Ingram, Mary Isabella: my MI5 and Special Operations Executive recollections (February 3, 1983)

Interviewee: Ingram, Mary Isabella, b. 1908

An interview/narrative of Mary Isabella Ingram's experiences during World War II. Miss Ingram served with the British Military Intelligence, MI5, Special Operations Executive, Force 136 and the Ministry of Economic Warfare. Interview took place on February 3, 1983.

ABSTRACT: Miss Mary Isabella Ingram British Military Intelligence, MI5 Special Operations Executive, Force 136 Ministry of Economic Warfare Ingram_M_0156_01.mp3 (Cassette, Side 1) "Molly" Ingram joined MI5 in Singapore. This organization was the central body between the three services and the police and other civil authorities. She set up a cross-indexed file of intelligence information: names, aliases, suspicions, contacts, etc. She went to Singapore in 1938. Eventually joined MI5 as personal assistant to the defense security officer who represented MI5. Gives an account of a plan, before Japan entered the war, whereby the Singapore police sabotaged a Japanese radio transmitter. Plotted to detain the Japanese consul general at a dinner party while sabotage under way. Tale of an errant civilian cipher expert illegally arrested and "saved from himself" and how she was able to placate him. Account of air raids on Singapore. Security measures. By Feb. 6, 1942 she was the last woman working in the police headquarters building; ordered to leave immediately. Singapore fell one week later. Interestingly, she had arranged to have herself shot should Singapore be captured, since she felt that the secret information she possessed would be of great value to the Japanese Intelligence. Describes the evacuation in a small, very dirty French vessel. (45:00) Ingram_M_0156_02.mp3 (Cassette, Side 2 - long lead-in) Finally arrived in Delhi, India where a letter from the Singapore Inspector of Police helped her to obtain a position with the Ministry of Economic Warfare. Joined the S.O.E. at Meerut. Here the role of the Special Operations Executive is defined as creating alarm and despondency, disruption of the enemy war effort, and establishing commando-style training schools for agents. Comments on headquarters life; knew Brig. Ord Wingate, the well-known guerrilla leader. She assisted in producing Wingate's report on his first successful "Chindit" mission. Sent to Bombay in 1942. Anecdote called "Me and the Abortionist", a plan to arrange for the escape from prison of certain Indian Communists who would be trained at the S.O.E. commando school for service behind the Japanese lines in Burma. Visited the secretary of the Indian Communist Party (a Mr. Joshi [sic?]) on many occasions. Felt that her Indian taxi drivers thought her very strange as the building housing the Communist Party offices was far better known as a brothel and abortion clinic! Borrowed an aircraft from the R.A.F. and "bent it". Taught coding at the commando school. Operation "Goldfish", the kidnapping of the chief Gestapo agent in Portuguese Goa, and the subsequent destruction of wireless communications aboard Italian and German ships interned there. Asked to give her views on a proposal for the postwar resettlement of troops. (45:00)

Interviewer: Stafford, David A. T.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Stafford, David A. T.
• Ingram, Mary Isabella, b. 1908

Subject

• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history
• World War (1914-1918)
• Personal narratives--Canadian

Language

• eng

Date created

• February 3, 1983

Relation

• Also available as typewritten transcript (50 p.) in Special Collections. Special Collections holds additional interviews with Miss Ingram.
• Part of the David A. T. Stafford collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Japan

Coordinates

• 35.68536, 139.75309

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound cassette (ca. 90 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• interviews
• oral histories (literary genre)
• reminiscences
• sound recordings

Archival item identifier

• IMI_156

Fonds title

• David Stafford fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC406

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/david-stafford-fonds

Date digitized

• January 21, 2009

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 32 kHz. Digitized by KG, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2009. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/p140-jx68

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