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Dick Franks

1920 – 2008

British Intelligence chief

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About Dick Franks

Lived 1920 – 2008 (aged 88). Dick Franks was a British military personnel and spy.

Sir Arthur Temple "Dick" Franks (13 July 1920 – 12 October 2008) was Head of the British Secret Intelligence Service from 1979 to 1982.

Career Educated at Rugby School and Queen's College, Oxford, Franks was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1940. He became an Intelligence officer in the Western Desert and then joined the Special Operations Executive.

He started his career by "earning a reputation for daring military exploits against Nazi Germany before pursuing a fruitful career on Her Majesty’s secret service." Franks was a member of the Travellers Club and still made regular visits into the last years of his life, often reminiscing with old colleagues from the intelligence world.

He was nicknamed "Dick" and "Dickie".

Sir Colin McColl, former head of MI6, said: “He [Franks] was extremely effective yet also sensitive, intelligent and a most delightful man.”

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Rugby School, The Queen's College
Positions held
Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service
Employers
Secret Intelligence Service, Special Operations Executive
Awards
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George; Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Also known as
Arthur Temple Franks, Dickie Franks, Arthur Franks, Arthur 'Dick' Franks

People in Dick Franks's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Dick Franks's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Dick Franks?

British Intelligence chief

When was Dick Franks born?

Dick Franks was born on 13 July 1920 in Hampstead.

When did Dick Franks die?

Dick Franks died on 12 October 2008 in Aldeburgh.

What was Dick Franks's occupation?

Dick Franks was a military personnel and spy.

What nationality was Dick Franks?

Dick Franks was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Dick Franks

· Wikidata: Q5272926

· DBpedia: Dick Franks

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dick Franks. https://biography.guide/dick-franks/

MLA: "Dick Franks." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dick-franks/.

Chicago: "Dick Franks." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dick-franks/.

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