83:, working for four years on American diplomatic traffic. In 1924 he was promoted to head of the new naval section in GC&CS, holding the position to 1941. He was succeeded as head by his colleague
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were chosen in 1919 to write the history of Room 40, their outspoken criticism of the Navy's mishandling of intelligence led to the history being "suppressed".
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In 1915, he was commissioned as an assistant paymaster, having failed the eye examination for executive officer. He knew German, and in March 1916 joined
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Joseph A. Maiolo, 'Clarke, William
Francis (1883–1961)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
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67:, and was unimpressed by the inefficient handling and distribution of intelligence. When Clarke and
31:(1883–1961) was a British intelligence officer and cryptographer of naval codes in both World Wars.
63:. His talent was for information analysis rather than code-breaking. He was on duty during the
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47:, and trained as a lawyer, being admitted to the bar in 1906 by his father,
87:, and then concentrated on Italian naval codes, retiring in October 1945.
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125:"Clarke, William Francis (1883–1961), intelligence officer"
134:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
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51:, a prominent lawyer and later Solicitor-General.
19:For the American Jesuit of the same name, see
16:British intelligence officer and cryptographer
8:
95:Clarke died in 1961, and he was buried at
131:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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229:Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford
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81:Government Code and Cipher School
224:People educated at Harrow School
97:Church of All Saints, Selworthy
219:British people of World War II
29:William Francis "Nobby" Clarke
1:
214:British people of World War I
234:20th-century English lawyers
165:UK public library membership
79:In 1919, Clarke joined the
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35:Background and early life
45:Magdalen College, Oxford
39:Clarke was educated at
194:British cryptographers
140:10.1093/ref:odnb/67775
21:William Francis Clarke
199:Bletchley Park people
163:(Subscription or
149:978-0-19-861412-8
65:Battle of Jutland
49:Sir Edward Clarke
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91:Death and burial
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153:. Retrieved
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75:Later career
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55:Naval career
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209:1961 deaths
204:1883 births
188:Categories
167:required.)
103:References
155:15 April
61:Room 40
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157:2021
144:ISBN
43:and
136:doi
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111:^
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