Cryptonym: SECAROB-2
104-10182-10073: CIA FILE ON WICKES, JAMES ALASTAIR.
10/19/64: Cable from Pretoria to Leopoldville: REF: LEOP 4037 (IN 95176): "1. By letter to Mrs. Pugh dated 8 October SECAROB/2 advised she in excellent condition. She was confined to bed week previous letter due to usual 'heart business' but otherwise everything is going excellently. Doctor confirms this and advises that baby should arrive about 17 November. Letter not clear on FOLL point but apparently doctor has requested SECAROB/1's blood group. PLS advise if possible. 2. SECAROB/2 received call from Johannesburg 6 Oct from Des Barnes, who says he is in charge Johannesburg office and that Patrick O'Malley has been relieved. Barnes was sending Donald Grant to see SECAROB/2 on 7 Oct but he did not arrive. Ask SECAROB/1 for background on Barnes and Grant. 3. FOLL intell in SECAROB/2's letter which LEOP can use or kill. Difficult to source here plus fact may be outdated by more recent info..."
104-10182-10073: CIA FILE ON WICKES, JAMES ALASTAIR.
05/03/65: Cable from Pretoria to Leopoldville: REF LEOP 6591 (IN 57003): "1. SECAROB/2 (S/2) and baby left for Durban afternoon 3 May. Staying at motel evening 3 May and arriving Durban 4 May. Wicks has been calling S/2's mother but no one including her mother knew where she was. She welcomed ref and will will call Wicks from Durban. 2. FYI: Advise S/1 that S/2 is delighted he staying on. She really feels that for his own happiness he must see job through."
104-10182-10073: CIA FILE ON WICKES, JAMES ALASTAIR.
12/22/65: Cable from Pretoria to Director (Info: LEOP): "1. Saw SECAROB/1 and 2 on Dec 17 and 18...He recalled that employment with KUBARK (CIA) began 1 January 1965. He apparently is basing this on PRET 3749 in which he pointed out had intended quit on 31 Dec, had been requested by KUBARK LEOP to return which he agreed to do. Actual agreement on terms of pay was 10 January 1965. Unless advised to contrary plan to pay him $9,500 less $150 as total settlement of all claims. 2. S agreed for Pugh to review any publication by him. We discussed his book which must be submitted to publishers by 31 March. It will not involve CONG politics and he will not have 'one mean thing to say about anyone.' We will do preliminary review of outline and progress of book in about three weeks to be sure that he does not get into final stages with something objectionable requiring total re-write. We will do final review prior submission manuscript. 3. His personal plans other than writing a book are to sail to Lourenco Macques for week then later to Mauritius, and after storm season is over in 1966 to sail across Atlantic to West Indies and Florida. 4. We warned him that under no circumstances was he to get involved in Rhodesian affairs and this included any recruitments, training or anything else...7. SECAROB was high in his praise of his case officer whom he regarded as very helpful and regretted not being able to bid farewell to COS LEOP...10. S's son has completely recovered, however, S has had a severe attack of malaria."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Mike_Hoare
"Thomas Michael Hoare (17 March 1919 – 2 February 2020 [1]), known as Mad Mike Hoare, was a British mercenary leader and adventurer known for his military activities in Africa and attempt to conduct a coup d'état in the Seychelles. [2] Early life and military career... Aged 20 he joined the London Irish Rifles at the outbreak of Second World War, later he then joined the 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps as a 2nd lieutenant... He was promoted to the rank of major. In 1945, he married Elizabeth Stott in New Delhi, by whom he had three children.[7]...After the war, he completed his training as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1948. [8] Hoare found life in London boring and decided to move to South Africa. [7] He subsequently emigrated to Durban...By the early 1960s, Hoare was extremely bored with his life as an accountant, and yearned to return to the life of a soldier, leading to his interest in becoming a mercenary. [5] Congo Crisis (1961–65): Hoare led two separate mercenary groups during the Congo Crisis. [10] Katanga: Hoare's first mercenary action was in 1961 in Katanga, a province trying to break away from the newly independent Republic of the Congo. His unit was called "4 Commando". [10]...During this time he married Phyllis Sims, an airline stewardess. [12] Simba rebellion: In 1964, Congolese Prime Minister Moïse Tshombe, his employer in Katanga, hired Major Hoare to lead a military unit called 5 Commando, Armée Nationale CongCongolaise (5 Commando ANC) (later led by John Peters; [13] not to be confused with No.5 Commando, the British Second World War commando force) made up of about 300 men most of whom were from South Africa. His second-in-command was a fellow ex-British Army officer, Commandant Alistair Wicks..."
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/mad-mike-hoare-death-mercenary-wild-geese-africa-congo-seychelles-age-cause-a9327641.html
02/22/2020: Obituary of Michael Hoare by Marcus Williamson in the Independent newspaper: Headlined: "'Mad' Mike Hoare: Mercenary and inspiration for the Wild Geese: He gained notoriety for his role in quelling an uprising in Congo but was later jailed after a failed coup attempt in the Seychelles: ... Hoare married Elizabeth Stott in 1945 and had three children. He subsequently married Phyllis Sims (died 2009), with whom he had two children. He is survived by his children."