David Spedding was the son of a Border Regiment lieutenant colonel,[1][2] and grew up comfortably middle class.[3] He was initially educated at Sherborne School and then read history at Hertford College, Oxford.[4]
Careeredit
David Spedding joined the Secret Intelligence Service in 1967,[4] while a postgraduate student at Oxford.[2] He then attended the Middle East Center for Arabic Studies in Beirut, becoming a specialist on Middle East affairs.[4] He also served in Santiago and Abu Dhabi.[5]
In 1971 Spedding was named as the local SIS station commander in Lebanon, and was later posted to Abu Dhabi in 1977.[2] Following his Middle East Directorate appointment in 1983, he was made the Amman Jordan station head,[2] and was subsequently commended in that position for uncovering an Abu Nidal plan to assassinate the Queen during an upcoming Jordan visit.[6] For this he was made Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.[6]
In 1993, Spedding became Director of Requirements and Operations. In 1994 he became Chief of the Service,[4] becoming the first chief to have never served in the armed forces, and the youngest to have held the position to that date.[7] During Spedding's tenure the SIS faced some degree of negative publicity due to unauthorized disclosures in the wake of Richard Tomlinson's dismissal.[8]
Sir David Spedding died of lung cancer on 13 June 2001, aged 58.[4]
Referencesedit
^Woo, Elaine (16 June 2001). "Sir David Spedding; Ex-Chief of British Spy Agency". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
^ abcdNigel West (18 February 2014). Historical Dictionary of British Intelligence. Scarecrow Press. pp. 563–. ISBN978-0-8108-7897-6.
^Woo, Elaine (16 June 2001). "Sir David Spedding; Ex-Chief of British Spy Agency". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 November 2020. The son of a lieutenant colonel in the British Border Regiment, Spedding grew up in comfortably middle class surroundings. He went to Sherborne, a public school in Dorset remarkable for the fact that le Carre, the spy-thriller master, and Christopher Curwen, another future MI6 chief, also went there. At Oxford, Spedding listed as his chief interests walking, medieval history and golf. But he was a run-of-the-mill duffer, with a handicap, Adams noted, of 20.
^ abcdeObituary: Sir David Spedding Guardian, 14 June 2001
^Obituary: Sir David Spedding Daily Telegraph, 14 June 2001
^ abGordon Thomas (16 February 2010). Secret Wars: One Hundred Years of British Intelligence Inside MI5 and MI6. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN978-1-4299-4576-9.
^Nigel West (2 September 2009). The A to Z of British Intelligence. Scarecrow Press. pp. 514–. ISBN978-0-8108-7028-4.
^Nigel West (30 June 2016). At Her Majestys Secret Service: The Chiefs of Britains Intelligence Service, MI6. Pen & Sword Books. pp. 142–. ISBN978-1-84832-895-2.
david, spedding, david, rolland, spedding, kcmg, march, 1943, june, 2001, head, british, secret, intelligence, service, from, 1994, 1999, sirkcmg, obeborn7, march, 1943died13, june, 2001, 2001, aged, nationalitybritishalma, materhertford, college, oxfordoccupa. Sir David Rolland Spedding KCMG CVO OBE 7 March 1943 13 June 2001 was Head of the British Secret Intelligence Service MI6 from 1994 to 1999 SirDavid SpeddingKCMG CVO OBEBorn7 March 1943Died13 June 2001 2001 06 13 aged 58 NationalityBritishAlma materHertford College OxfordOccupationIntelligence officerSpouseGillian KinnearChildrenTwo sonsAwardsKCMG CVO OBEEspionage activityService branchSecret Intelligence ServiceService years1967 1999RankChief of the Secret Intelligence Service Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 References 4 External linksEarly life editDavid Spedding was the son of a Border Regiment lieutenant colonel 1 2 and grew up comfortably middle class 3 He was initially educated at Sherborne School and then read history at Hertford College Oxford 4 Career editDavid Spedding joined the Secret Intelligence Service in 1967 4 while a postgraduate student at Oxford 2 He then attended the Middle East Center for Arabic Studies in Beirut becoming a specialist on Middle East affairs 4 He also served in Santiago and Abu Dhabi 5 In 1971 Spedding was named as the local SIS station commander in Lebanon and was later posted to Abu Dhabi in 1977 2 Following his Middle East Directorate appointment in 1983 he was made the Amman Jordan station head 2 and was subsequently commended in that position for uncovering an Abu Nidal plan to assassinate the Queen during an upcoming Jordan visit 6 For this he was made Commander of the Royal Victorian Order 6 In 1993 Spedding became Director of Requirements and Operations In 1994 he became Chief of the Service 4 becoming the first chief to have never served in the armed forces and the youngest to have held the position to that date 7 During Spedding s tenure the SIS faced some degree of negative publicity due to unauthorized disclosures in the wake of Richard Tomlinson s dismissal 8 Sir David Spedding died of lung cancer on 13 June 2001 aged 58 4 References edit Woo Elaine 16 June 2001 Sir David Spedding Ex Chief of British Spy Agency Los Angeles Times Retrieved 2 November 2020 a b c d Nigel West 18 February 2014 Historical Dictionary of British Intelligence Scarecrow Press pp 563 ISBN 978 0 8108 7897 6 Woo Elaine 16 June 2001 Sir David Spedding Ex Chief of British Spy Agency Los Angeles Times Retrieved 2 November 2020 The son of a lieutenant colonel in the British Border Regiment Spedding grew up in comfortably middle class surroundings He went to Sherborne a public school in Dorset remarkable for the fact that le Carre the spy thriller master and Christopher Curwen another future MI6 chief also went there At Oxford Spedding listed as his chief interests walking medieval history and golf But he was a run of the mill duffer with a handicap Adams noted of 20 a b c d e Obituary Sir David Spedding Guardian 14 June 2001 Obituary Sir David Spedding Daily Telegraph 14 June 2001 a b Gordon Thomas 16 February 2010 Secret Wars One Hundred Years of British Intelligence Inside MI5 and MI6 St Martin s Publishing Group ISBN 978 1 4299 4576 9 Nigel West 2 September 2009 The A to Z of British Intelligence Scarecrow Press pp 514 ISBN 978 0 8108 7028 4 Nigel West 30 June 2016 At Her Majestys Secret Service The Chiefs of Britains Intelligence Service MI6 Pen amp Sword Books pp 142 ISBN 978 1 84832 895 2 External links editPhotographGovernment officesPreceded bySir Colin McColl Chief of the SIS1994 1999 Succeeded bySir Richard Dearlove nbsp This article about a person involved in governance in the United Kingdom or its predecessor states is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Spedding amp oldid 1181613412, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
