George Blake: Soviet Cold War spy and former MI6 officer dies in Russia

Discussion in 'The Lounge Bar' started by CL1, Dec 26, 2020.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

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  2. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Interesting "analysis" by George Corera BBC Security Correspondent, more a series of half baked comments actually.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2020
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  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    They should have shot him.
     
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  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Yes indeed traitor is as traitor does
    The meek shall destroy the earth
     
  5. Markyboy

    Markyboy Member

    Confession time..... I’d never heard of George Blake. Plenty of excuses like the fact I’m 38, Cold War was never covered at school (other than a special assembly at primary school when the Berlin Wall came down when I was 7) and I’ve had no interest in the topic until now. I have to say I’ve found his various obits really interesting reading today!
     
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  6. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    Oh dear, how sad , never mind
     
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  7. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    I read that he admitted to identifying/betraying over 400 British agents, over 40 of which were tortured and killed by the KGB.

    The man should have had his neck stretched.
     
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  8. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96


    I wonder what made him what he was eventually ? Was is money? frustration? or else?

    Stefan.
     
  9. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    This may provide an answer to why this traitor changed his mind: George Blake obituary

    Here are two passages:
     
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  10. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    There had been a whole raft of misplaced idealism among the Cambridge "intelligentsia" from the 1930's onward, even after the Soviet show trials and the exposure of the forced starvation of the Ukrainian Kulaks.

    Cambridge Five - Wikipedia
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2020
  11. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    An eye for an eye for every single one of the traitors
    No goodwill to any of them

    Happy New Year
     
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  12. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    BBC Radio 4 - Drama, Breaking Blake

    BBC audio drama - Radio 4 - 215pm 19d1m2021 - and BBC Sounds - post broadcast.

    "Breaking Blake
    Drama
    George Blake, a member of MI6, passed secrets to the Russians and was sentenced to an unprecedented term of 42 years imprisonment. But after only four years, he was sprung from Wormwood Scrubs. Many assumed the KGB was behind the daring break-out.
    The truth is much stranger.
    Barnaby Kay revisits this incredible story.
    Cast:
    George Blake................................Michael Maloney
    Michael Randle.............................Elliot Levey
    Anne Randle..................................Claire Rushbrook
    Pat Pottle.......................................Tony Gardner
    Sean Bourke..................................Lloyd Hutchinson
    Alim/Doctor....................................Walles Hamonde
    Hawkins/Nice Barry........................Ben Crowe
    Boys...............................................Kellan & Merryn Dowley
    News reports.................................David Holt
    Secretary/Mum..............................Freya James
    Director ........................................Barnaby Kay
    Sound Recordist and Designer ......David Thomas
    Production Coordinator ................Sarah Tombling
    Producer........................................Karen Rose
    A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4
    "
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2021
  13. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    BBC Radio 4 - Archive on 4, George Blake: The Confession

    BBC Radio 4 - 9pm - Friday 5th February - and BBC Sounds after broadcast.

    "George Blake: The Confession

    Archive on 4

    A remarkable interview with the notorious double agent, who recently passed away. George Blake became a senior MI6 officer - even though he had converted to the Communist cause while held as a prisoner in North Korea. He photographed vast numbers of classified documents, and by his own estimates betrayed around 500 agents working for the Western powers. In the late 1980s, the journalist Tom Bower secured the first interview with Blake, in which he freely confessed to betraying his colleagues and described in detail his sensational escape from Wormwood Scrubs Prison in London, and his journey to exile in Moscow.
    This radio version was first broadcast in 2009."
     

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