MI4

For other uses, see MI-4 (disambiguation).

MI4 was established in 1915 as a section of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI). Section 4 was the designation for the Topographic Section, General Staff, later the Geographical Section, General Staff (GSGS) under the command of Lt Col Walter Coote Hedely. It was responsible for the following (recorded by Lt Col Hedely in 1919):

(a) A Staff of 6 Officers (5 General Staff and 1 civilian) whose duty it is to make all preparation for the provision of the necessary maps for peace and war. This includes the compilation, drawing and reproduction of maps. Each Officer deals with a special area, and it is his duty to have a complete knowledge of the maps and surveys (or lack of surveys) of his area and to keep in touch with all the Survey Departments in those areas. The GSGS is in constant communication with the Ordnance Survey and with the Surveys of India and Egypt, and with the Surveys of all British Colonies and Protectorates, and with the surveys of Foreign Countries, especially France, Belgium and Italy.

(b) A Map Curator who has charge of a library of maps which include copies of all published topographical maps of the world and a vast mass of unpublished maps and map material. This is an essential part of any geographical establishment and is the material from which all new work is done.

(c) A staff of 22 geographical draughtsmen.

(d) A photographic establishment.

(e) A lithographic establishment including three printing machines.

(f) A map store where GSGS maps are stored and whence they are issued.

History

MI4 was a direct decendant of the map section of the Depot of Military Knowledge (DoMK), founded by Prince Frederick at Horse Guards under the direction of the Quartermaster General of the Army in 1803. By 1857 the DoMK had been merged with the Topographical and Statistical Dept of the War Office, itself established in 1855 under the superintendence of Lt Col Thomas Best Jervis. The department would continue to evolve and reshape over the coming twenty years. The Topographic Department War Office 1858-1874, The Intelligence Branch War Office, Section 'F' 1874-1888, the Intelligence Division War Office, Section 'F' 1888-1901, the Directorate of Military Operations War Office, Section 'F' 1904-1915, and finally the Directorate of Military Intelligence War Office Section 4 from 1915.

Commonly known at that time as the Geographical Section, General Staff (GSGS), MI4 became redundant in 1940 when the GSGS stood alone as a branch of DMI. GSGS itself ceased to exist in 1943 when it was elevated in status becoming the Directorate of Military Survey (D Survey), commanded by Brigadier Martin Hotine RE. GSGS as a term none the less remained in use to identify D Survey products until its dissolution in 1991. The term survived and is still in use in 2025.

MI4 provided Royal Engineer survey officers to the Air Ministry from as early as 1924 to support the development and production of both civil and military navigation aids and charts. Just prior to WWII MI4 also provided officers to the Air Ministry to oversee and technically direct the production of Air Target Materials based on the aerial reconnaissance and interpretation work at the Central Interpretation Unit, Air Ministry, at RAF Medmenham. The history of the CIU, its forbears and successors requires its own page.

The topographers of today reside at the Defence Geographic Centre at MOD Feltham and to this day provides geographic products, data and services to UK Defence, Partners Across Government and to the UK's allies around the world.

See also

• JARIC
• RAF Medmenham
• No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF
• National Collection of Aerial Photography

References

External links

• MI5 FAQ
• "What happened to MI1 - MI4?" The Security Service // "What happened to MI1 - MI4?" at the Wayback Machine (archived July 18, 2015)
• National Collection of Aerial Photography