Ticketed

Essential Information

Type Talks and tours
Location
Queen's House
Date and Times Wednesday 18 September 2024 | 6.30pm-7.30pm
Prices Free | Members only

Member exclusive. Not a member? Join now

Join Lieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer OBE for a captivating discussion about his new biography, A Suspicion of Spies, the first in-depth look at the life of Wilfred ‘Biffy’ Dunderdale. This gripping account uncovers the story of a ruthless and effective spymaster whose extraordinary career spanned the Russian Revolution to the Cold War.

Dunderdale, a close friend of Ian Fleming and the inspiration for James Bond, lived a life filled with adventure, bravery, and intrigue. From sinking German ships as a teenager in Russia to his 40-year career in British intelligence, Biffy’s exploits are the stuff of legend. Tim Spicer delves into these thrilling tales, offering a glimpse into the real world of espionage.

About the speaker

Lieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer OBE has led a life filled with action and adventure. During his twenty years in the British Army, he saw active service in Northern Ireland, the Falklands campaign, the Gulf War and the Balkans, as well as serving in the Far East, Cyprus and Germany. Key appointments have included Chief of Staff of an Armoured Brigade, Staff Officer at the Directorate of Special Forces and Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, among many others.


Over the course of his illustrious military career, Spicer has developed extensive knowledge of intelligence, counterterrorism, complex relations and protective security. In 2001 he founded the private security company Aegis, which has counted the UK, US and Italian governments among its clients. He is the author of An Unorthodox Soldier: Peace and War and the Sandline Affair (2000), a fast-moving account of his military life, including the events surrounding his time in Papua New Guinea when he was captured and held at gunpoint, as well as the notorious ‘Sandline Affair’ of 1996, and A Dangerous Enterprise (2021) that charts the history of the little-known, yet remarkable 15th Motor Gunboat Flotilla, commanded directly by the Secret Intelligence Service.
 

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