In Greville Wynne's 1981 book The Man from Odessa, Wynne claims that Penkovsky committed suicide in a Soviet labor camp. , updated "He did make a life for himself, but Greville Wynne did pay a big price for his service. West maintains that its the result of something all too typical in the intelligence communitywhat he calls post-usefulness syndrome., Imagine that I recruit you and I tell you that whatever you report to me, within an hour, it will be on the presidents desk. However, shortly after Grevilles return to Britain, Sheila divorced him. As the film alludes, life never returned to normal for Wynne, who battled depression and the psychological after-effects of his incarceration. Here's what to know about Wynne's real history. In the movie, the title refers to Oleg Penkovsky's codename. But the chummy interactions between the agents and Penkovskys prolific, even reckless, acquisition of materials grew increasingly perilousand finally caught the KGBs attention. Wynne returned to his life as a businessman. He and his wife Sheila divorced not long after his release. He was detained at Lubyanka prison. His second wife, whom he married in 1970, was Herma van Buren, his constant companion, secretary and interpreter who spoke eight languages. Something went wrong, please try again later. March 1, 1990. Cumberbatch, whose mother is actress Wanda Ventham, is best known for playing Sherlock in the BBC drama and Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. In these books, Wynne claimed to have been recruited by MI5 as early as the Second World War, long before his work with Penkovsky. She had worked as his secretary and interpreter, as she spoke eight different languages. This Cold War story centers around the spying in the 1960s and, in particular, tensions between Britain/America and Soviet Union. The BBC produced a TV movie based on them. [4] Wynne married Sheila Beaton in 1946; the couple had a son, Andrew, born in 1952. [3] Rachel Brosnahan, Jessie Buckley, and Angus Wright also star. After the initial meeting in December 1960, Penkovsky provided Wynne with film of Soviet military documents and later promised more information if an arrangement with British or American intelligence could be made. Thus began their fruitful relationship, one that involved Wynne hosting Penkovsky in London, who was visiting under the pretense of cultivate new opportunities in the West. Share or comment on this article: The Wynne-Penkovsky coalition kickstarted one of the most covert operations in Cold War history. He and his wife Sheila divorced, and Wynne became estranged from his son and only child, Andrew. The man sitting across the table from him revealed he worked for MI6 and that 41-year-old Wynnes frequent trips to Eastern Europe selling British electrical engineering parts to industrial companies would be the perfect cover for a job the secret service needed doing. -The New York Times. Of course, they had no idea how much the other would reveal. Wynne died of throat cancer in 1990 at a London hospital. This intelligence gave both the United Kingdom and the United States the knowledge necessary to manage the quickly evolving military friction with the Soviet Union. It required plenty of foreign travel, including to Soviet bloc countries. See our car trackers, asset trackers, GPS trackers and people trackers. He gave me lots of good advice. [6] Wynne later became an intermediary and courier for Penkovsky, smuggling top-secret Soviet intelligence to London on return from his frequent trips to the USSR. Wynne died of throat cancer in Londons Cromwell Hospital on Wednesday, the British domestic news agency Press Association reported. He divorced his first wife Sheila after his return before entering a second failed marriage. In the movie, he only seeks assurances that he will be able to defect with his family. After months of negotiations, the British government was eventually able to arrange a trade of Wynne for the Soviet spy Gordon Lonsdale, whod been arrested the year before and was serving a 25-year sentence in England. Struggling with deteriorating health, he was released in 1964 in exchange for the Soviet spy Konon Molody. [8][9] Wynne was sentenced to eight years in prison. Spy Greville Wynne with his son Andrew and wife Sheila outside of their London home after being released from the Soviet prison in April 1964. The Courier premiered at Sundance in January 2020 under its original title,Ironbark. The film is out now. Well, his journey as a spy began in November of 1960, at the age 41. Konon Molody features in the story of The Ruislip Home That Contained A Soviet Spy Ring, which reveals how he ended up in a British prison. Starring Benedict Cumberbach as Greville Wynne and Merab Ninidze as Oleg Penkovsky, the film explores the Cold War spy story in its entirety and focuses a lot on the relationship held between British spy Wynne and Soviet militant Penkovsky. Strange sequel. Discover our wide range of tracking devices. They had to go through a show trial, basically, so on the stand Wynne accused MI6 of using him as a dupehe may have just been saying whatever