May 21, 2013

Finest Hour 147, Summer 2010

Page 4

Despatch Box


Reversing Karsh

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I wonder if you noticed anything unusual about the picture of Churchill on the Bletchley cover featured on page 6 of FH 145. It appears to be the famous Karsh photo—reversed. It was, perhaps, purposely done so that both Churchill and Ike face the center. Should we conclude that the designer wanted to place WSC to the left of Ike? Thanks for another great issue.
ROB STETSON, NEWTOWN, PENNA.

Sharp pick-up. Poor Karsh. Nothing is safe from the “flip horizontal” command. We use it here, but don’t spread this around. —Ed.

Interned in Ireland

Warren Kimball (“That Neutral Island,” FH 145:54) mistakenly wrote: “Allied airmen who crashed in Ireland were not interned, as required by neutrality, but sent to Northern Ireland.” In fact all Allied airmen downed in Ireland during WW2 were routinely interned and held in Curragh Camp, as were German aircrew. However, when it became obvious in 1943 which side would win, Irish policy changed, and from then on, grounded Allied airmen were allowed to return to Britain.
SIDNEY ALLINSON, VANCOUVER, B.C.

Warren Kimball replies: I thank Mr. Allison for the correction, which I’m sure is more precise than my wording. However, my point was to illustrate that, both before and after 1943, the Irish Republic cooperated with the UK outside the strict confines of legal neutrality. What did happen to German aircrew interned at Curragh?

Appreciations

Finest Hour 146 was one of the best issues I have read in a long time. I was just surprised to read Piers Brendon’s review of Max Hastings’ biography where he called Roy Jenkins’ Churchill biography overrated.
GILBERT MICHAUD, QUEBEC, P.Q.

FH 146 is especially spiffy. All of the photos and layouts are outstanding. We have always been fans but this issue seemed to kick up a few more notches. Thanks for the hard work producing such an incredible publication on behalf of the Centre.
PHILIP & SUSAN LARSON, CHICAGO, ILL.

Beryl Murray

Thank you so much from all my family for including the note about my mother Beryl and for reprinting Sir Anthony Montague Browne’s review of my dad’s book, I Was Churchill’s Bodyguard. You certainly abstracted the best of my letter to produce an obituary I was proud of. I really think that Mum knew more about Sir Winston than Dad did, and in addition she was usually right. Sir Anthony was very fair in his review, saying how Dad really did care deeply for Sir Winston and in WSC’s last years they became good friends. Dad was absolutely loyal to Sir Winston and there is no doubt that he would have given his life to protect him.

It is always a pleasure to read Finest Hour, we are all indebted to you for the work that you do to preserve the Great Man’s principles. We now have a UK coalition for the first time since 1945 and as a result, once again Sir Winston has been in the news. I really think that it may work.
BILL MURRAY, DARTMOOR, UK

Thanks for the kind words. We would have run more of your letter but suddenly needed room following the sudden death of grandson Winston. Sir Anthony and your Dad both were totally devoted to the boss, and both knew this of each other. As to the new coalition, Paul Addison reminds us (overleaf ) that WSC offered a coalition to the Liberals in 1951, complete with a cabinet ministry, but Clement Davies (his party holding just six seats) turned it down! —Ed.

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