Staring at God

by Simon Heffer

  172. Ibid., col. 469.

  173. Ibid., col. 470.

  174. Ibid., col. 489.

  175. Ibid., col. 493.

  176. Ibid., col. 496.

  177. See Heffer, AD, p. 707ff. Mrs Despard was Viscount French’s sister.

  178. The Times, 30 March 1917, p. 3.

  179. Hansard, Vol. 92 col. 1549.

  180. Ibid., Vol. 94 col. 1827.

  181. Ibid., col. 1648.

  182. NA: CAB 23/1: Minutes of meeting 73 of the War Cabinet, 19 February 1917.

  183. Hansard, Vol. 91 col. 425.

  184. Ibid., col. 455.

  185. Ibid., col. 456.

  186. Ibid., col. 458.

  187. Ibid., col. 459.

  188. Ibid., col. 461.

  189. Ibid., col. 474.

  190. Ibid., col. 476.

  191. Ibid., col. 477.

  192. Ibid., cols 478–79.

  193. Ibid., Vol. 91 col. 481.

  194. The Times, 9 March 1917, p. 6.

  195. Judd, p. 134.

  196. Ibid., p. 135.

  197. Crewe Papers: Letter from Asquith to Crewe, 28 May 1917.

  198. Stevenson F., p. 156.

  199. Ibid., p. 155.

  200. NA: CAB 23/2: Minutes of meeting 120 of the War Cabinet, 16 April 1917.

  201. The Times, 17 March 1917, p. 3.

  202. RA PS/PSO/GV/C/O/1106/13.

  203. Scott, p. 291.

  204. The Times, 18 May 1917, p. 7.

  205. Ibid., 19 May 1917, p. 7.

  206. Midleton, p. 235.

  207. Hansard, Vol. 94 col. 619.

  208. Ibid., col. 1385.

  209. Hansard, Vol. 94 col. 1608.

  210. Townshend I, p. 331.

  211. Midleton, p. 235.

  212. Ibid., pp. 238–39.

  213. Hankey, II, p. 692.

  214. Hansard (Lords), Vol. 26 col. 1021.

  215. Ibid., col. 1022.

  216. NA: CAB 23/3: Minutes of meeting 186 of the War Cabinet, 14 July 1917.

  217. Townshend I, p. 333.

  218. NA: CAB 23/4: Minutes of meeting 249 of the War Cabinet, 15 October 1917.

  219. NA: CAB 23/4: Minutes of meeting 242 of the War Cabinet, 1 October 1917.

  220. NA: CAB 23/4: Minutes of meeting 245 of the War Cabinet, 4 October 1917.

  Chapter 10: Escape

  1. The Times, 28 July 1917, p. 3; 3 August 1917, p. 3.

  2. Ibid., 15 September 1917, p. 5.

  3. Ibid.

  4. Ibid., 11 February 1918, p. 2.

  5. Russell, II, p. 34.

  6. Ibid., p. 35.

  7. Hankey, II, p. 740.

  8. Robertson, I, pp. 314–15.

  9. Gilbert, IV(C), I, p. 204.

  10. Callwell, II, p. 47.

  11. Haig, p. 271.

  12. Riddell, p. 299.

  13. Hansard, Vol. 101 col. 58.

  14. Ibid., col. 64.

  15. Ibid., col. 90.

  16. Ibid., col. 92.

  17. Ibid., col. 508W.

  18. The Times, 19 January 1918, p. 7.

  19. Hansard, Vol. 101 cols 62–63.

  20. Stevenson I, p. 39.

  21. Gilbert, IV(C), I, p. 233.

  22. Scott, p. 323.

  23. Esher Papers: ESHR 2/14, diary entry for 23 May 1915.

  24. Scott., pp. 324–25.

  25. Elizabeth Greenhalgh, ‘David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau and the 1918 Manpower Crisis’, The Historical Journal, Vol. 50 No. 2, p. 401.

