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{{Short description|UK diplomat}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{about|the diplomat|his distant cousin, the peer|Myles Ponsonby, 12th Earl of Bessborough}}
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'''Myles Walter Ponsonby''' [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (12 September 1924 – 1 February 1999), was a [[United Kingdom|British]] soldier, intelligence officer, [[diplomat]] and [[politician]]. He was [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Mongolia|Ambassador]] to [[Mongolia]] from 1974 to 1977.
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Myles Ponsonby
| honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}
| image =
| caption =
| office1 = [[Wiltshire County Council]]lor<br>for [[Idmiston]]
| term_start1 = 1988
| term_end1 = 1993
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| office = [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Mongolia|British Ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic]]
| term_start = 1974
| term_end = 1977
| predecessor =
| successor =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 12 September 1924
| birth_place =
| death_date = 1 February 1999 (age 74)
| death_place =
| party =
| alma_mater = [[St. Aubyns Preparatory School]], [[Rottingdean]], [[Eton College]]
| residence =
| awards = Commander of the [[Order of the British Empire]]
| website =
}}
⚫
'''Myles Walter Ponsonby''' [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (12 September 1924 – 1 February 1999), was a British soldier, intelligence officer, [[diplomat]] and [[politician]]. He was [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Mongolia|Ambassador]] to [[Mongolia]] from 1974 to 1977.


==Early life==
==Early life==
The son of Victor Coope [[Baron de Mauley|Ponsonby]] [[Military Cross|MC]] and Gladys Edith Walter, Ponsonby was educated at [[St. Aubyns Preparatory School|St Aubyns]], [[Rottingdean]], and at [[Eton College]].<ref name=who>'Ponsonby, Myles Walter', in ''[[Who's Who (UK)|Who Was Who]] online edition (subscription site).</ref><ref name=peerage/>
The son of Victor Coope Ponsonby [[Military Cross|MC]] and Gladys Edith Walter, Ponsonby was educated at [[St. Aubyns Preparatory School|St Aubyns]], [[Rottingdean]], and at [[Eton College]].<ref name=who>'Ponsonby, Myles Walter', in ''[[Who's Who (UK)|Who Was Who]]'' online edition (subscription site).</ref><ref name=peerage/>


==Career==
==Career==
Ponsonby served in the [[British Army]] from 1942 to 1949 and was wounded on [[active service]] during the [[Second World War]]. He became an instructor at the Army's [[School of Infantry]], in [[Warminster]], in 1945, and was an Intelligence Officer in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] before a posting to [[GHQ Middle East]]. He retired the service with the rank of Captain in the [[King's Royal Rifle Corps]].<ref name=who/><ref name=peerage>''Burke's Peerage 2003'', page 1081</ref><ref name=specialforces>[http://www.specialforcesroh.com/browse.php?mode=viewiaward&awardid=3018 Myles Walter Ponsonby] at specialforcesroh.com.</ref>
Ponsonby served in the [[British Army]] from 1942 to 1949 and was wounded on [[active service]] during the [[Second World War]]. He became an instructor at the Army's [[School of Infantry]], in [[Warminster]], in 1945, and was an Intelligence Officer in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] before a posting to [[GHQ Middle East]]. He retired the service with the rank of captain in the [[King's Royal Rifle Corps]].<ref name=who/><ref name=peerage>''Burke's Peerage 2003'', page 1081</ref>
In 1951, he entered the British government's Foreign Service, later transferring to the [[Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service|Diplomatic Service]], and held posts in [[Egypt]] (1951), [[Cyprus]] (1952–53), [[Beirut]] (1953–56), [[Djakarta]] (1958–61), and [[Nairobi]] (1963–64). In 1964, he went to [[Hanoi]] as [[Consul-General]], and was in [[London]] at the [[Foreign Office]] from 1966 to 1969. He was then head of the office of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] ([[MI6]]) in [[Rome]] from 1969 to 1971, returned again to London to serve in the newly merged [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] from 1972 to 1974, was [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Mongolia|British Ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic]] for three years, 1974–1977, and simultaneously an observer for MI6. He ended his official career with a further posting to the FCO from 1977 to 1980.<ref name=who/><ref name=specialforces/>
In 1951, he entered the British government's Foreign Service, later transferring to the [[Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service|Diplomatic Service]], and held posts in [[Egypt]] (1951), [[Cyprus]] (1952–53), [[Beirut]] (1953–56), [[Djakarta]] (1958–61), and [[Nairobi]] (1963–64). In 1964, he went to [[Hanoi]] as [[Consul-General]], and was in [[London]] at the [[Foreign Office]] from 1966 to 1969. He was then head of the office of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] ([[MI6]]) in [[Rome]] from 1969 to 1971, returned again to London to serve in the newly merged [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] from 1972 to 1974, was [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Mongolia|British Ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic]] for three years, 1974–1977, and simultaneously an observer for MI6. He ended his official career with a further posting to the FCO from 1977 to 1980.<ref name=who/>


In 1988, following his retirement, he began a new career as a member of [[Wiltshire County Council]] representing [[Idmiston]], serving until 1993. He retired from the council, moved to [[Winchester]], in [[Hampshire]], and died on 1 February 1999.<ref name=who/>
In 1988, following his retirement, he began a new career as a member of [[Wiltshire County Council]] representing [[Idmiston]], serving until 1993. He retired from the council, moved to [[Winchester]], in [[Hampshire]], and died on 1 February 1999.<ref name=who/>


