Sir William Stephenson | |
|---|---|
 1942 passport photo | |
| Born | William Samuel Clouston Stanger 23 January 1897 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Died | 31 January 1989 (aged 92) Goldeneye Estate, Tucker's Town, Bermuda |
| Other names | "Little Bill" |
| Occupations |
|
| Awards | Knight Bachelor Companion of the Order of Canada Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Medal for Merit |
| Espionage activity | |
| Allegiance |  Canada United Kingdom |
| Service branch | Canadian Expeditionary Force Royal Flying Corps British Security Coordination |
| Rank | Captain |
| Codename | Intrepid |
| Operations | World War I World War II |
Sir William Samuel Stephenson CC MC DFC (born William Samuel Clouston Stanger, 23 January 1897 – 31 January 1989) was a Canadian soldier, fighter pilot, businessman and spymaster who served as the senior representative of the British Security Coordination (BSC) for the western allies during World War II. He is best known by his wartime intelligence code name, Intrepid. Many people consider him to be one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond.[1] Ian Fleming himself once wrote, "James Bond is a highly romanticised version of a true spy. The real thing is... William Stephenson."[2]
As head of the BSC, Stephenson handed British scientific secrets over to Franklin D. Roosevelt and relayed American secrets back to Winston Churchill.[3] In addition, Stephenson has been credited with changing American public opinion from an isolationist stance to a supportive tendency regarding the United States' entry into World War II.[3]
- ^ "Street named for WW II spy hero" Archived 1 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, CBC television, 15 November 2009
- ^ Foreword to Room 3603 by H. Montgomery Hyde
- ^ a b BURT A. FOLKART (3 February 1989). "William Stephenson, 93; British Spymaster Dubbed 'Intrepid' Worked in U.S." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 November 2013.