Colin Figures
Sir Colin Frederick Figures KCMG OBE (1 July 1925 – 8 December 2006) was Head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (known as MI6) from 1981 to 1985. He was deputy secretary and Intelligence Co-ordinator of the Cabinet Office from 1985 to 1989.
Colin Figures KCMG OBE | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 July 1925 Birmingham, United Kingdom |
| Died | 8 December 2006 (aged 81) Esher, United Kingdom |
| Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | British intelligence officer |
| Spouse(s) | Pamela Ann Timmis |
| Children | a son and two daughters |
| Parent(s) | Frederick and Muriel Figures |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| Espionage activity | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom  |
| Service branch | Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/MI6) |
| Service years | 1951 – 1985 |
| Rank | Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service |
| Operations | Suez Crisis Prague Spring Falklands War |
Career
Figures was born in Birmingham, the son of Frederick Figures, an insurance executive, and his wife Muriel.[1] He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham[2] and served in The Worcestershire Regiment from 1945 until 1948,[2] during which time he studied Russian via the Inter-Service Language Course at Cambridge, and served in Romania and Hungary.[2] He read French and Russian at Pembroke College, Cambridge after being demobilised in 1948.[2] While there, he also founded the Woodpeckers, a combined Oxford and Cambridge touring rugby team.[1] He joined the SIS when he graduated in 1951.[2]
After a period in London, he served in Germany, served in Amman during the Suez Crisis, in Warsaw, and in Vienna during the Prague Spring, before returning to London.[2] He moved from Eastern bloc espionage in 1973 to supervise SIS activities in Northern Ireland.[2] He became deputy head of SIS in 1979 and its ninth Chief in 1981.[2] The following year, SIS was involved in the Falklands War, seeking to prevent Argentina obtaining stocks of Exocet missiles to be carried by their Super Etendard attack aircraft.[3] He received an OBE in 1969 and CMG in 1978, and advanced to KCMG in 1983.[2]
He retired from SIS in 1985, and became Intelligence Co-ordinator at the Cabinet Office.[2] He finally retired in 1989.[2]
He married Pamela Ann Timmis in 1956.[1] He suffered from Parkinson's disease in later life, and died in Esher.[1] He was survived by his wife, and their son and two daughters.[1]
References
- Obituary: Sir Colin Figures The Independent, 29 December 2006
- Obituary: Sir Colin Figures The Times, 15 December 2006
- Obituary: Sir Colin Figures Daily Telegraph, 21 December 2006
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Dick Franks |
Chief of the SIS 1982–1985 |
Succeeded by Sir Christopher Curwen |