In 1951, Ponsonby married Anne Veronica Theresa Maynard, a daughter of [[Brigadier]] Francis Herbert Maynard CB DSO MC. They had one son, [[John Ponsonby (RAF officer)|John Maurice Maynard]] (1955), and two daughters, Belinda Mary (1951) and Emma Christina (1959).<ref name=peerage/><ref>Charles Mosley, ed., ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage'' (107th edition, 2003), vol. 1, p. 1081.</ref>
In 1951, Ponsonby married Anne Veronica Theresa Maynard, a daughter of [[Brigadier]] Francis Herbert Maynard CB DSO MC. They had one son, [[John Ponsonby (RAF officer)|John Maurice Maynard]] (1955), and two daughters, Belinda Mary (1951) and Emma Christina (1959).<ref name=peerage/><ref>Charles Mosley, ed., ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage'' (107th edition, 2003), vol. 1, p. 1081.</ref> Anne Ponsonby died in 2023.<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/births-marriages-and-deaths-october-21-2023-s06wqzd2r Ponsonby]</ref>


==Honours==
==Honours==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.namebase.org/xpol/Myles-Walter-Ponsonby.html Myles Walter Ponsonby] at namebase.org (extracted from Robin Ramsay, ''A Who's Who of the British Secret State'', 1989) ([http://www.namebase.org/xpol/Myles-Walter-Ponsonby.html Archive]{{dead link|date=August 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}})
*[http://www.namebase.org/xpol/Myles-Walter-Ponsonby.html Myles Walter Ponsonby] at namebase.org (extracted from Robin Ramsay, ''A Who's Who of the British Secret State'', 1989) ([http://www.namebase.org/xpol/Myles-Walter-Ponsonby.html Archive]{{dead link|date=May 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}})


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponsonby, Myles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponsonby, Myles}}
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[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Members of Wiltshire County Council]]
[[Category:Members of Wiltshire County Council]]
[[Category:Secret Intelligence Service personnel]]
[[Category:MI6 personnel]]
[[Category:People educated at Eton College]]
[[Category:People educated at Eton College]]
[[Category:People educated at St. Aubyns School]]
[[Category:People educated at St. Aubyns School]]
[[Category:King's Royal Rifle Corps officers]]
[[Category:King's Royal Rifle Corps officers]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors]]
[[Category:Ponsonby family|Myles]]
[[Category:Ponsonby family|Myles]]

Latest revision as of 07:05, 5 July 2024

This article is about the diplomat. For his distant cousin, the peer, see Myles Ponsonby, 12th Earl of Bessborough.

Myles Ponsonby
CBE
British Ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic
In office
1974–1977
Wiltshire County Councillor
for Idmiston
In office
1988–1993
Personal details
Born12 September 1924
Died1 February 1999 (age 74)
Alma materSt. Aubyns Preparatory School, Rottingdean, Eton College
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire

Myles Walter Ponsonby CBE (12 September 1924 – 1 February 1999), was a British soldier, intelligence officer, diplomat and politician. He was Ambassador to Mongolia from 1974 to 1977.

Early life

[edit]

The son of Victor Coope Ponsonby MC and Gladys Edith Walter, Ponsonby was educated at St Aubyns, Rottingdean, and at Eton College.[1][2]

Career

[edit]

Ponsonby served in the British Army from 1942 to 1949 and was wounded on active service during the Second World War. He became an instructor at the Army's School of Infantry, in Warminster, in 1945, and was an Intelligence Officer in Palestine before a posting to GHQ Middle East. He retired the service with the rank of captain in the King's Royal Rifle Corps.[1][2]

In 1951, he entered the British government's Foreign Service, later transferring to the Diplomatic Service, and held posts in Egypt (1951), Cyprus (1952–53), Beirut (1953–56), Djakarta (1958–61), and Nairobi (1963–64). In 1964, he went to Hanoi as Consul-General, and was in London at the Foreign Office from 1966 to 1969. He was then head of the office of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) in Rome from 1969 to 1971, returned again to London to serve in the newly merged Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1972 to 1974, was British Ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic for three years, 1974–1977, and simultaneously an observer for MI6. He ended his official career with a further posting to the FCO from 1977 to 1980.[1]

In 1988, following his retirement, he began a new career as a member of Wiltshire County Council representing Idmiston, serving until 1993. He retired from the council, moved to Winchester, in Hampshire, and died on 1 February 1999.[1]

In 1951, Ponsonby married Anne Veronica Theresa Maynard, a daughter of Brigadier Francis Herbert Maynard CB DSO MC. They had one son, John Maurice Maynard (1955), and two daughters, Belinda Mary (1951) and Emma Christina (1959).[2][3] Anne Ponsonby died in 2023.[4]

Honours

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d 'Ponsonby, Myles Walter', in Who Was Who online edition (subscription site).
  2. ^ a b c Burke's Peerage 2003, page 1081
  3. ^ Charles Mosley, ed., Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage (107th edition, 2003), vol. 1, p. 1081.
  4. ^ Ponsonby
  5. ^ London Gazette, 1 January 1966 (Supplement), p. 20 online.
[edit]
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