Chapman Pincher: dangerous to know

Harry Chapman Pincher is a legend among journalists.

As an investigative reporter, he struck terror into those trying to hide the murky secrets of state.

After early careers as a teacher, a scientist and a soldier, Chapman Pincher joined Lord Beaverbrook's then all-powerful Daily Express in the summer of 1945 - and quickly became the master of the journalistic scoop.

His first splash, a top-secret account of the development of the atomic bomb, sparked a furious transatlantic row.

It was only the start of a career in which his name became synonymous with high-level exclusives from the most secret corners of government.

When he finally retired from journalism, the leaks kept coming, leading to a series of bestselling books on the infiltration of Britain's intelligence services by Moscow, culminating in his allegation that the head of MI5 was in fact a Soviet spy.

Now in his one hundredth year, Chapman Pincher takes pen to paper to describe the extraordinary events he witnessed and the varied characters he encountered.

Colourful, indiscreet and compelling, this is the life of a true journalistic colossus and a revealing description of the century he bestrode.