Gervase Cowell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gervase Cowell MBE (4 August 1926 – 2 May 2000) was half of a British husband-and-wife intelligence team who handled Colonel Oleg Penkovsky, a Soviet GRU military intelligence officer who provided the West with invaluable military secrets.[1][2][3][4][5]
Gervase Cowell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 August 1926 |
| Died | 2 May 2000 (aged 73) |
| Education | St Bede's College, Manchester |
| Alma mater | St Catharine's College, Cambridge |
| Occupations | Intelligence agent, diplomat and Historian |
| Spouse | Pamela Alger |
| Children | Two sons and a daughter |
Gervase and Pamela Cowell replaced another couple, Charles and Janet Chisholm, after Janet became pregnant and was recalled to London in June 1962.[1] After Penkovsky was arrested on 22 October 1962, tried and later executed, the Cowells were expelled from the Soviet Union.[1]
After retirement he became chairman of the historical sub-committee of the Special Forces Club, for which work he was made an MBE in the new year's honours list.[6]
Bibliography
Cowell, G., Special Forces Club., & Great Britain. (1993). Ravensbrück: The women of S.O.E.F Section. London: Special Forces Club.[7]
