Portland Spy Ring Part 1 (138)

Cold War Conversations

In this episode we talk with Trevor Barnes, the author of “Dead Doubles, a new book on the Portland Spy Ring, one of the most infamous espionage cases of the Cold War.

In 1960 it was discovered that crucial secrets from the world-leading submarine research base at Portland in Dorset were being stolen by a British man and his mistress. The couple were tailed by MI5 'watchers' to a covert meeting with a Canadian businessman, Gordon Lonsdale. The unsuspecting Lonsdale in turn led MI5's spycatchers to an innocent-looking couple in suburban Ruislip called the Krogers…

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I am delighted to welcome Trevor Barnes to our Cold War conversation…

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0:00 Introduction and Background of Trevor Barnes

1:03 Overview of the Portland Spy Ring and Trevor Barnes' book "Dead Doubles"

9:14 Investigation and Surveillance of the Krogers and Portland Spy Ring

13:32 Missed Opportunities and Gender Bias in the 1950s

25:24 Introduction to Rafter Technology Used for Surveillance

32:54 MI5's Surveillance Strategy and Role of Women

35:30 Moral Dilemmas Faced by MI5 During the Investigation

37:22 Investigation into the Search Family

43:04 Trevor Barnes' Approach to Historical Accuracy in His Book

46:44 Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments

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