David Boyle (diplomat)

In October 1914 he attempted to join the army, but was directed by the British government to return to Africa.

In 1916 he was made Acting District Commissioner in the Ashanti Region and by 1917 he was Assistant Colonial Secretary in Accra.

He returned to the UK later in 1917 and was briefly Private Secretary to Sir Everard im Thurn, before leaving the Colonial Office and joining the army; it was likely at this time that he was recruited by the Secret Intelligence Service.

In October 1919, Boyle was posted to the United States and then to Dublin in August 1920 as part of the Auxiliary Division, running the Police Adviser's Office.

In January 1921, he took over the running of Auxiliary Division's Special Branch in Dublin, but resigned in September of that year.