DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE SECURITY SERVICE• 155father. The other DNIs have been Bridge (1887–94), Beaumont
(1894 –99), Custance (1899–1902), Battenberg (1902–05), Ottley
(1905–07), King-Hall (1907), Slade (1907–09), Bethell (1909–12),
Jackson (1912–13), Oliver (1913–14), Hall (1914 –18),H. Sinclair
(1919–21), Fitzmaurice (1921–24), Hotham (1924 –27), Domvile
(1927–30), Usborne (1930–32), Dickens (1932–35), Scott (1935),
Troup (1935–39), Godfrey (1939–43), Rushbrooke (1943–46),
Parry (1946 –48), Longley-Cook (1948–51), Buzzard (1951–54), In-
glis (1954 –59), andDenning(1959–64).DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE. Headed by Sir Basil
Thomson, the Directorate of Intelligence at Scotland Yard existed
between April 1919 and October 1921 and was responsible for a ci-
vilian staff researching the activities of revolutionary movements in
Britain, andSpecial Branch, then headed by James McBrien. Thom-
son’s intention had been to create a combined military, naval, and
civil intelligence organization, but his plans received considerable
opposition. Nevertheless he received reports from theSecret Intelli-
gence Serviceand deployed agents overseas. One traveled between
New York, Paris, and Amsterdam to report on revolutionaries, and
another visited Hungary. The organization was absorbed into Special
Branch in 1919. The civilian staff was transferred toMI5in 1931
following a crisis of confidence in Special Branch when MI5 learned
that several detectives were in the pay of the Soviets.
DIRECTORATE OF SPECIAL INTELLIGENCE.In April 1915
the War Office created a Directorate of Special Intelligence under the
leadership of BrigadierSir George Cockerill, who supervised MO6
and CaptainVernon Kell’s counterespionage service,MO5, which
was strengthened in November 1915 by absorbing the military port
control officers. In December 1915 a Military Intelligence Director-
ate was established, and the MO designated was changed to MI, MO5
becomingMI5.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE SECURITY SERVICE (DGSS).
The post of director-general has existed since the creation of the
Home Section of the Secret Service Bureau in 1909 and is directly
accountable to the secretary of state for home affairs, with access