Reginald Teague-Jones

In 1910, at the age of 21, he joined the Indian Police and was soon transferred to the (British) Indian government's Foreign and Political Department, an organisation that had trained earlier players in the so-called Great Game, the clandestine struggle for influence in Central Asia between the Russian and British empires during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Here he became involved in intelligence work on the North West Frontier, undertaking missions in disguise and adding Persian to his knowledge of languages.

The war in the Middle East was now entering a critical stage with the collapse of Russian forces following the October Revolution and the creation of a power vacuum in the Caucasus.

Teague-Jones was now despatched on an intelligence-gathering mission to Transcaspia via the British garrison commanded by Wilfrid Malleson at Meshed to find out what resistance to the Turks could be expected.

Here he remained until the withdrawal of this force began early in 1919 As a result of his involvement in Transcaspian politics, his name became linked to the murder of the 26 Baku Commissars.

As Ronald Sinclair, he later served as Vice-Consul in New York from 1941 until his retirement shortly after the war, possibly in collaboration with the newly-formed Office of Strategic Services.

[4] It has been suggested[5] that his change of identity was intended either to protect him from Soviet vengeance for the death of the Baku commissars, or to provide cover for future intelligence operations.