Olga Gray
Encyclopedia
Born in Manchester in 1906, Olga Gray was a British secretary and typist recruited as an Mi5
infiltration agent by Maxwell Knight
of B5(b) section in 1931. Under the instructions of Knight, Gray moved to London and became a member of the Friends of the Soviet Union in 1932. Knight's reasoning behind Gray becoming a member of a soviet friendly organisation but not actually offering to spy on Great Britiain for the Soviet Union, was that the most successful counter-espionage agents were those who were approached by the enemy organisation.
This plan met with success when in 1934 after a period working for the Anti War Movement she was approached by Harry Pollitt
and asked to undertake a 'special mission' on behalf of the Communist Party of Great Britain
(CPGB). Having accepted this request Gray was sent to Paris on June 6, 1934 where she was to rendezvous with Percy Glading (an officer of League Against Anti-Imperialism and a founding member of the CPGB).
Following this meeting Gray was instructed by Glading to go to India to deliver money and messages to insurgent elements therein. However the cover-story provided to Gray by the CPGB was so flimsy for a woman travelling alone during the monsoon season to India that she would not fail to rouse the suspicion of the authorities. Knight's B5(b) section therefore stepped in and concocted a passable cover-story to enable her to continue to gain evidence of CPGB espionage. On her return from India Gray worked as Pollitt's personal secretary, till dropping all work with the communists in 1935 due to the strain of maintaining a double life.
Gray then rented an apartment at 82 Holland Road, Kensington. Glading then visited the flat on April 21, 1937, with a man whom he referred to as 'Mr. Peters'. 'Peters' was in actuality Theodore Maly
a Soviet spy and a principal agent in Britain. A few months Glading later visited the flat with a foreign couple called 'Mr. & Mrs. Stevens' whose real names were William and Mary Brandes, agents of the NKVD
who had just escaped from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
having attained fraudulent Canadian passports. The Brandes' then proceeded to bring stolen secret documents (largely from the Woolwich Arsenal
) and maps to the apartment to be photographed and developed. The Brandes' did not return to London after November 1937 and Glading took over the photography of documents.
On January 21 Gray rang the authorities to report that Glading was to meet a man at Charring Cross station at 8.15pm to receive yet more classified documents. The information provided by Gray who testified under the code name 'Miss X', led to the apprehension of Glading, Albert Williams (a hitherto unidentified spy in the Woolwich Arsenal ), and two other contacts within the Arsenal, George Whomack and Charles Munday.
Gray was last heard of living outside of Toronto in the mid 1980's, she felt aggrieved at being 'dumped' by the service with a severance lump sum payment of £500.
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
infiltration agent by Maxwell Knight
Maxwell Knight
Charles Henry Maxwell Knight OBE, known as Maxwell Knight, was an English spymaster, naturalist and broadcaster, whilst reputedly being a model for the James Bond character M.-Spymaster:...
of B5(b) section in 1931. Under the instructions of Knight, Gray moved to London and became a member of the Friends of the Soviet Union in 1932. Knight's reasoning behind Gray becoming a member of a soviet friendly organisation but not actually offering to spy on Great Britiain for the Soviet Union, was that the most successful counter-espionage agents were those who were approached by the enemy organisation.
This plan met with success when in 1934 after a period working for the Anti War Movement she was approached by Harry Pollitt
Harry Pollitt
Harry Pollitt was the head of the trade union department of the Communist Party of Great Britain and the General Secretary of the party for more than 20 years.- Early life :...
and asked to undertake a 'special mission' on behalf of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
(CPGB). Having accepted this request Gray was sent to Paris on June 6, 1934 where she was to rendezvous with Percy Glading (an officer of League Against Anti-Imperialism and a founding member of the CPGB).
Following this meeting Gray was instructed by Glading to go to India to deliver money and messages to insurgent elements therein. However the cover-story provided to Gray by the CPGB was so flimsy for a woman travelling alone during the monsoon season to India that she would not fail to rouse the suspicion of the authorities. Knight's B5(b) section therefore stepped in and concocted a passable cover-story to enable her to continue to gain evidence of CPGB espionage. On her return from India Gray worked as Pollitt's personal secretary, till dropping all work with the communists in 1935 due to the strain of maintaining a double life.
The Percy Glading Case
On Maxwell Knight's instructions Gray had maintained social contact with both Pollitt and Glading. Glading asked Gray to engage in suspicious activity once more whilst at lunch with her on February 17, 1937. Glading required Gray to rent a flat in London, that the CPGB would subsidise, and make it available for his use.Gray then rented an apartment at 82 Holland Road, Kensington. Glading then visited the flat on April 21, 1937, with a man whom he referred to as 'Mr. Peters'. 'Peters' was in actuality Theodore Maly
Theodore Maly
Theodore Maly was an undercover Soviet intelligence officer who recruited and controlled spies in the 1930s. He lived illegally in the countries where he worked and was one of Russia’s most effective illegal recruiters and controllers...
a Soviet spy and a principal agent in Britain. A few months Glading later visited the flat with a foreign couple called 'Mr. & Mrs. Stevens' whose real names were William and Mary Brandes, agents of the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
who had just escaped from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
having attained fraudulent Canadian passports. The Brandes' then proceeded to bring stolen secret documents (largely from the Woolwich Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
) and maps to the apartment to be photographed and developed. The Brandes' did not return to London after November 1937 and Glading took over the photography of documents.
On January 21 Gray rang the authorities to report that Glading was to meet a man at Charring Cross station at 8.15pm to receive yet more classified documents. The information provided by Gray who testified under the code name 'Miss X', led to the apprehension of Glading, Albert Williams (a hitherto unidentified spy in the Woolwich Arsenal ), and two other contacts within the Arsenal, George Whomack and Charles Munday.
Later life
After the successful trial of Glading, Williams, Whomack and Munday , which resulted in 6 years penal servitude for Glading, Gray left the Security Service for a new life in Canada.Gray was last heard of living outside of Toronto in the mid 1980's, she felt aggrieved at being 'dumped' by the service with a severance lump sum payment of £500.
See also
- Harry PollittHarry PollittHarry Pollitt was the head of the trade union department of the Communist Party of Great Britain and the General Secretary of the party for more than 20 years.- Early life :...
- Maxwell KnightMaxwell KnightCharles Henry Maxwell Knight OBE, known as Maxwell Knight, was an English spymaster, naturalist and broadcaster, whilst reputedly being a model for the James Bond character M.-Spymaster:...
- Mi5MI5The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
- Theodore MalyTheodore MalyTheodore Maly was an undercover Soviet intelligence officer who recruited and controlled spies in the 1930s. He lived illegally in the countries where he worked and was one of Russia’s most effective illegal recruiters and controllers...