MI6 Influence in Australia during WW2

MI6 or Secret Intelligence Service (UK) had two stations operating in Australia during WWII plus a number of other "spies" including a position in GHQ SWPA responsible for overseeing the distribution of Ultra intelligence during WWII.

In about mid-1942, SIS in Asia adopted the cover name 'Inter-Service Liaison Department' (ISLD). The terms 'SIS' and 'ISLD' were used interchangeably in Asia for the remainder of the war. So far I have found no evidence that this was also used in the Southwest Pacific Area.

Whilst Secret Intelligence Australia or SIA was formally known as Section "B" in General Douglas MacArthur's Allied Intelligence Bureau AIB, it actually reported to MI6 with Captain Roy Kendall RNR as its Head of Station. Third Officer Eve Walker was its Counterintelligence Officer and Major Gustavus "George" Sears was its Communications Officer.

Kendall and Walker operated from their headquarters at a large old house called "Craigroyston" at 160 Bowen Terrace, New Farm in Brisbane. Major "George" Sears, operated the SIA wireless network from Newman House at Caboolture which was sometimes referred to as the South East Asia Communications Unit. This network connected to Karachi, Chunking and some other locations in Australia and was also used for MI6/SIS communications through to London.

Roy Kendall lived with his family in "Amity House" at 101 Welsby street, New Farm on the banks of the Brisbane River. A small floating cabana located on the Brisbane River in front of “Amity House” was used as a staging location for agents to board one of the two SIA “Spy” boats to head off on missions or training exercises. "Amity House" was located just over 500 yards upstream of the large US Navy Submarine base at New Farm.

Major General Richard Dewing was the Senior British Military Liaison Officer in Australia. His office was at 223 Domain Road South Yarra, Melbourne. Hidden in his staff would have been an SIS representative wearing a uniform who was the Head of Station. Merry reported to this person, who also seems to have run the consular officials, Archer and Graves.

Paymaster Lieutenant Commander Alan E. N. Merry was watching FRUMEL from inside and the activities of the Diplomatic Section working on the Japanese Diplomatic codes out of Victoria Barracks. Merry was providing Kendall and Alistair Sandford with intelligence on the Australian diplomatic section and Sandford was forwarding this to Stewart Menzies head of MI6 and all SIGINT in London. Sandford and Kendall apparently lived in the same house in Brisbane.

Major General Richard Dewing either met with General Douglas MacArthur or had a telephone call with him on at least six occasions as per the following entries in General MacArthur's Office Diary:-

A Telegram dated 11 May 1943 to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs from Lord Gowrie, the Governor General of Australia, read as follows:-

Squadron Leader Sidney F. Burley was located in the G-2 Section in GHQ in the AMP building Brisbane from late 1944 with Special Liaison Unit Nos 7, 8 and 9 under his command. Squadron Leader Burley was responsible for the distribution of Ultra.

The British High Commissioner, Sir Ronald Cross, also seems to have been the link through which Prime Minister John Curtin was briefed into ULTRA and it is suspected that Curtin was shown ULTRA by Cross at their formal lunches. No other Australian ministers were privy to unsanitised ULTRA information.

Sir Ronald Cross and Lady Cross spent a lot of time in Melbourne staying at the house of Sir Rupert Murdoch at 39 Albany Road, Toorak.

Sir Ronald Cross either met with General Douglas MacArthur or had a telephone call with him on at least 3 occasions as per the following entries in General MacArthur's Office Diary:-

Colonel Gerald Wilkinson was the MI6 agent who kept MI6 and Sir Winston Churchill up to speed with General MacArthur's theatre operations. Colonel Gerald Wilkinson either met with General Douglas MacArthur or had a telephone call with him on many occasions as per the following entries in General MacArthur's Office Diary:-

The following is a transcript of a Telegram dated 1st April 1943 showing a message from Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill to General Douglas MacArthur:-

TELEGRAM

From:- THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS

To: THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM, CANBERRA

Despatched: 1st April, 1943 (12.05 p.m.)

Received: 2nd April, 1943 (2.45 a.m.)

IMPORTANT.

No. 474

MOST SECRET

For General MacArthur from Prime Minister.