he could say because he worried they might execute him, says Jeremy Duns, an author of several spy novels set during the Cold War as well as the history book Codename: Hero: The True Story of Oleg Penkovsky and the Cold Wars Most Dangerous Operation. "He started as a nave amateur. See FameChain's massive Trump family tree. The Ruislip Home That Contained A Soviet Spy Ring, Spy Histories: North Vietnams Defence Against America. From online or printed sources and from publicly accessible databases. He attended the University of Nottingham, studying Electrical Engineering, and after graduating went on to become an engineer. To top it off, it would have been physically impossible at the time. Find family history information in a whole new way He loves his mum too. Penkovsky's career in the Soviet military had been hindered by the fact that his father had died fighting as an officer for the White Army against the Bolsheviks (Red Army) during the Russian Civil War (1917 1923) and Penkovsky didn't denounce this legacy. Welcome to another edition of spy histories. In 1950, engineer Greville Wynne set up his own business as an exporter of industrial engineering products. We hope you have enjoyed our insight into the story of British spy Greville Wynne and that you have learned about this Cold War story. Greville Wynne was born on March 19 1919. No question. Learn more. Cumberbatch also gives an update on the Dr. This marriage didnt last either and the couple separated several years before Greville Wynnes death in 1990. Her Other Children Greville Wynne Bio Details Full name Greville Maynard Wynne Gender Male Age 70 Date of birth Wednesday 19 Mar 1919 Birth place Wrockwardine Wood, Shropshire, Wales, UK Date of death: 28 Feb 1990 Place of death Cromwell Hospital, South Kensington, London, England, UK Cause of death In the movie, they arrest Penkovsky shortly after discovering he was a double agent. In November 1960, Greville Wynne, a 41-year-old British businessman, sat down for a lunch that would change his life. It is believed to be correct at the time of inputting and is presented here in good faith. See our devices & software. Bert Wynne{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Bert Wynne", "gender": "Male" }, Ada Wynne{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Ada Wynne", "gender": "Female" }, Gordon Beaton{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Gordon Beaton", "gender": "Male" }, Elsie Beaton{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Elsie Beaton", "gender": "Female" }, married about 31 Jul 1970divorce circa 1986, Nada Wynne{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Nada Wynne", "gender": "Female" }, Andrew Wynne{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Wynne", "gender": "Male" }, Cromwell Hospital, South Kensington, London, England, UK, Nottingham University, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom, View Greville Wynne's Family Tree and History, Ancestry and Genealogy, Greville Wynne's father was Bert Wynne Greville Wynne's mother was Ada Wynne, Greville Wynne's former wife is Herma van Buren Greville Wynne's former wife was Sheila Wynne, Greville Wynne's former father in law was Gordon Beaton Greville Wynne's former mother in law was Elsie Beaton, View Sheila Wynne's Family Tree and History, Ancestry and Genealogy, Sheila Wynne's father was Gordon Beaton Sheila Wynne's mother was Elsie Beaton, Sheila Wynne's former husband was Greville Wynne, Sheila Wynne's former father in law was Bert Wynne Sheila Wynne's former mother in law was Ada Wynne Sheila Wynne's former sister in law is Nada Wynne. His dining companion, Dickie Franks, revealed himself to be an officer of the British Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, and asked Wynne for his help. Liam Daniel, Courtesy of Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. He was released in a swap at a checkpoint in Berlin in April, 1964, in exchange for Soviet spy Konon Molody, known in Britain as Gordon Lonsdale. Data security and recovery solutions. The MI6 specialist experienced post-arrest sadness and torment. He and his wife Sheila divorced not long after his release. That was what they were working on and they were closely watching anyone I associated with.. However, in real life, IRONBARK was the codename for the documents that Soviet double agent Oleg Penkovsky had been passing to the CIA. British - Born 70 years ago (April 1952) Mr Andrew Greville Wynne 4 Londesborough Place Lymington SO41 8QB. His dining . Our complete range of spy cameras. British spy Greville Wynne owned house in Chelsea during the 1960s He and Soviet double agent Oleg Penkovsky asked MI6 and KGB for a bar Given 500 each but spent most the money on alcohol. The KGB waited to arrest Penkovsky so that they could build up a case against him that didn't expose their moles who had provided information about him. Never before had there been a Soviet spy like him.. Wynne dutifully passed the images to his contacts with British intelligence, who established their legitimacy. "He did make a life for himself, but Greville Wynne did pay a