John Wallinger

Sir John Arnold Wallinger
Born
John Arnold Wallinger

(1869-10-25)25 October 1869
Died7 January 1931(1931-01-07) (aged 71)
Occupation(s)Imperial policeman
Counter-intelligence officer
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire
Distinguished Service Order
King's Police Medal
Espionage activity
Allegiance United Kingdom
 British India
Service branchIndian Imperial Police
Metropolitan Police
Indian Political Intelligence Office
British Army
Service years1896–1926
RankSuperintendent
Major (temporary)
Deputy Inspector General of Police
OperationsWorld War I
Hindu-German Conspiracy

Major Sir John Arnold Wallinger KBE, DSO, CIE, KPM (25 October 1869 – 7 January 1931) was a British Indian intelligence officer who led the Indian Political Intelligence Office from 1909 to 1916. As a colonial policeman and counter-intelligence officer he became a specialist in countering those opposed to British rule in India, operating both in India and in England.

During the First World War he was engaged in combating the Hindu–German Conspiracy. During this period he employed the novelist W. Somerset Maugham as an intelligence agent in Geneva. Wallinger is perhaps best known as the principal inspiration for the character of "R.", the fictional British spymaster who employs Ashenden in Maugham's stories.

  1. ^ "Wallinger, Sir John Arnold". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/67772. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)