Stewart Menzies
Major General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB KCMG DSO MC (i; 30 January 1890 – 29 May 1968) was Chief of MI6 (SIS), British Secret Intelligence Service from 1939 to 1952, during and after the Second World War.
Early life, family
Stewart Graham Menzies was born in London into an immensely wealthy family, as the second son of John Graham Menzies and Susannah West Wilson, daughter of ship owner Arthur Wilson of Tranby Croft. His grandfather, Graham Menzies, was a whisky distiller who helped establish a cartel and made huge profits. His parents became friends of King Edward VII who at the time was rumoured to be Menzies' father, though this was probably not the case. Menzies was a nephew of Robert Stewart Menzies. But Menzies' father was dissolute, never established a worthwhile career, and wasted his share of the family fortune; he died of tuberculosis in 1911 in his early 50s, leaving only a minimal estate.
Menzies was educated at Eton College, becoming president of the student society Pop, and graduated in 1909. He excelled in sports, hunting, and cross country running. He won prizes for his studies of languages, and was considered an all-around excellent student.