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9 ‘As Bad As Ever’: May to October 1942
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2009
Extract
Thursday 28 May 1942 The Labour Party has been airing its views at its conference in London during the last two days — it stands for the usual things and its speakers bawl out the usual platitudes. In the old days one did not bother much about what was said at Labour conferences, but nowadays one realises that all this claptrap has a bigger and bigger following of people — unthinking people, I think. The left wing intelligentsia always strike me as the most unthinking of men: their theories are all based on the old worn out, futile, untrue assumption of equality — all men may be equal in the eyes of God, but He never made all men equal to the tasks which they are set. To institute a new order of society on the basis of equality is doomed to failure — because it implies bringing men down to the level of the least fit among them to cope with the problems of life. In such a society progress in the true sense of the word would, I am certain, be impossible — unless, indeed, it were possible to change all the human instincts. Is it likely that a man would give of his best if he were to gain no reward for his efforts? Would not the natural instinct of each one of us be to sit back and do as little as possible, if he knew that he would be kept by the State?
Friday 29 May I went to a Boys Club near Byker Bridge and afterwards went on the Byker and Heaton Conservative Working Men's Club. Everyone there was very civil to me and I drank a lot of beer — I also spoke for about five minutes which I gathered was as much as they wanted. Several men came and talked to me, asking questions — clearly the Russian complex has taken possession of some of them — it is odd how quickly propaganda has an effect upon the crowd - one might think that Russia was of more importance to us than our own country.
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References
1 The sinking of four Japanese aircraft carriers in the Battle of Midway was a turning point in the Pacific theatre.
2 Alec Douglas-Home, styled Lord Dunglass 1918–51 (q.v.).
3 (Harold) Malcolm Bullock (1890–1966), Con. M.P. Waterloo 1923–50, Crosby 1950–53; Chairman, Political Educ. Ctte, N.W. Area 1935–45; Chairman, N.W. Area 1936–37; cr. Bart. 1954; married 1919 Oliver Stanley's sister, Victoria, who died in a riding accident in Nov. 1927.
4 translation: joy of living, i.e. vitality.
5 Maureen Stanley was the daughter of the 7th Marquess of Londonderry.
6 Roger John Brownlow Keyes (1872–1945), naval career; Commodore, Submarine Service 1910–15; Chief of Staff., Med. 1915–16, Grand Fleet 1916–17; Dir. of Plans 1917: commanded Dover Patrol 1918–19, Battle Cruiser Squadron 1919–21; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1921–25; C. in C. Med. 1925–28, Portsmouth 1929–31; Dir. Combined Operations 1940–41; Con. M.P. Portsmouth N. 1934–43; cr. Bart. 1919, Baron Keyes 1943.
7 Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery in battle.
8 Andrew Browne Cunningham (1883–1963), naval career; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1938–39; C. in C. Med. 1939–42, 1942–43; Head of Admiralty Delegation in Washington 1942; 1st Sea Lord 1943–46; cr. Bart. 1942, Baron Cunningham of Kirkhope 1945, Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope 1946.
9 Neil Methuen Ritchie (1897–1983), army career; G.O.C. 51st Div. 1940–41; Dep. Chief of Staff, Middle East 1941; G.O.C. 8th Army, 1941–42, 52nd Div. 1942–43, 12th Corps 1944–45; C. in C. Scotland 1945–47, Far East Land Forces 1947–49; Commander, British Army Staff in Washington 1950–51; kt. 1945.
10 The north-west frontier of India; much of the British Army was stationed here in peacetime, mainly involved in small-scale policing operations.
11 John Sydney Wardlaw-Milne (1879–1967), Con. M.P. Kidderminster 1922–45; Chairman, Select Ctte. on Nat. Expenditure 1939–45; Chairman, Con. Party India Ctte. 1930–35, & Foreign Affairs Ctte. 1939–45; kt. 1932.
12 James Stuart, Conservative Chief Whip.
13 Henry William Frederick Albert (1900–1974), styled Prince Henry 1900–28, cr. Duke of Gloucester 1928; Chief Liaison Officer, B.E.F. 1939–40, Home Forces 1940–41; third son of King George V.
14 Arthur Vesey Meade (1873–1953), styled Lord Gilford 1873–1907, suc. 5th Earl of Clanwilliam 1907.
15 Organized criminal gangs.
16 Hugh Algernon Percy (1914–1988), Lord in Waiting May–July 1945; Lord Steward of the Household 1973–88; member of Northumberland County Council 1944–55, Alderman 1955–67; Ld. Lt. Northumberland 1956–84; Pres., North of England Shipowners' Assoc. 1952–78; styled Lord Hugh Percy 1914–10, suc. 10th Duke of Northumberland 1940, K.G. 1959.
