“The spies in history who can say from their graves, the infomation I supplied to my masters, for better or worse, altered the history of our planet, can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Richard Sorge was in that group.”
Frederick Forsyth
Born in Bournemouth, England in 1907, the son of an English clergyman.
Moved to Paris with his family in 1911. Returned to England where he graduated from Cambridge University in 1932. Became a Fellow at Trinity College and recruited numerous students into his espionage activities, including Kim Philby, David MacLean and Guy Burgess, with whom Blunt was sexually involved (Blunt, Philby, MacLean and Burgess were four members of the Cambridge Five, England's most notorious spy ring).
Is believed by many to have tipped off Kim Philby about the impending arrest of Donald MacLean which lead MacLean and Burgess to flee to the Soviet Union. Was accused of being a spy for the Soviet Union in 1964 by Arthur Martin. Evidence was supplied by an American, Michael Whitney, who claimed that Blunt had recruited him as a KGB agent in the 1930's. Admitted to being the "Fourth Man." Bargained for his freedom by promising to reveal all of his activities and knowledge about espionage activities by the Soviet Union. British officials decided to keep his involvement quiet in order to prevent a scandal from erupted regarding a knight of Britain.
Double Agent Anthony Blunt Press Conference
Publicly exposed after the British press investigated his possible involvement in espionage. After the book "The Climate of Treason" by Andrew Boyle was published, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was questioned as to the identity of the "Fourth Man." Thatcher identified Blunt by name, during a session of Parliament. Was stripped of his knighthood, titles and prestigious positions. Lived out the rest of his life quietly in disgrace and died in 1983.
