Skip to main content
Service phase: Beta

This is a new way to search our records, which we’re still working on. Alternatively you can search our existing catalogue, Discovery.

Piece

Frederick Joseph RUTLAND: British. A former naval flying officer and First World...

Catalogue reference: KV 2/339

What’s it about?

This record is about the Frederick Joseph RUTLAND: British. A former naval flying officer and First World... dating from 1935 May 24-1936 Jan 13 in the series The Security Service: Personal (PF Series) Files. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.

Access information is unavailable

Sorry, information for accessing this record is currently unavailable online. Please try again later.

Full description and record details

Reference
KV 2/339
Date
1935 May 24-1936 Jan 13
Description

Frederick Joseph RUTLAND: British. A former naval flying officer and First World War hero, he was recruited by the Japanese as an adviser on naval flying during the 1920s and volunteered to Japanese Naval Intelligence as a spy to operate in America in the event of war, during the 1930s. He was interned in 1941-1942 as a result of his associations with the Japanese, though it was doubful whether he ever passed on classified information. There is certainly no proof of British information being passed. He was the subject of a biography and of press speculation whether he was a spy or not. The file shows for the first time, from decrypted Japanese cypher traffic, the depth of RUTLAND'S relations with the Japanese.

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference
PF 37966 SUPP VOL 2
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Subjects
Topics
Internment
Conflict
Intelligence
Navy
Americas
Operations, battles and campaigns
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C10907268/

Series information

KV 2

The Security Service: Personal (PF Series) Files

See the series level description for more information about this record.

View series description

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

6,152 records

Within the department: KV

Records of the Security Service

4,773 records

Within the series: KV 2

The Security Service: Personal (PF Series) Files

You are currently looking at the piece: KV 2/339

Frederick Joseph RUTLAND: British. A former naval flying officer and First World...

You may be interested in

Read stories that share a catalogue subject with this record.

Related records

Records that share similar topics with this record.