  26. DeGroot I, p. 356.

  27. Maurice, p. 64.

  28. Amery, p. 199.

  29. Maurice, p. 66.

  30. Amery, p. 201.

  31. NA: CAB 23/5: Minutes of meeting 340 of the War Cabinet, 7 February 1918.

  32. The Times, 4 March 1918, p. 3.

  33. Ibid., 11 March 1918, p. 5.

  34. The Times Literary Supplement, 21 June 1917, p. 299.

  35. The Times, 23 October 1917, p. 11.

  36. Short, p. 161.

  37. The Times, 6 March 1918, p. 7.

  38. Stevenson I, p. 467.

  39. Ibid., p. 386.

  40. Hansard, Vol. 105 col. 691.

  41. Ibid., col. 696.

  42. Ibid., col. 698.

  43. Ibid., col. 699.

  44. Ibid., col. 708.

  45. Ibid., col. 716.

  46. Repington, II, p. 149.

  47. Thompson I, p. 296.

  48. Ibid.

  49. NP: BL MS 62156.

  50. Repington, II, p. 187.

  51. The Times, 23 January 1918, p. 7.

  52. Esher Papers: ESHR 2/21, diary entry for 4 February 1918.

  53. Elizabeth Greenhalgh, op. cit., p. 402; NA: CAB 23/5: Minutes of meeting 342 of the War Cabinet, 11 February 1918.

  54. The Times, 22 January 1918, p. 7.

  55. Thompson II, p. 182.

  56. PA: LG/F/29/2/6.

  57. PA: LG/F/29/2/7.

  58. Asquith Papers: MS.Eng.d.3216, entry for 7 February 1918.

  59. Scott, p. 336.

  60. Hansard (Lords), Vol. 29 col. 277.

  61. Ibid., col. 34.

  62. Hansard, Vol. 103 col. 655.

  63. Ibid., col. 656.

  64. Ibid., col. 657.

  65. Ibid., col. 659.

  66. Ibid., col. 671.

  67. Amery, p. 208.

  68. PA: BBK/C/79.

  69. Searle, p. 322.

  70. Petrie, II, p. 108.

  71. Hansard, Vol. 104 col. 42.

  72. Ibid., col. 83.

  73. Ibid., col. 84.

  74. Ibid., col. 87.

  75. Ibid., col. 103.

  76. Ibid., col. 124.

  77. Fox, p. 88.

  78. Thompson II, p. 180.

  79. Repington, II, p. 197.

  80. Ibid., p. 228.

  81. Ibid., p. 231.

  82. The Times, 31 July 1918, p. 3.

  83. Hynes, p. 226.

  84. The Times, 30 May 1918, p. 4.

  85. NA: CAB 23/6: Minutes of meeting 425 of the War Cabinet, 4 June 1918.

  86. PA: BL/83/4/19.

  87. NA: CAB 23/7: Minutes of meeting 444 of the War Cabinet, 11 July 1918.

  88. Ibid.

  89. Repington, II, p. 193.

  90. Haig, p. 282.

  91. Maurice, p. 69.

  92. Ibid., p. 52.

  93. Ibid., p. 53.

  94. Wilson, p. 254.

  95. Ibid., p. 255.

  96. Haig, p. 284.

  97. Churchill R., p. 319.

  98. Haig, p. 285.

  99. Churchill R., pp. 323–24.

  100. Nicolson II, p. 321.

  101. RA GV/PRIV/GVD/1918: 13 February.

  102. Robertson, I, p. 235.

  103. Hansard, Vol. 103 col. 17.

  104. Ibid., col. 19.

  105. Ibid., col. 20.

  106. Ibid., col. 26.

  107. Ibid., col. 29.

  108. Ibid., col. 30.

  109. Ibid., col. 40.

  110. Wilson, p. 256.

  111. Stevenson I, p. 493.

  112. Robertson, I, p. 237.

  113. RA GV/PRIV/GVD/1918: 16 February.

  114. Haig, p. 285.

  115. Ibid., p. 286.

  116. Ibid., p. 286.

  117. Ibid., p. 287.

  118. Taylor, p. 100.

  119. Hansard, Vol. 103 col. 474.

  120. Haig, p. 287.

  121. PA: BL 84/7/3.

  122. Hankey, II, p. 779.

  123. Robertson, I, p. 237.

  124. Maurice, p. 73.

  125. Hansard, Vol. 104 col. 485.

  126. Maurice, p. 74.

  127. Ibid., p. 75

  128. Haig, p. 292.

  129. DeGroot I, p. 368.

  130. Stevenson I, p. 55.

  131. Repington, II, p. 254.

  132. Maurice, p. 24.

  133. Callwell, II, p. 73.

  134. Hansard, Vol. 104 col. 1293.

  135. Hankey, II, p. 785. />
  136. NA: CAB 23/5: Minutes of meeting 371 of the War Cabinet, 23 March 1918.

  137. Riddell, p. 320.

  138. Maurice, p. 25.

  139. Robert K. Hanks, ‘Georges Clemenceau and the English’, Historical Journal, Vol. 45, p. 73.

  140. Wells, JP, p. 694.

  141. Maurice, p. 77.

  142. Gilbert, IV(C), I, p. 273.

  143. Ibid., p. 274.

  144. Hankey, II, p. 786.

