Antony Duff

The Right Honourable Sir Antony Duff
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service	MI5
Active	1985–1988
Rank	Director-General of MI5
Award(s)	Privy Councillor Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Service Cross Mentioned in Despatches
Born	25 February 1920
Died	13 August 2000 (aged 80)
Nationality	British
Spouse	Pauline Sword
Occupation	Intelligence officer, Civil servant

Sir Arthur Antony Duff GCMG, CVO, DSO, DSC (25 February 1920 – 13 August 2000) was Director General (DG) of MI5, the United Kingdom's internal security service, from 1985 to 1988.

Career

Educated at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Duff started his career in the Royal Navy where he was a submarine commander during World War II: he briefly commanded HMS Otway and HMS L23 in 1942 before commanding HMS Stubborn from December 1942 to July 1944.^[1]

After the war Duff joined the Diplomatic Service in 1946 and served in several postings including British Ambassador to Nepal 1964–65 and High Commissioner to Kenya 1972–75. Having led the British official delegation to the Lancaster House talks, he became Deputy Governor of Southern Rhodesia (under Lord Soames as Governor) in 1979–80, after which appointment he was sworn of the Privy Council, the first diplomat to be so honoured since Sir Alexander Cadogan in 1940.

Duff was Deputy Secretary at the Cabinet Office with responsibility for security matters in 1980–84, and then Director General of the Security Service (MI5) from 1985 to 1988.

After his retirement Duff worked as a volunteer in a centre for the homeless and was a board member of Homeless Network in London.^[2]

References

1. Lt. Arthur Anthony Duff DSO, DSC, uboat.net
2. Obituary: Sir Antony Duff, The Guardian, 18 August 2000

• Andrew, Christopher (2010). Defence of the Realm: The Authorised History of MI5. London: Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-102330-4.