A variety of information and intelligence gathering units were raised during the Boer War (1899-1901), such as Rimington's Tigers and the Corps of Scouts amongst many others, and the need emerged for coordinated and systematic analysis of the information collected.
This led to a three-tier system of sources and agencies employed to collect the information; field intelligence officers with the combat units; and staff intelligence officers at formation headquarters to analyse the information.
Whereas before the war no formation below Divisional level had an intelligence officer, Colonel Hume, the Director of Military Intelligence (South Africa) from 1900, identified the requirement for Field Intelligence Departments with scouts and interpreters. By the end of the war the intelligence element of the British Forces had increased from 2 officers to 132 officers and 2321 soldiers.Hume's recommendations were implemented by Lieutenant Colonel David Henderson, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the author of 'Field Intelligence, Its Principles and Practice' (1904), a manual that described what military intelligence was and how to do it. It is arguably the first piece of modern British military intelligence Doctrine. However, as usual, the Field Intelligence Departments were disbanded at the end of the Boer War in 1901 although the Intelligence Department at the War Office remained, although it was associated with the Mobilisation Department. Intelligence continued to be underfunded with only a small counter intelligence department
formed in 1909 (now MI5) and in 1912 a second small department tasked with gathering intelligence overseas (now MI6). However, at the outbreak of the First World War, action was undertaken to raise an Intelligence Corps.
The Intelligence Corps was formed on 05 August 1914.
Regards
Dave
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
Best regards,
Dave