  145. Riddell, p. 320.

  146. The Times, 25 March 1918, p. 9.

  147. NA: CAB 23/5: Minutes of meeting 374 of the War Cabinet, 27 March 1918.

  148. NA: CAB 23/5: Minutes of meeting 375 of the War Cabinet, 27 March 1918.

  149. The Times, 3 May 1918, p. 3.

  150. Gilbert, IV(C), I, p. 277.

  151. Stevenson I, p. 382.

  152. Ibid., p. 383.

  153. Hankey, II, p. 787.

  154. AP, p. 231.

  155. Sommer, pp. 356–57.

  156. Alan J. Ward, ‘Lloyd George and Irish Conscription’, The Historical Journal, Vol. 17 No. 1, p. 109.

  157. AP, p. 232; Alan J. Ward, op. cit., p. 110.

  158. Plunkett Papers: Diary, 9 April 1918.

  159. Midleton, p. 244.

  160. NA: CAB 23/6: Minutes of meeting 388 of the War Cabinet, 10 April 1918.

  161. NA: CAB 23/6: Minutes of meeting 389 of the War Cabinet, 11 April 1918.

  162. Hansard, Vol. 104 col. 1357.

  163. Ibid., col. 1358.

  164. Ibid., cols 1361–62.

  165. Roskill, I, p. 522.

  166. Hansard, Vol. 104 col. 1367.

  167. Ibid., col. 1378.

  168. Ibid., cols 1378–79.

  169. Ibid., col. 1405.

  170. Ibid., col. 1406.

  171. Ibid., col. 1407.

  172. Ibid., col. 1528.

  173. Ibid., col. 1527.

  174. Ibid., col. 1538.

  175. Ibid., col. 1541.

  176. Repington, II, p. 272.

  177. Plunkett Papers: Diary, 17 April 1918.

  178. Alan J. Ward, op. cit., p. 117.

  179. NA: CAB 23/6: Minutes of meeting 397 of the War Cabinet, 23 April 1918.

  180. Riddell, p. 311.

  181. Plunkett Papers: Diary, 11 January 1918.

  182. Ibid., 15 February 1918.

  183. The Times, 25 February 1918, p. 9; NA: CAB 23/5: Minutes of meeting 353 of the War Cabinet, 25 February 1918.

  184. NA: CAB 23/5: Minutes of meeting 354 of the War Cabinet, 26 February 1918.

  185. Hansard (Lords), Vol. 29 col. 369.

  186. Ibid., col. 377.

  187. Ibid., col. 378.

  188. See Heffer, AD, p. 270ff.

  189. Townshend II, p. 30.

  190. Scott, p. 342.

  191. Ibid., p. 344.

  192. Riddell, p. 325.

  193. Townshend II, p. 339.

  194. Sir Horace Plunkett, by contrast, sought to persuade the Irish to join the American army: Plunkett Papers: Diary, 18 August 1918.

  195. PA: BL 83/4/21.

  196. Plunkett Papers: Diary, 23 August 1918.

  197. Sommer, p. 358.

  198. Midleton, p. 252.

  199. Hammond, pp. 241–42.

  200. Ibid., p. 240.

  201. The Times, 25 May 1918, p. 7.

  202. Hansard (Lords), Vol. 30 col. 329.

  203. Esher Papers: ESHR 2/21, diary entry for 15 May 1918. Torres Vedras were the fortifications Wellington prepared in Portugal and that prevented the British Army from being defeated in the Peninsular War.

  204. Hansard (Lords), Vol. 30 col. 297.

  205. Hansard, Vol. 107 col. 906.

  206. Ibid., col. 909.

  207. Ibid., col. 911.

  208. Ibid., col. 912.

  209. Ibid., col. 913.

  210. Ibid., col. 924.

  211. The Times, 27 June 1918, p. 7, p. 10.

  212. Hansard, Vol. 107 col. 934.

  213. Ibid., col. 956.

  214. Ibid., col. 960.

  215. Ibid., col. 962.

  216. Ibid., col. 1214.

  217. Ibid., col. 606.

  218. Ibid., Vol. 109 col. 94.

  219. Ibid., col. 96.

  220. Ibid., col. 103.

  221. Ibid., col. 104.

  222. Haig, p. 300.

  223. Ibid., p. 301.

  224. For background on Gough, see Heffer, AD, pp. 810–14.

  225. Haig, p. 301.

  226. Esher Papers: ESHR 2/21, diary entry for 11 April 1918.

  227. RA GV/PRIV/GVD/1918: 13 April.

  228. PA: BL 97/2/11.

  229. Esher Papers: ESHR 2/21, diary entry for 12 April 1918.

  230. The Times, 18 June 1918, p. 3.

  231. David R. Woodward, ‘Did Lloyd George Starve the British Army of Men Prior to the German Offensive of 21 March 1918?’ Historical Journal, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 241–42.