BEGINS. I have had a long talk with Colonel Wilkinson who has given me your important and kind message. I wish I could accept your invitation to visit your command but the heavy tasks before us preclude this, at least for some time to come. I should however much like to feel that I am in close personal touch with you and through you with the situation in the South West Pacific. Now would you view a proposal that Colonel Wilkinson should be posted to your staff as your British military assistant? There is a precedent for such an appointment at Allied Force Headquarters Algiers where I have a specially selected officer of my staff. My idea would be that Colonel Wilkinson should travel to and fro at intervals so as to keep in touch with the situation at both ends. We might give this arrangement a trial, at any rate for six months or so. If it works well it could continue. If it does not work then we must think of something else. Pray let me have your views.

I cannot let this telegram go without sending my warmest congratulations to you and your air commanders on the annihilation of the Japanese convoy in the Bismarck Sea. It was a striking testimony of the proper use of air power.

It is just over a year since your historic journey from Corregidor and your appointment at the head of the Allied force in the South West Pacific. The United Nations owe you a deep debt of gratitude for your inspiring leadership during these difficult days. ENDS

Secretary of State for
Dominion Affairs

The following is a transcript of a Telegram dated 12th April 1943 showing a message from General Douglas MacArthur to Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill:-

TELEGRAM

From: THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM, CANBERRA

To:- THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS

Despatched: 12th April, 1943 (3 p.m.)

No. 499.

MOST SECRET.

Your Telegram No. 474. Following for Prime Minister from General MacArthur.

BEGINS.

I am deeply appreciative of your message of 1st April. The situation here is becoming more menacing as the enemy seems to be concentrating his main effort in preparedness on this front. I shall however, do everything possible to dislocate and harry him through the maintenance of a local initiative. I personally would be honoured to have Colonel Wilkinson as a British Officer attached to me and especially because of my real affection for him. My specific orders from Washington however render it impossible for me to utilize him as a channel of communication between us. Those orders definitely limit me in official communications to the Joint Chiefs of Staff through the intermediary of the Chief of Staff of the American Army. I am permitted direct discussion with the Prime Minister of Australia because of the inclusion of the bulk of Australian military forces in this command and because of his own paramount responsibilities in the area. I have however, been sharply reminded by direct order that my prescribed channels shall not be violated. I feel therefore that the proposed arrangement would render me liable to serious charge.

We have all been so delighted at your splendid recovery. That was a fight worth winning. You will be glad to know that your Spitfire squadrons here have been all that you would have them to be. ENDS.

HIGH COMMISSIONER

The following is a transcript of a Telegram dated 27th April 1943 showing a message from Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill for Lord Gowrie, the Governor-General of Australia:-

TELEGRAM

From:- THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS

To: THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM, CANBERRA

Despatched: 27th April, 1943 (12.10 p.m.)

Received: 28th April, 1943 (1 a.m.)

No. 565.

MOST SECRET

Please give personally to Lord Gowrie following Personal and Secret message from Prime Minister together with copies of my telegram No. 474 and your telegram No. 499.

MESSAGE BEGINS.

A. The High Commissioner has been asked to show you my telegram of the 1st April to General MacArthur and MacArthur's reply of 12th April.

B. I should like to use Wilkinson to keep myself in touch with MacArthur, but it is evident that MacArthur's relations with Washington are such that it would not be possible under present conditions for Wilkinson, as a member of MacArthur's staff, to maintain communications with us.

C. Would you, therefore, be willing to attach Wilkinson to your personal staff as Assistant Military Secretary or is some other military post, and allow him to visit MacArthur at intervals and to keep me informed by cable or from time to time by visits home of developments in the South West Pacific area?

D. Wilkinson would, of course, want to be of general service to you in every way possible, in addition to his special duties.

The following is a transcript of a handwritten note dated 1 May 1943 from the British High Commissioner, Sir Ronald Cross to "Sandy" who I believe is Lord Gowrie, the Governor General of Australia, who was known as "Sandie" throughout his life. The note is on letterhead stating 39 Albany Road, Toorak, S.E.2. which was the address for Sir Rupert Murdoch's house which Sir Ronald Cross and his wife Lady Cross stayed in for various periods during WWII:-

May 1st

39 ALBANY ROAD,
TOORAK, S.E.2.

Dear Sandy

My office is sending you copies of 3 telegrams which are self-explanatory & one of which requires an answer from you.

I wanted to hand them to you myself (I got them as I boarded the aeroplane for Melbourne) & I was under the impression that you had told me you would be passing through Melbourne in the next few days but my office have been on to Admiralty House & I hear that you will not be here.

The telegrams will raise a number of points for you. Some of these are of an entirely personal character. There are others on which you may feel you would like information. Perhaps you already have full information, but in case you have not I may as well tell you what I know.

