The Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB) was a joint

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, Australian,

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and

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intelligence and special operations agency during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. It was responsible for operating parties of

spies Spies most commonly refers to people who engage in spying, espionage or clandestine operations. Spies or The Spies may also refer to: * Spies (surname), a German surname * Spies (band), a jazz fusion band * Spies (song), "Spies" (song), a song by ...

and

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s behind

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lines in order to collect intelligence and conduct guerrilla warfare against Japanese forces in the

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. The AIB was formed in June 1942 to coordinate the existing Allied propaganda and guerrilla organisations. The first controller of the AIB was Colonel C. G. Roberts. At its peak the AIB contained men from ten individual services and controlled or coordinated eight separate organisations. The role of the AIB was to obtain information about the enemy, "to weaken the enemy by sabotage and destruction of morale and to lend aid and assistance to local effort to the same end in enemy territories." One member of the AIB was Alfred Deakin Brookes, who went on to become the first head of the

Australian Secret Intelligence Service Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

in May 1952.

Structure

The AIB was divided into four sections; A, B, C and D each focused on a specific area of operations: ;A Section :A Section was made up of Special Operations Australia, which was later known as the

Services Reconnaissance Department Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD), also known as Special Operations Australia (SOA) and previously known as Inter-Allied Services Department (ISD), was an Australian military intelligence and special reconnaissance unit, during World War II. ...

, and focused on information collection and

operations. A Section was initially commanded by Major G. Egerton Mott. ;B Section :B Section focused on secret intelligence and was commanded by Captain R. Kendall, RN, known as

Secret Intelligence Australia {{Use British English, date=December 2014 Secret Intelligence Australia (SIA) was a British World War II intelligence unit commanded by Captain Roy Kendall who reported directly to MI6 in London. SIA was known as Section B of the Allied Intellige ...

(SIA) ;C Section :C Section gathered field intelligence through

Coastwatchers The Coastwatchers, also known as the Coast Watch Organisation, Combined Field Intelligence Service or Section C, Allied Intelligence Bureau, were Allied military intelligence operatives stationed on remote Pacific islands during World War II ...

, natives and civilians. C Section was commanded by Commander

Eric Feldt Commander Eric Augustas Feldt (3 January 1899 – 12 March 1968) was an officer in the Royal Australian Navy and the director of the Coastwatchers organisation for much of the Second World War. Early life Feldt was born in Ingham, North Que ...

RANVR Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) was a reserve force of the Royal Australian Navy. Formation In late 1920, the Navy Board proposed the creation of an Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve scheme, with approaches made to yac ...

. ;D Section :D Section was the

Far Eastern Liaison Office The Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO) was a Second World War Propaganda and Field Intelligence unit set up under the orders of the Allied Land Commander, General Sir Thomas Blamey, on 19 June 1942. FELO became one of four sections of the Allied Inte ...

which was concerned with propaganda and was commanded by Commander J. C. Proud, RANVR. The AIB was disbanded at the end of the war.

Attached vessels

* HMAS ''Paluma'' (1942–1944)National Archives of Australia.

Citations

External links

* * {{refend Australian intelligence agencies Intelligence services of World War II International intelligence services Military intelligence agencies Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II Pacific theatre of World War II Special forces of Australia World War II espionage

Structure

Attached vessels

See also

Citations

Further reading

External links