Ross Nolan is an agent with British Intelligence.
Exactly what department in the intelligence community he belongs to is not mentioned except to say that if was a "small but powerful branch of counter-intelligence" and Nolan answered directly to the Deputy Head, a man known as Jellicoe.
When we meet him for the first time, he has just been released from prison where he spent the previous three months doing hard labor, all to get close to an inmate they want information from. His dedication to Queen and Country is impressive, especially considering the fairly poor way he is treated by his boss for his sacrifice.
Nolan appears to be in his late 20s or very early 30s, good looking and described as a "alert, virile" man with "a kind of hard edge to him". He wears his dark hair reasonably short and is clean shaven. As would appear normal for the period of time, he is typically dressed in a suit and tie, even out in the field, which has to make being a man of action somewhat constricting.
We unfortunately learn next to nothing about Nolan except for that devotion to his job. Where he came from or how he got involved in the intelligence business are left unsaid. We do not know if he has a family or not, though considering his occupation and his willingness to go to prison to do it, that seems very unlikely.
Good Line:
- Apparently meant to be tough talk, Nolan is heard chastising a brute of a man who had just threatened him, "You bag of wind! You don't frighten me, punk! I've seen bigger guys than you weep!" [The exclamation points must have been important.]
- As Nolan and the brute just mentioned near each other to fight, Nolan orders, "Shut the face, Fatso!"