Denis Arthur Greenhill
Encyclopedia
Sir Denis Arthur Greenhill, Baron Greenhill of Harrow, GCMG, OBE (1913–2000) was the British Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 1969 to 1973; an established and respected expert on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, he had the dubious task of expelling 105 Russian diplomats and officials for spying in 1971.
His early years included roles as Colonel in the Royal Engineers
during World War II and then as a diplomat in the Foreign Office.
His later years included roles as Governor of the BBC
and as Director of BAT Industries, Hawker Siddeley Group, Wellcome Foundation, Clerical Medical
and General Life Assurance, S.G. Warburg and Leyland International.
After the release of John Pilger
's documentary Stealing a Nation, it was revealed that Greenhill was also involved in the expulsion
of the Chagos Islanders. The documentary noted that he referred to the Chagos Islanders as being "Tarzan
s" and "Man Fridays".
He was quoted as noting on the minute: "...Unfortunately along with the birds go some few Tarzans or Man Fridays whose origins are obscure and who are hopefully being wished on to Mauritius...".
His early years included roles as Colonel in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
during World War II and then as a diplomat in the Foreign Office.
His later years included roles as Governor of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and as Director of BAT Industries, Hawker Siddeley Group, Wellcome Foundation, Clerical Medical
Clerical Medical
Clerical Medical is a British life insurance, pensions and investments company founded in 1824.In 1824, Dr George Pinckard formed a committee of physicians and members of the clergy which published a pamphlet called 'Prospectus for the Establishment of a new Assurance Office with Improved...
and General Life Assurance, S.G. Warburg and Leyland International.
After the release of John Pilger
John Pilger
John Richard Pilger is an Australian journalist and documentary maker, based in London. He has twice won Britain's Journalist of the Year Award, and his documentaries have received academy awards in Britain and the US....
's documentary Stealing a Nation, it was revealed that Greenhill was also involved in the expulsion
Depopulation of Diego Garcia
The Diego Garcia depopulation controversy pertains to the expulsion of the indigenous inhabitants of the island of Diego Garcia and the other islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory by the United Kingdom, beginning in 1968 and concluding on 27 April 1973 with the evacuation of Peros Banhos...
of the Chagos Islanders. The documentary noted that he referred to the Chagos Islanders as being "Tarzan
Tarzan
Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
s" and "Man Fridays".
He was quoted as noting on the minute: "...Unfortunately along with the birds go some few Tarzans or Man Fridays whose origins are obscure and who are hopefully being wished on to Mauritius...".