Sir William Samuel Stephenson, born William Samuel Clouston Stanger, was a Canadian soldier, fighter pilot, businessman and spymaster who served as the senior representative of the British Security Coordination (BSC) for the western allies during World War II. He is best known by his wartime intelligence code name, Intrepid. Many people consider him to be one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond. Ian Fleming himself once wrote, "James Bond is a highly romanticised version of a true spy. The real thing is... William Stephenson."
1942 passport photo
BSC was housed on the 35th and 36th floors of the International Building, Rockefeller Center, New York City
The Princess Hotel in Bermuda, home to British Imperial Censorship during the war, and to Sir William Stephenson after the war.
The Rockex was an IBM Telex machine adapted by Pat Bayly to operate on a one time cypher, allowing secure communication among the Allies throughout the war. It continued to be used in peacetime until the 1970s.
British Security Co-ordination
British Security Co-ordination (BSC) was a covert organisation set up in New York City by the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) in May 1940 upon the authorisation of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.
BSC operated from the 35th and 36th floors of the International Building, Rockefeller Center, New York during World War II
As head of the British Security Coordination, William Stephenson has been credited with changing American public opinion from an isolationist stance to a supportive tendency regarding America's entry into World War II.
