The Army’s Intelligence Corps is responsible for information gathering and intelligence analysis. Modern military operations are dependent on the provision of highly accurate and timely intelligence. To provide this, its analysts are embedded across all part of the military to ensure successful operations. These analysts have a monumental impact on decision making.

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Prior to the Boer War (1899-1901) the British Army formed ad-hoc intelligence organisations that were disbanded during peace time. The need to collect, analyse and interpret large amounts of information during the Boer War led to the creation of an intelligence element of over 2000 members. After the war, Intelligence continued to be underfunded with only a small counter intelligence department formed in 1909 (now MI5) and a second small department formed in 1912 for gathering intelligence overseas (now MI6).

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An Intelligence Corps was formed on 5th August 1914, the day after the First World War started. It consisted initially of Army and Metropolitan Police Officers and specialist civilians identified by the War Office Intelligence Department. They operated in all theatres of war and behind enemy lines. Despite the success of the Intelligence Corps, the Corps was disbanded in 1929.

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Before World War Two, the War Office’s Directorate of Military Intelligence had drawn up plans for an Intelligence Corps for future hostilities. The success of the initial Field Security Sections’ intelligence and counter-intelligence operations in 1940 led to Intelligence Corps being permanently established by royal warrant of George VI on 19 July 1940 to provide the centralized administration of personnel employed on ‘intelligence, cipher and censor duties’; the Field Security personnel were also absorbed into it. During the war, Intelligence Corps officers and soldiers served in every theatre providing intelligence support to all elements of the British Army, ranging from combat intelligence, signals intelligence, imagery intelligence, counter-intelligence, security and human intelligence. Notably significant numbers were involved in special operations, including SOE and the Commandos, fighting behind enemy lines. By the end of the war the Corps had grown to 10,500.

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The Corps played a major role in counter intelligence and counter terrorism during the Cold War.  As well as work focused on the Soviet Bloc, the Corps was heavily involved in Northern Ireland and was deployed in all conflicts from the Korean War to the Falklands.

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Often among the first to deploy, the Corps was committed to peace-keeping and peace-support operations across the Balkans in Sierra Leone and Angola. It developed a reputation for excellence in counter-insurgency, supporting Britain’s operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Africa, and Asia. The Corps continues to support the British Army wherever it operates.