Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE SHADOWS
The extraordinary men and women of the Intelligence Corps
By Michael Ashcroft
ISBN 978 1 78590 668 8
BITEBACK PUBLISHING
bitebackpublishing.com
KNOWLEDGE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE ARM
An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”, and Mediator
I was delighted to read this book about the Intelligence Corps written by Michael Ashcroft because I served in the Corps in different roles in the 1970s and 1980s. The Corps is described as “one of the smallest and most secretive elements of the British Army. It has existed in various guises since the early twentieth century, but it was only formally constituted in July 1940”. I hope this book explains away some of the myths surrounding intelligence work without giving too much away.
In this book, Lord Ashcroft tells the astonishing stories of some of its most courageous and ingenious figures, who have operated all over the world from the First World War to the present day. It was nice to see so many names mentioned from the past. And to add a small element of drama to the occasion, Ashcroft entitles the book “In the Shadows” with the subtitle “The extraordinary men and women of the Intelligence Corps” so make sure you don’t trip over your cloak when you are reading it!
Whether carrying out surveillance work on the street, monitoring and analysing communications, working on overseas stakeouts, receiving classified information from a well-placed contact, or interrogating the enemy in the heat of war, a hugely diverse range of people have served in the Corps, often supplementing their individual professional skills with original thinking and leadership in the name of the Crown.
This book pays tribute to all “the intelligencers” and shows why, in the words of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, ‘No war can be conducted successfully without early and good intelligence.’ Eminently sensible advice which captures the reality that intelligence work has been with us since the year dot. In different guises, of course, until the Corp was formally established in 1940. Thank you, Lord Ashcroft for writing this book with only a few years to go before we celebrate our centenary in 2040.
The new hardback edition was published by Biteback on 20th December 2022.
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE SHADOWS
The extraordinary men and women of the Intelligence Corps
By Michael Ashcroft
ISBN 978 1 78590 668 8
BITEBACK PUBLISHING
bitebackpublishing.com
KNOWLEDGE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE ARM
An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”, and Mediator
I was delighted to read this book about the Intelligence Corps written by Michael Ashcroft because I served in the Corps in different roles in the 1970s and 1980s. The Corps is described as “one of the smallest and most secretive elements of the British Army. It has existed in various guises since the early twentieth century, but it was only formally constituted in July 1940”. I hope this book explains away some of the myths surrounding intelligence work without giving too much away.
In this book, Lord Ashcroft tells the astonishing stories of some of its most courageous and ingenious figures, who have operated all over the world from the First World War to the present day. It was nice to see so many names mentioned from the past. And to add a small element of drama to the occasion, Ashcroft entitles the book “In the Shadows” with the subtitle “The extraordinary men and women of the Intelligence Corps” so make sure you don’t trip over your cloak when you are reading it!
Whether carrying out surveillance work on the street, monitoring and analysing communications, working on overseas stakeouts, receiving classified information from a well-placed contact, or interrogating the enemy in the heat of war, a hugely diverse range of people have served in the Corps, often supplementing their individual professional skills with original thinking and leadership in the name of the Crown.
This book pays tribute to all “the intelligencers” and shows why, in the words of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, ‘No war can be conducted successfully without early and good intelligence.’ Eminently sensible advice which captures the reality that intelligence work has been with us since the year dot. In different guises, of course, until the Corp was formally established in 1940. Thank you, Lord Ashcroft for writing this book with only a few years to go before we celebrate our centenary in 2040.
The new hardback edition was published by Biteback on 20th December 2022.
