St. John Philby

Harry St. John Bridger Philby CIE (April 3, 1885 – September 30, 1960), also known as Jack Philby, also Sheikh Abdullah, was an Arabist, explorer, writer, and British colonial office intelligence operative. He was born at St. John's, Badulla, Ceylon and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied oriental languages under E. G. Browne and was a friend and classmate of Jawaharlal Nehru, later prime Minister of India. Philby's son Kim Philby became famous for being a British intelligence agent who was a double agent for the Soviet Union.

Related Topics:
CIE - April 3 - 1885 - September 30 - 1960 - Arabist - Explorer - Writer - Intelligence operative - Trinity College - Cambridge - E. G. Browne - Jawaharlal Nehru - India - Kim Philby - Double agent - Soviet Union

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As he states in his autobiography, he "became something of a fanatic" and "the first Socialist to join the Indian Civil Service", and was posted to Lahore in the Punjab in 1908. He acquired fluency in Urdu, Punjabi, Baluchi, Persian, and eventually Arabic languages. Philby married his first wife in September 1910, with his distant cousin Bernard Montgomery or "Monty", later commander-in-chief of Allied armies during World War II, as best man.

Related Topics:
Socialist - Indian Civil Service - Punjab - Urdu - Punjabi - Baluchi - Persian - Arabic - "Monty" - Commander-in-chief - Allied armies - World War II

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