Papers Handed over by Sir Edward Bridges upon His Retirement: Cypher Security, Organisation of the Secret Service, Memorandum by D Petrie after D-Day Operations, Successor to Petrie and the Patriotic Schools, Liaison with Scotland Yard

A file of papers belonging to Sir Edward Bridges, Cabinet Secretary from 1938 to 1946, handed over upon his retirement. Documents include a detailed report from Sir David Petrie, the Director-General of the Security Service (MI5), written a few weeks after the Normandy invasion, reviewing the history and progress of MI5 in the war thus far, including the capture of enemy agents, their conversion into double agents, and efforts to counter sabotage; the management of aliens and refugees in Britain; and the prevention of leakage of information, including the timing of Operation Overlord. The file also includes correspondence covering cypher security; liaison with Scotland Yard; the monitoring of British communists and the IRA; and the organisation of MI5, including the question of who should be Petrie's successor as Director-General of MI5.