big price for his service. Copyright FameChain 2023, All rights reserved. In 2021 in the UK, Greville Wynne and Oleg Penkovskys story was brought to the big screen, as the film The Courier was released. In the article, well explore exactly who Greville Wynne was, his spy activity and how his story sparked such wide intrigue. Wynne, despite claiming ignorance of what materials he was smuggling to the West, was sentenced to eight years in prison. "Most experts agreethat what Penkovsky provided on the Soviet's capabilities was extremely useful during the Cuban Missile crisis," saysRobert English, director of Central European Studies at the University of Southern California. Like in The Courier movie, a fact-check confirms that KGB surveillance resulted in Greville Wynne and Oleg Penkovsky both being arrested in October 1962, the same month the Cuban Missile Crisis was unfolding. But as he began researching Wynnes story, he learned that this ordinary man could also tell some extraordinary lies. 'The Courier' is currently lived by his son, Andrew, as he died in 1990 at the age of 70. In The Courier movie, Wynne's wife Sheila (Jessie Buckley) becomes suspicious of his trips to the Soviet Union, suspecting that he is having an affair. They had one child. The 12-year-old bears an uncanny resemblance to Benedict Cumberbatch, which caught the eye of the casting director on the Hollywood stars latest film. Penkovsky had made earlier offers to spy for the West. No question.. Single use in context. Greville Wynne showed concern about Penkovskys slightly outlandish notions, but nonetheless went along with it. "In a way, it's a love letter to Penkovsky,"Cumberbatch says. However, Wynne and his wife Sheila split up, after Sheila became suspicious of his frequent trips to Eastern Europe and the Soviet State, thinking that he was having an affair. In researching The Courier true story, we discovered that in exchange for sharing restricted information, Soviet intelligence officer Oleg Penkovsky requested citizenship and military rank in either the U.S.A. or Great Britain. Greville Wynnefitthe bill simply assomebody who was taking business into Eastern Europe.". CU.SIGN "LONDON AIRPORT". This version is supported by Alexander Zagvozdin, who was the KGB's chief interrogator during the investigation. At the time, they were largely accepted at face value and sold well. In November 1960, Greville Wynne, a 41-year-old British businessman, sat down for a lunch that would change his life. When it comes to espionage, its hard to know who to trust. Wynne was flown from Hungary to Moscow, where he was brutally tortured before being sentenced to eight years in a Soviet labour camp. Emma Powell For The Daily Mail Destructive 'Super Pigs' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. Greville Wynne's former in laws: Greville Wynne's former father in law was Gordon Beaton Greville Wynne's former mother in law was Elsie Beaton. So we got along a lot.. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine After a meeting in Paris in September 1961, Penkovskys next trips were mysteriously cancelled at the last minute. The week before Wynne entered Hungary, Penkovsky was captured by the Soviet Union. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Wynne was a British businessman who, from 1960 and 1962, smuggled thousands of pieces of intel out of Russia before he was captured, imprisoned, and tortured for two years by the KGB. He began working for MI6 in 1960, making contact with Penkovsky. [4], After the Second World War, he traded in electrical equipment, travelling often through Europe and India. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you are happy with this. There, he was reportedly subjected to severe beatings, malnourishment, and spent a great deal of his time locked up in solitary confinement. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. He acted as a courier to transport top-secret information to London from Soviet agent Oleg Penkovsky. But a living Wynne was more valuable to the Soviets. Penkovsky either was shot or killed himself in prisonthere are disputing accounts. Ideal for gathering evidence and remote monitoring. LONDON (AP) _ Greville Wynne, a British spy who told in his celebrated memoirs how he pried loose some of Moscow's best-kept secrets and who served 18 months in a Soviet prison for espionage, has died. His first wife, Sheila, was present throughout his Moscow trial but divorced him after his release. He battled depression and alcoholism. [7], Wynne's and Penkovsky's espionage activities were discovered by the KGB. He said he was motivated by patriotism and a dislike of the Soviet system. Important information Editorial Use Only. By In 1961, jet travel did not allow someone to fly from the U.K. to the U.S. and back again in 24 hours, says West. Strange" to Sherlock Holmes. A stand-off between US President John F Kennedy and Russias Nikita Khrushchev ended with the Soviet president backing down at the 11th hour and removing the threatening missiles. