Finding Thoroton by Philip Vickers

Finding Thoroton the Royal Marine who ran British Naval Intelligence in the Western Mediterranean in World  War One by Philip Vickers

Finding Thoroton is the biography of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Julian Thoroton (generally known as Charles the Bold) who was selected to organise and run British Naval Intelligence in the Western Mediterranean throuhgout World War I.

Arriving in Gibraltar in 1913, this thirty-eight year old Royal Marine was to create a 40,000 strong spy network which formed a major part of Winston Churchill's "brilliant confederacy, whose names even now are best wrapt in mystery" (The World Crisis). The Network continued into World War II.

This book, which the author has researched in enourmous detail, reveals for the first time details of intelligence gathering in the Mediterranean which lead to the defeat of the German submarine menace; and counter the measures undertaken against sabotage, contraband and gun-running; as well as German subversive activities in Spain and Morocco. It is also the amazing story of a Royal Marine spymaster in World War I covering an area little known about or recorderd in  the archives of RM history.

Royal Marines Historical Society Pecial Publication No. 40.