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Antony Duff
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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.
Key Information
Early life and naval service
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Duff, Sir (Arthur) Antony (1920–2000), diplomatist and intelligence officer". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/74488. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 15 April 2021. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ Lt. Arthur Anthony Duff DSO, DSC, uboat.net
- ^ "No. 35357". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 November 1941. p. 6772.
- ^ "No. =36295". The London Gazette. 17 December 1943. p. 5545.
- ^ "No. 43296". The London Gazette. 14 April 1964. p. 3199.
- ^ "Duff, Rt Hon. Sir (Arthur) Antony, (25 Feb. 1920–13 Aug. 2000), PC 1980; Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Office, 1980–84; Director General, Security Service, 1985–87, retired". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u178117. ISBN 978-0-19-954089-1. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- ^ "British Diplomats Directory: Part 1 of 4". 18 March 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
- ^ Southern Rhodesia Constitution (Interim Provisions) Order 1979, Hansard, 14 December 1979
- ^ "No. =48212". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1980. p. 1.
- ^ Sir Antony Duff, The Daily Telegraph, 21 August 2000
- ^ "Sir Antony Duff | MI5 - The Security Service". mi5.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- ^ Obituary: Sir Antony Duff, The Guardian, 18 August 2000
- ^ "No. 43343". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 June 1964. p. 4941.
- ^ "No. 45984". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 May 1973. p. 6475.
- ^ "No. 48041". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1979. p. 2.
- ^ "No. 45667". The London Gazette. 9 May 1972. p. 5535.
Further reading
[edit]- Andrew, Christopher (2010). Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. London: Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-102330-4.
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