Ronald Wingate

Early in September the London Controlling Section acquired a fourth member, Major Ronald Wingate, G.I.E. Several candidates for the post had been interviewed by Johnny, but from the time Wingate's name was first mentioned it was clear that he meant to get it if keenness could secure it for him. He not only rang Johnny up repeatedly, but also lobbied Pug Ismay, who was an old friend of his. Pug made it quite clear that the decision lay with the Controlling Officer, but he sent down a note strongly recommending this old companion of happy days in India, and Ronald was taken on

It is a curious coincidence that Ronald had earlier held the post of G.I., S.O.E. West Africa, which Lumby had left the Cabinet Office to take over, and that both were Companions of the Most Distinguished Order of the Indian Empire; but their careers and personalities had little in common.

Lumby had spent all his Indian years in Simla or Delhi, and on the rare occasions when he did take long leave, had returned to England; whereas Wingate had, for lengthy periods, represented the King Emperor in the remotest parts of the sub-continent living, as he liked to describe it with the exaggeration he was wont to affect, in 'lice-ridden hovels'; but on each trip home he spent the accumulated earnings of two years motoring in leisurely fashion across Europe from one luxury resort to another. Lumby was a modest efficient servant of the Crown, but had never basked in its reflected splendours; Wingate had ended his Indian Political career as Governor of Baluchistan, ranking as a Lieutenant General, and had ridden in state with an escort of lancers. Poor Lumby's wooden leg restricted his recreations whereas Wingate had been a very active man – a fine shot, fisherman, polo players and golfer. He was a great bon viveur and knew all the best restaurants in most of the European capitals. He was the son of a great man, Sir Reginald “Wingate of the Sudan”, had taken a double first at Balliol and, as a very young Political Officer had been sent to the burning hell of Aden in the days when there were no refrigerators or wireless communications. There he had negotiated the treaty which gave Britain a Protectorate over all the oil sheikdoms of the Gulf. He counted Kings among his friends, had a great self-assurance and a delightful sense of humour – assets that opened all doors to him – so we could not have had a more valuable addition to our section.

Ronald was a slender man of medium height with grey hair and a neat grey moustache. He had small, twinkling, triangular-shaped eyes and, when he joined us, was fifty-four; so several years older than Johnny, and he remained the oldest man in our section. He had left he Indian Political Service before normal retiring age, owing to his having dug in his toes over some difference of opinion with the Viceroy.

...He spoke French as fluently as a Frenchman ...was on excellent terms with General de Gaulle ...and was as cunning as seven serpents

Source: 'The Deception Planners' pp79-80

Ronald Wingate proved a swift learner. He knew no more about the organization of the modern army than I did about the Royal Air Force, but all his life he had dealt with Government hierarchies and his knowledge of politics – domestic, imperial and international – was encyclopaedic. He displayed an amusing cynicism about his ex-fellow Civil Servants and had a vast experience of “the working of the Protocol”, as he termed it; thus, by using exactly the right approach, he was often able to achieve results which would have been beyond the scope of anyone lacking such highly specialized knowledge coupled with his particular form of guile. He used at times to declare that his one aim in life was to “give everyone pleasure”, and his unruffled calm, polished wit and unfailing good humour were in times of stress a blessing to us all.

'The Deception Planners' pp 81-2.

Wingate's autobiography 'Not in the Limelight' evidences his charming and gentle sense of humour. Published when he has seventy and a baronet with a string of distinguished decorations to his name, the back flap of the dust jacket ends with the statement:
Sir Ronald Wingate is married and lives near Salisbury and has finally achieved one of his greatest ambitions - he has acquired a croquet set.