ring was an anti-German operation that was headquartered in Switzerland. It was run by Rudolf Roessler, a German refugee and ostensibly the proprietor of a small publishing firm, Vita Nova...
run by Rudolf Roessler
Rudolf Roessler
In World War II espionage, Rudolf Roessler was the central figure in the Lucy spy ring. He was a German refugee who had moved to Switzerland in 1933, and was the proprietor of a small publishing firm in Switzerland, Vita Novi...
. Foote was one of those arrested when the Swiss police shut down most of the operation and was detained for a time.
After the War, he spent some time in the Eastern Bloc and then returned to the West and published his book, A Handbook for Spies. He died in the '50s.
Because of the implausible (fast, plentiful, and accurate) and never explained nature of the Lucy ring's information, suspicion attaches to all associated with it. Since Foote was a central cog, his book is thought to be rather dubious in places, and since he managed to return to the West rather easily, there have been allegations he was a British Secret Service double agent and one conduit (perhaps even the main one) of information from Britain to Roessler and thence to Moscow.
According to various sources, Foote was indeed a MI6 (SIS) double agent Rado did not know about. After the destruction of Rado's network and his escape from Switzerland, Rado met Foote in Paris and both were ordered to return to Moscow immediately. They took off aboard a Russian military airplane on January 6, 1945, taking a circuitous route (due to the war in progress) via Egypt. Their plane refueled in Cairo, where Rado defected. After returning to Moscow, Foote was subjected to intensive interrogation attempting to determine his loyalty and the possibility of his being a penetration agent. Upon successfully getting through the questioning, he was given a new false identity under the alias of Major Granatov. Posing as a German, Albert Müller, he inserted himself into postwar Berlin to establish this alias with the aim of being sent by Centre to Argentina, to attempt to penetrate escaped Nazi circles.
In March 1947, another Soviet agent "came in from the cold" that had been involved with British Intelligence, and may have been able to prove Foote's allegiance to the British. Foote managed to escape from Russian control via Berlin, fleeing to the British sector.