Born on 5 October 1914, Ferguson Smith had a lengthy career in the Metropolitan Police Special Branch, serving in various roles and being involved in the investigation of major espionage cases. His career was interrupted by the second world war, when he joined the Royal Air Force.
Smith became commander of Special Branch in 1966 and was responsible for overseeing the formation of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) in 1968. Although not directly involved in day-to-day SDS operations, he paid attention to the intelligence-gathering activities related to the 27 October 1968 anti-Vietnam war demonstration and, afterwards, approved the continuation of the SDS
In 1969, Smith became deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, although documents show he continued to be apprised of SDS’ expanding remit. He retired in 1972 and died on 14 September 2013.
Ferguson ‘Fergie’ George Donaldson Smith was born in 1914 and attended Aberdeen Grammar School. He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1934 and Special Branch in 1936. According to his obituary, he served in the RAF between 1941 and 1945 and reached the rank of flight lieutenant before rejoining Special Branch at the end of the second world war.
All the information about Ferguson Smith’s career outside his interactions with the SDS comes from obituaries published by various newspapers. These credit him with involvement in several major espionage cases during his Special Branch career, including the cases of Karl Fuchs (1950), the Portland Spy Ring (1961), and George Blake and John Vassall, both in 1962. However, historians of MI5 and Special Branch have contested this.
The Daily Telegraph’s obituary also mentioned that Smith was a bodyguard to the Duke of Windsor during his infrequent visits to London after his abdication.
In 1966, Smith became commander of Special Branch.
As commander of Special Branch, Ferguson Smith was involved both in founding and approving the proposal to continue the SDS in 1968.
Founding of the Special Demonstration Squad
Ferguson Smith was the commander of Special Branch when the SDS was formed on 31 July 1968. He appears to have been involved in creating the unit. In a record of a meeting between Special Branch and MI5 on 1 July 1968, it was said by MI5 that senior Special Branch officers, including Smith, had ‘high level’ discussions with the Home Office that resulted in Special Branch being given responsibility for providing intelligence on the 27 October 1968 demonstration.
Ferguson Smith informed MI5 that: ‘[Conrad] Dixon had been put in charge of a squad to coordinate intelligence for this operation’ and would liaise with MI5 on the matter.
Ferguson Smith was not involved in SDS operations on a day-to-day basis but reported on its progress to senior officers and the Home Office. In a memo following a meeting with the Home Office, sent on 16 August 1968, he wrote: ‘There is considerable concern at government level about the October demonstration, but as you know we have taken firm preliminary steps to obtain as much information as possible about it.’
He continued:
At the meeting mention was made of the fact that the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary were seeking a situation report during the first week in September. Responsibility for producing this will rest with Box 500, but we ourselves should have something prepared by 31 August. This can be done by C.I. Dixon.
The only Inquiry witness to mention Ferguson Smith in any detail in evidence was HN3093 Roy Creamer. Discussing how to keep the SDS’ existence secret from the public, Creamer reported that Smith’s view was simply that ‘it will not come out’.
There are a handful of documents bearing Smith's name before the formation of the SDS in 1968. These include communications with MI5 about administrative issues and the handling of informants.
On 13 November 1967, James Waddell of the Home Office chaired a meeting to discuss overlaps in activities between Special Branch and MI5. This was provoked by concern from the Home Secretary that there was some duplication in the two organisations’ activities.
Ferguson Smith was at the meeting alongside assistant commissioner Peter Brodie. Smith also signed off intelligence reports on the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign events in June and July 1968.
In October 1968, Smith was part of surprisingly high-level discussions about when to arrest a Black Power activist under surveillance by the SDS for distributing a leaflet about using violent tactics at the 27 October demonstration.
Smith commented that he considered it the ‘most serious of cases’ and recommended the file be sent to the director of public prosecutions, which was unusual as the SDS did not normally provide evidence for prosecutions.
Continuation of the SDS after October 1968
In November 1968, senior Special Branch officers agreed that the SDS would continue operations for at least the next six months. Ferguson Smith endorsed this proposal on 11 November 1968, his only concern being where the funding would come from.
He suggested MI5 could contribute to its funding, if necessary, although in the end the SDS was funded by the Home Office. In May 1969 Smith recommended a second six-month extension of the SDS’ existence.
In June 1969, Smith was promoted from commander of Special Branch to deputy assistant commissioner (DAC) of the Metropolitan Police. However, he was kept informed on SDS activities.
Some of the SDS’ main targets in the early 1970s were anti-apartheid campaigns. A memo by Smith concerns the alleged manufacture of tear gas by protesters opposed to the all-white South African rugby team playing in London.
In a series of memos between Special Branch officers in 1972 regarding anti-apartheid campaigning, there is a note to copy Smith in, regarding the arrest and conviction of SDS undercover officer HN298 ‘Michael Scott’ in his cover name after participating in a direct action to disrupt a South African rugby tour.
On learning of Scott’s arrest, Smith commented: ‘I regard this merely as one of the occupational hazards associated with the valuable type of work he is doing.’
As DAC, Smith gave a series of commendations to SDS officers between 1969 and 1971 for their reporting; HN294 , HN135 Michael Ferguson , HN340 ‘Andy Bailey’ and HN68 ‘Sean Lynch’.
After retirement in 1972, Smith was employed with the Foreign Office with two three-month security tours in the Seychelles. He died on 14 September 2013 and his obituary was published in several newspapers, feting him as both a wartime hero and a ‘spycatcher’.
There are no procedural documents relating to Ferguson Smith.