I understand that the entourage very much resented the position occupied by the young man & would probably have succeeded in getting him out if he had not been put in another position. The device would probably therefore be patent to them & would cause resentment, but I hazard no opinion upon the effect this would have on the older man. On the other hand a man who was in close touch with the young man during the latter's last few days in this country told me that the young man had two interviews of which he spoke to my informant & that these were apparently remarkably intimate frank and forthcoming.

I thought there might be some questions you would wish to put to Dewing & I have consequently enquired about his movements. He arrives Sydney (from Brisbane) tomorrow May 2nd & leaves for Melbourne on the 5th. He had a copy of the 1st telegram. I sent him in a few words the sense of the second.

He, of course, knows nothing about the third.

I of course realise that you have other points to consider to which all this is secondary.

Yours ever

Ronald Cross

The following is a transcript of a message from Lord Gowrie, the Governor General of Australia to Sir Winston Churchill dated 3 May 1943:-

MAY 3rd MOST SECRET PERSONAL FOR PRIME MINISTER. BEGINS

Reference Secretary of State's telegram No. 565 April 27th.

Would much like to have WILKINSON on my Staff both for personal and official reasons and am most anxious to help in any way I possibly can but in my opinion there are serious difficulties which have to be considered namely:-

(1) As CURTIN has always given me his complete confidence I should not like to enter into an arrangement of this kind without his knowledge and approval.

(2) WILKINSON who is known to Defence Chiefs and authorities in Australia could not now function in such a dual capacity visiting MACARTHUR at intervals and occasional visits home without causing comment. Leakage to United States Staff here would inevitably result and be conveyed to Washington which might seriously prejudice friendly relationships.

(3) MACARTHUR, vide High Commissioner's telegram No. 499 to Secretary of State date 12th April, has been unable to accept WILKINSON himself. His appointment on my Staff would cause conjecture and suspicion and there would be no assurance that in view of the definite orders MACARTHUR has received from Washington he could provide WILKINSON with any useful information if the latter returned to Australia.

GOWRIE GOVERNOR GENERAL

ENDS

A Telegram dated 11 May 1943 to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs from Lord Gowrie, the Governor General of Australia, read as follows:-

Decypher of telegram to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs from the Governor-General dated Canberra, 11 May, 1943.

___________

May 11th. Most Secret Personal for Prime Minister
begins Yesterday had long satisfactory talk with MacArthur. I gathered he would personally be glad if Major-General Dewing, on some pretext or other, could make brief trip to United Kingdom and give you picture of situation here.

This may offer suitable alternative to your proposal regarding Wilkinson which proposal I thought wiser not to mention to MacArthur. Gowrie ends.

(sgd.) Governor-General

Gerald Wilkinson had arrived in the Philippines before the war in the Pacific and was the local sugar-broker for a large Hawaiian sugar trading corporation, Theo H. Davies & Co operating out of Hawaii which dealt in sugar. It was an import/export business. He had married one of Theo H Davies' daughters, Lorna Mary Davies. He also worked for MI6 providing shipping intelligence and intelligence on the Japanese.

Wilkinson did not register as a foreign agent whilst in the Philippines which upset Major-General Charles A. Willoughby, General MacArthur's intelligence chief. Willoughby's view was that the world-wide network of British spies was still in operation and they were "loyal to no one but themselves and the Empire". Wilkinson's boss in MI6 station headquarters in Hawaii was Harry Dawson the British Vice-consul in Hawaii. Wilkinson was also an old friend of British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill.

As the Japanese forces advanced towards Manila and Bataan, the British gave Wilkinson the rank of Major in case he was captured. The British authorities were keen to evacuate Major Wilkinson out of the Philippines. General Douglas MacArthur was also keen for Wilkinson to leave Corregidor so that he could meet up with General Sir Archibald Wavell in Java to attempt to convince him to send help to Bataan.

At 3:30 am on 11 January 1942, Major Reginald Vance of the 27th Bomb Group had taken off from Bataan Airfield with Major Gerald Wilkinson to take him to Mindanao, but the aircraft's engine seemed to lose oil pressure and they were forced to return to the airfield. The aircraft crash landed in the complete darkness. Vance and Wilkinson both sustained minor injuries.

Major Gerald Wilkinson boarded US submarine USS Seawolf at the South Dock on Corregidor at about 0200 hours on 30 January 1942. USS Seawolf got underway at about 0318 hours on 30 January 1942 carrying Major Wilkinson and twelve army pilots, a physician, six navy officer pilots, six navy enlisted pilots, one navy yeoman, sixteen torpedoes and spare parts. USS Seawolf arrived in Surabaya, in Java on 9 February 1942.