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers an appealing, technically tricky performance in "The Courier," in which he plays Greville Wynne, a British salesman who in the 1960s became an improbable player . Oleg Penkovsky had his sights set on moving to the West and building a better life with his family and, therefore, he was keen to expose some of the Soviets most valuable military secrets. Among the explanations are a desire for money or fame, a ruinous case of alcoholism, or perhaps even psychological scars left by his time in Soviet prison or the shame he felt for publicly turning against British intelligence during the trial. After his release he said: They treated me as they thought I should be treated.. In his memoirs A Man From Moscow published in 1967 and in a later book, The Man From Odessa, Wynne revealed further details of his spying activities. Alex Palmer is a travel and culture writer who lives in Brooklyn. 113.23.219.119 In honour of the Queen's eldest son, our new king, we have put together this collection of highlights from Charles' earlier years. Ameeting between theRussian prisoners, in which Wynne tellsPenkovsky of the import of his information, asdepicted in the film, is drama. Unaware of Penkovskys arrest, Wynne travelled to Budapest under his cover name of Mr Veen against the advice of his MI6 bosses. He said he acted as the intermediary for Soviet double agent Col. Oleg Penkovsky, a senior military intelligence officer who passed Moscow secrets to MI6 and the CIA. His wife Sheila divorced him and he became estranged from his only son Andrew. He passed away from throat cancer in London in 1990 at age 70. With the foundations laid, Wynne was asked to arrange a meeting with a state committee in Moscow and report back on the conversations he had. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. [9][10][11], Wynne was held at the Lubyanka. It was on this day that Wynne was captured by the Soviets and flown over to Moscow for sentencing. F T W M. A new Hollywood blockbuster based on the life of the late Cold war British spy Greville Wynne, who retired to Majorca, is being produced starring Benedict Cumberbatch of Doctor Strange and Sherlock fame. He did make a life for himself, but Greville Wynne did pay a big price for his service. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. They were all short and thickset and wore trilby hats at the same angle. He also wrote two books about his experiences as a British spy, The Man from Moscow (1967) and The Man from Odessa (1981). Wynne said he was subjected to severe beatings and psychological pressure by the Soviet KGM. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. However, that claim seems unlikely to be true. A drink-lovingbon vivante as portrayed onscreen, Wynne'sreal-life salesmanship and genuine naivet made him perfect for throwing off serious suspicion. Greville Wynne, who spied on the Soviet Union for Britain in the cold war and who spent 18 months in a Moscow prison after being caught, died of throat cancer on Wednesday, hospital officials. She had worked as his secretary and interpreter, speaking eight languages. In 1985 he was portrayed by actor David Calder in the BBC series Wynne and Penkovsky, and in 2007 by Peter Lindford for BBC drama Nuclear Secrets. Meanwhile, 43-year-old Oleg Penkovsky was sentenced to death for his role in the spy activity. The President of the Court declared Greville Wynne, aged 44, would serve. GV.AIRPORT BUILDINGS. They recruited him in November 1960. Includes devices appropriate for a variety of situations and to suit all budgets. Make way for his amateur,everyman spy Greville Wynne in "The Courier," now on premium VOD6. These events serve as the inspiration for The Courier, the new film starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Wynne and Georgian actor Merab Ninidze as Penkovsky, out in theaters on March 19. In 2007, Peter Lindford portrayed Wynne in episode one of the BBC docudrama Nuclear Secrets, titled "The Spy from Moscow.". Donald asks the courts to let him tweet. Therefore, the lives of Andrew and Sheila remained quite private whilst Grevilles activity was broadcasted all around the world. Wynne was a well known character on the island in the 1980s and at one stage . And he certainly didn't want to become one himself. Greville Wynne Greville Wynne married Sheila Wynne (born Beaton). He was flown to Moscow, imprisoned, and tried alongside Penkovsky, who it would later be learned had been arrested the week before Wynne entered Hungary. February 28, 1990. edit data. If you have any questions for our team about our spy histories articles, the spy industry in general, or any of the spy equipment that is available through our website, please contact us today. Wynne returned to his life as a businessman. The Courier fact-check reveals that, like his father, Penkovsky had become disillusioned with the Soviet system. Penkovsky's real-life codename was HERO. The MI6 agent suffered from depression after imprisonment and torture. He just couldnt tell the truth. 22:00 GMT 13 Aug 2021 A new spy thriller draws on the fascinating lifeand whopping liesof one of the U.K.s most famous intelligence agents.