March 7, 2015

Finest Hour 158, Spring 2013

Page 4

Bomber Honours

In his article on Churchill and Sir Arthur Harris, head of RAF Bomber Command (FH 157:39), Christopher Sterling mentions the reluctance of the Air Ministry to single out bomber crews for medallic recognition.

In 2012 Sir John Holmes GCVO KBE CMG was asked by the British Government to conduct an independent Military Medal Review. Based on his findings it was announced that holders of the Air Crew Europe Star who served under Harris were to receive a “Bomber Command” clasp to be worn with that medal. This was an overdue gesture acknowledging the few survivors’ selfless contribution to the war effort. This solution is in line with the procedure adopted towards “The Few,” who are entitled to wear a “Battle of Britain” clasp with their 1939-1945 Star.
NORMAN HURST, COULSDON, SURREY

Only There for the Beer

Patrizio Giangreco (FH 157:12) asks if Churchill ever drank beer. WSC answers this question in the opening paragraph of chapter XXV of My Early Life, “The Relief of Ladysmith”: “We lived in great comfort in the open air, with cool nights and bright sunshine, with plenty of meat, chickens and beer.”
MIKE GROVES, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

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Napoleon, Hohenlinden

FH 157 was excellent as always. I especially enjoyed the comparisons of Churchill and Napoleon. I wonder if part of Churchill’s interest in Napoleon was not only in Napoleon as a “man of action,” but in the Emperor’s tremendous work ethic? Both of them were prodigious workers—to an extent which leaves us mere mortals gasping.

May I note a mild erratum in Allen Packwood’s piece? Hohenlinden was not a Napoleonic battle.  The French general was Moreau. Admittedly, Napoleon ordered Moreau into action, but the campaign was really Moreau’s.
JONATHAN HAYES, CORVALLIS, ORE.

Dieppe

Again on the 1942 Dieppe Raid (FH 154):  One of the raid’s architects was Captain (later Vice Admiral) John Hughes-Hallett, a good friend of mine in the 1960s. I saw him regularly until his death in 1972.

It is true that the raid caused a lot of suffering but my friend said that Dieppe did have three long-term benefits: First, it showed just how difficult a cross-Channel invasion was going to be. The Americans and Russians were pressing for a quick invasion but Churchill (still haunted by the 1915 Gallipoli disaster) would not be rushed. The raid vindicated his caution.

Second, Dieppe showed that an invasion relying mainly on surprise would not be enough. The Allies would need to be fully and heavily equipped, even with their own “harbours”—the Churchill-inspired “Mulberries,” which Admiral Hughes-Hallet highly credited.

Third, when D-Day did eventually take place in June 1944, Hitler was slow to send his forces to the invasion site because he was suspicious that Churchill was up to the old trick of creating a diversion. Hitler expected the attack to be at the more obvious location around Calais/Dieppe. Valuable time was gained for the Allies by Hitler’s delay.
DR. KEITH SUTER, SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA

The Churchill Companion

In the Timeline section, Clementine Churchill died in 1977 not 1974. In the Family Tree section, my sister Lucy married in 2007 and I married Mary Brown Brewer in 2005. Diana, Sarah, Randolph and Marigold are second generation and should be in capitals.

Apologies, I have an editor’s eye—I do it in newspapers and books as well!
DUNCAN SANDYS, VIA EMAIL

Editor’s response: Not to mention that we have Mary marrying in 1946! Corrections are appreciated. We’ll take care of these and other errata in the second edition. (If there is one.)