Major Wilkinson left his wife Lorna and children, Rupert 5 years old and Mary June 8 years old, behind when he travelled to Java on the USS Seawolf. Unfortunately he was never able to return to see them again before they were captured by the Japanese and incarcerated in Santo Tomas University Internment Camp also known as the Manila Internment Camp where they stayed for over 3 years.

The West Australian (Perth), Thursday 14 February 1946

PEARL HARBOUR (sic)

WARNING OF ATTACK

British Agent's Message

WASHINGTON. Feb. 13. - According to the American Associated Press Lieut.-Col. H. C. Clausen told the Pearl Harbour (sic) committee yesterday that a British secret agent in Manila, Col. Gerald Wilkinson, sent a message to the United States Army in Hawaii on December 3, 1941, as follows: "It is our considered opinion that Japan envisages early hostilities against Great Britain and the United States."

Col. Clausen said the message went to Col. George Bicknell, of Major-General Short's intelligence staff.

{Major-General Short was the commander-general of the Hawaiian Department when the Japanese delivered their surprise attack on Pearl Harbour (sic) on December 7, 1941. The circumstances of the disaster are now the subject of an inquiry.}

6. Commander Charles Hardinge Drage RN (Retired) previous MI6 Head of Station in Hong Kong visited Australia

A cable dated 7 June 1941 on behalf of the British Ministry of Economic Warfare said "Australian Naval authorities have been approached with a view to increasing our sources of information on Japanese Mandated Islands." In July 1941, Charles Drage, the previous MI6 Head of Station (CY) in Hong Kong (Far Eastern Security Service) visited Australia to seek this information particularly on Truk in the Carolines.

Whilst previously in Hong Kong, Drage had a good working relationship with the Chinese Secret Service. Drage had his office in the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank building in Queens Road. It would appear he left Hong Kong before September 1939 and went to Singapore. His movements after that are very sketchy.

In July 1941, Drage met up with Commander Rupert Long, the Director of Naval Intelligence and a Director of the Combined Operational Intelligence Centre in Melbourne. By that time MI6 had been replaced by MI5 in the Far East and at the time of his visit to Australia, Drage was representing the Far East Security Service FESS an offshoot of the Far East Combined Bureau FECB which at that time came under the control of the Foreign Office in London.

Commander Long handed Drage over to Intelligence Officer Walter Hugh Brooksbank (B.1). They visited Darwin in the Northern Territory and Thursday Island at the top of Queensland and flew to Port Moresby, Rabaul and Salamaua. Drage was hoping that he would pick up news of activities in the Mandates whilst in Rabaul and hoped that the pearlers at Thursday Island may have heard information from Japanese fisherman from Palau. Drage also apparently picked up some valuable information from a surprising source in Darwin. Brooksbank wrote that they "added materially to the few indications then available as to Japanese intentions."

Whilst in Australia, Charles Drage was sworn in as a Peace Officer on 21 July 1941. During WWII, making someone a Peace Officer was simply a convenient way of placing sensitive officers within the umbrella of the Attorney-General’s department.

The Operations Record Book for Northern Area Headquarters RAAF in Townsville shows the following entry:-

Whilst in Australia Charles Drage also visited the Windeyer family in Sydney. Guy Windeyer had been one of his former shipmates.

Drage visited New Zealand in late July 1941 to visit the new SO(I) in Wellington, Lieutenant Commander Frank Mountifort Beasley, RN.

In October 1941 Commander Long and his Deputy travelled to Singapore for a special meeting with Commander V. E. Kennedy, the Australian Navy liaison officer in Batavia, some people from the Oriental Mission, MI5, MEW, representatives of the Dalai Lama, Chang Kai-Shek and Commander Drage of FESS.

Commander Charles Drage finally left the Far East in 1943 and returned to the UK.

"Routine Orders Part 2 - South East Asia Communications Unit Australian Military Forces Component" NAA Item Barcode 30268882

"Correspondence [Most Secret] - re Colonel Wilkinson and Major General Dewing [Communication with General MCCARTHUR (sic)" NAA Item Barcode 5474087

"Operation Plum - The Ill-fated 27th Bombardment Group and the Fight for the Western Pacific" by Adrian R. Martin and Larry W. Stephenson

"Britain's Secret Intelligence Service in Asia during the Second World War" by Richard J. Aldrich

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