Antony Duff
British diplomat and Director General of MI5 (1920–2000)
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Sir Arthur Antony Duff GCMG CVO DSO DSC PC (25 February 1920 – 13 August 2000) was a senior British diplomat and Director General of MI5.
25 February 1920
- Intelligence officer
- diplomat
Antony Duff | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | Arthur Antony Duff 25 February 1920 Moreton, Dorset, England |
| Died | 13 August 2000 (aged 80) Yeovil, Somerset, England |
| Education | Britannia Royal Naval College |
| Occupations |
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| Spouse |
Pauline Sword (m. 1944) |
| Awards | |
| Espionage activity | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service branch | MI5 |
| Service years | 1985–1988 |
| Rank | Director General of MI5 |
| Military career | |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Commands | |
Early life and naval service
Duff was born on 25 February 1920, to Admiral Sir Arthur Allen Morison Duff KCB and Margaret Grace Dawson, at Var Trees House, Moreton, Dorset.[1] Educated at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Duff started his career in the Royal Navy where he was a submarine commander during the Second World War; he briefly commanded HMS Otway and HMS L23 in 1942 before commanding HMS Stubborn from December 1942 to July 1944.[2] He was mentioned in despatches in 1941,[3] awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1943.[4]
Diplomatic career
After the war Duff joined the Diplomatic Service in January 1946.[1] He was Counsellor and Head of the Chancery of the United Kingdom Embassy in West Germany from 1962 to 1964, the British Ambassador to Nepal from 1964 to 1965;[5] the Head of the South Asia Department of the Foreign Office from 1965 to 1969; the Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia from 1969 to 1972; and the British High Commissioner to Kenya from 1972 to 1975.[6][7]
Duff was the Deputy Under Secretary for Middle East and Africa from 1975 to 1977; and the Deputy Under Secretary for Defence and Intelligence from 1977 to 1990, including serving concurrently as the Senior Deputy Under Secretary from 1976 to 1979.[1] Having led the British official delegation to the Lancaster House talks, he became Deputy Governor of Southern Rhodesia under Lord Soames from 1979 to 1980.[8]
Cabinet Office and MI5
Duff was sworn of the Privy Council in the 1980 Birthday Honours,[9] the first diplomat to be so honoured since Sir Alexander Cadogan in 1940. Duff was Deputy Secretary (Intelligence and Security Co-ordinator) at the Cabinet Office with responsibility for security matters from 1980 to 1984. He was then Director General of the Security Service (MI5) from 1985 to 1988.[10][11]
Later life
After his retirement in January 1988, Duff worked as a volunteer in a centre for the homeless and was a board member of Homeless Network in London.[12]
Personal life and death
In 1944, Duff married Pauline Sword (née Bevan), a widow who had a child from her first marriage.[1] The couple would go on to have three children together.[1]
Duff died from bronchopneumonia at Yeovil District Hospital on 13 August 2000.[1]
Honours
Duff was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1964 Birthday Honours,[13] promoted to Knight Commander of the Order (KCMG) in the 1973 Birthday Honours.[14] and to Knight Grand Cross of the Order (GCMG) in the 1980 New Year Honours.[15]
He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1972.[16]