17 Walter, 8th Duke of Buccleuch (q.v.)
18 Godfrey Walter Phillimore (1879–1947), suc. 2nd Baron Phillimore 1929.
19 Arthur Bryant (1899–1985), author of popular historical works; Lecturer in History, Oxford Univ. Delegacy for Extra-Mural Studies 1925–36; columnist, Illustrated London News 1936–1985Google Scholar; lecturer at Bonar Law Memorial College, Ashridge 1930–39; Chairman, Ashridge Council 1949–49; Chairman, Society of Authors 1949–53; kt. 1954.
20 translation: without.
21 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1948), Indian nationalist, leading figure in Congress movement from 1915; attended Round Table Conference 1931; imprisoned 1922, 1930, 1933, 1942–45; called ‘Mahatma’ (great soul) by Hindu folowers; assassinated by Hindu fanatic after supporting partition, 30 Jan. 1948.
22 The Secretary of State for India.
23 Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964), Indian nationalist; Pres, of Congress from 1929; P.M. & For. Min. of India 1947–64.
24 The Emporer of Japan: Hirohito (1901–1989), 124th Emporer 1926–1989.
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26 Frederick Hugh Sykes (1877–1954), Con. M.P. Sheffield Hallam 1922–28, Nottingham Central 1940–45; army career, commanded Royal Flying Corps 1912– 14; Chief of Air Staff 1918–19; Chief of British Section, Paris Peace Conference 1919; Controller-Gen, of Civil Aviation 1919–22; Chairman, Govt. Broadcasting Bd. 1923–27; Gov. of Bombay 1928–33; Chairman, Miners' Welfare Commission 1934–36; Chairman of Council, Royal Empire Soc. 1938–41; kt. 1919.
27 Robert McGowan Barrington-Ward (1891–1948), ass. editor, Observer 1919–1927Google Scholar, The Times 1927–1941Google Scholar; editor of The Times 1941–1948.Google Scholar
28 Bernard Law Montgomery (1887–1976), army career; G.O.C. 8th Div. 1938–39, 3rd Div. 1939–40, 5th Corps 1940, 12th Corps 1941; C. in C. South-East Command 1942; G.O.C. 8th Army 1942–44; C. in C. British Group of Armies & Allied Armies, N. France 1944, 21st Army Group 1944–45; British Commander, Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe 1944-46; C.I.G.S. 1946–48; Chairman, Western European Cs. in C. Ctte. 1948–51; Dep. S.A.C. Europe 1951–58; kt. 1942, cr. Viscount Montgomery of Alamein 1946, K.G. 1946.
29 Herbert Lumsden (1897–1945), army career; G.O.C. 10th Corps (8th Army) 1942–43; special rep. with Gen. MacArthur, S.A.C. South West Pacific 1943–5.
30 William Henry Ewart Gott (1897–1942), army career; G.O.C. 7th Armoured Div. in N. Africa offensive 1941, 10th Corps (8th Army)1942; selected to command 8th Army but shot down and killed whilst returning to Cairo on 7 Aug. 1942.
31 Cranborne had been Conservative leader in the Lords since 22 Feb. 1942.
32 Geoffrey Cust Faber (1889–1961), author and publisher; Chairman, Faber & Gwyer Ltd. 1923–27, Faber & Faber Ltd. 1927–61; Chairman, Publishers Assoc. 1939–41, Nat. Book League 1945–47; kt. 1954.
33 Gwilym Lloyd George (1894–1967), Lib. M.P. Pembroke 1922–24, 1929–50, Nat. Lib. & Con. M.P. Newcastle N. 1951–57; P.S. Trade 1931, 1939–41; P.S. Food 1940–42; Min. of Fuel & Power 1942–45; Min. of Food 1951–54; Home Sec. 1954–57; cr. Viscount Tenby 1957.
34 William Denis Kendall (1903–1995), Ind. M.P. Grantham 1942–50, Lib. cand. Grantham 1951; Dir. of Manufacturing, Citroen Motor Company, Paris 1929–38; Managing-Director, British Manufacture & Research Co., Grantham 1938–45; Pres., American M.A.R.C. 1955–61, Dynapower Systems, California 1961–73, Kendall Medical International, California 1973–82.
35 Ivor Miles Windsor-dive (1889–1943), Con. M.P. Ludlow 1922–23; Chief Whip in the Lords 1925–29; U.S. Dominions 1929; P.S. Transport 1931–32; U.S. Colonies 1932–36; U.S. For. Office 1936–39; Ld. Lt. Glamorgan 1923–43; styled Viscount Windsor 1908–23, sue. 2nd Earl of Plymouth 1923.
36 Robert Clive Bridgeman (1896–1982), army career 1914–37; Dep. Dir., Home Guard 1941; Dir.-Gen., Home Guard & Territorial Army 1941–44; Dep. Adjutant-Gen. 1944–45; Alderman, Shropshire County Council 1951–74; suc. 2nd Viscount Bridgeman 1935.
37 Charles Stuart Taylor (1910–1989), Con. M.P. Eastbourne 1935–74; kt. 1954.
38 translation: cards.