Name Charles Thoroton | Died January 17, 1939 | |
Charles Julian Thoroton, CMG (9 August 1875 – 17 January 1939), was the Chief of British Naval Intelligence for the Mediterranean from Gibraltar (and Spain), to North Africa and Greece, between 1913 and 1919. He reported to Admiral Sir Reginald (Blinker) Hall, RN, Head of Room 40. Thoroton was described as one of Winston Churchill's "brilliant confederacy – whose names even now are better wrapt in mystery" (The World Crisis 1911–1914, Chapter XX.).
The first full-length biography of Thoroton, Finding Thoroton – The Royal Marine Who Ran British Naval Intelligence in the Western Mediterranean in World War 1, published by the Royal Marines Historical Society in 2013 and was written by Philip Vickers. A member of the RMHS, Vickers is also the author of Das Reich: Drive to Normandy (Pen & Sword Books) and has spoken on irregular warfare at the CIA Conference in Washington, DC.
In 2017, Sir Reginald Hall's long banned autobiography was published, under the title 'A Clear Case of Genius' from The History Press, for the first time 94 years on. Thoroton is referred to in relation to Hall's drafting of his autobiography. The foreword is by Nigel West and commentary by Philip Vickers.