Kenneth Westman
Kenneth Westman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kenneth Edwin William Branch Westman 2 February 1907 Glamorgan, Wales |
| Died | 30 July 1964 (aged 57) London, UK |
| Employer | Foreign Office |
| Spouse | Jean Felicia Bedworth |
| Children | 3, including Roger, Nicholas Westman and Andrew |
Kenneth Edwin William Branch Westman (1907–1964) was a British diplomat and intelligence officer.
Life
[edit | edit source]Westman was born at Glamorgan, Wales to James and Beatrice (née Branch). He was educated at Cheam and Cowbridge.
Westman entered HM Diplomatic Service in 1929.[1] A year later he was promoted to attaché, shortly after third secretary and later second secretary. His first overseas posting was to Paris, followed by Berlin, Vienna and the Hague.[2] He was involved in British covert operations in Latin America, particularly Bolivia, attempting to strengthen British involvement in the region.[3][4]
During the Second World War he served as an intelligence officer with the Secret Intelligence Service and SOE, being sent to France, from Madrid, on two occasions.[3]
From 1940 he served as first secretary and later envoy at the British Embassy in Madrid.[3] Maintaining Spanish neutrality was of great strategic importance and the British diplomats in Spain adopted a position of "benevolent neutrality" towards Franco's state.[5]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Westman married Jean Felicia Bedworth, daughter of Bertram James Davenport Bedworth and Edith Emily Dixon. They had issue:
- Roger Ulick Branch Westman (1939-2020), architect
- Nicholas John Westman (b. 1942), engineer, urbanist
- Kenneth Andrew Rodney Westman (b. 1948), archaeologist
References
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