  232. Roskill, I, p. 522.

  233. Hansard, Vol. 104 col. 1337.

  234. Ibid., col. 1338.

  235. Ibid., col. 1354.

  236. Ibid., col. 1477.

  237. Ibid., col. 1629.

  238. AP, p. 237.

  239. Wilson, p. 266.

  240. Maurice, p. 31.

  241. PA: LG/F/29/2/14.

  242. Petrie, II, p. 118.

  243. Ibid., p. 117.

  244. Hansard, Vol. 105 cols 851–52.

  245. Maurice, p. 36.

  246. Ibid., p. 60.

  247. Haig, p. 308.

  248. Amery, p. 219.

  249. Maurice, pp. 97–98.

  250. Wilson, p. 276.

  251. Maurice, p. 4.

  252. Ibid., p. 5.

  253. Ibid., p. 6.

  254. Ibid., p. 9.

  255. S&A, II, p. 303.

  256. Hansard, Vol. 105 col. 1983.

  257. Hankey, II, p. 798.

  258. Maurice, p. 236.

  259. Roskill, I, p. 541.

  260. Asquith Papers: MS.Eng.d.3216, diary entry for 9 May 1918.

  261. Hansard, Vol. 105 col. 2349.

  262. Ibid., col. 2353.

  263. Ibid., col. 2354.

  264. Ibid., cols 2355–56.

  265. Ibid., col. 2357.

  266. Ibid., col. 2359.

  267. Ibid., col. 2360.

  268. Ibid., col. 2362.

  269. Ibid., col. 2373.

  270. Ibid., col. 2374.

  271. Grigg II, p. 508.

  272. Esher Papers: ESHR 2/21, diary entry for 13 May 1918.

  273. The Times, 11 May 1918, p. 7.

  274. Maurice, p. 107.

  275. Ibid., p. 145.

  276. Heffer, AD, p. 573ff.

  277. Maurice, p. 111.

  278. Ibid., p. 172.

  279. Amery, p. 227.

  280. Gilbert, IV(C), I, p. 361.

  281. The Times, 27 July 1918, p. 7.

  282. Ibid.

  283. NA: CAB 23/7, Minutes of meeting 449 of the War Cabinet, 19 July 1918.

  284. See Heffer, AD, p. 662ff.

  285. NA: CAB 23/7: Minutes of meeting 460 of the War Cabinet, 16 August 1918.

  286. Roskill, I, p. 595.

  287. Hankey Papers: HNKY 1/5, entry for 30 August 1918.

  288. The Times, 31 August 1918, p. 6.

  289. Hansard, Vol. 107 cols 538–39.

  290. Ibid., col. 539.

  291. Ibid., col. 540.

  292. Ibid., col. 541.

  293. Ibid., col. 569.

  294. Ibid., col. 576.

  Chapter 11: Armistice

  1. The Times, 5 August 1918, p. 4.

  2. Ibid., 3 August 1918, p. 3.

  3. Hansard, Vol. 109 col. 1412.

  4. Ibid., col. 1429.

  5. Ibid., col. 1430.

  6. Ibid., col. 1431.

  7. Ibid., col. 1456.

  8. Samuel, p. 127.

  9. Haig, p. 326.

  10. Gilbert, IV(C), I, p. 367(n).

  11. Hankey Papers
: HNKY 1/5, entry for 23 July 1918.

  12. Haig, p. 326.

  13. Stevenson I, p. 245.

  14. Taylor I, p. 110.

  15. Hankey, II, p. 854.

  16. Ibid., p. 856.

  17. Ibid., p. 857.

  18. Ibid., p. 862.

  19. Haig, p. 338.

  20. The Times, 9 November 1918, p. 6.

  21. Haig, p. 339.

  22. Ibid., p. 337.

  23. Thompson II, p. 215.

  24. The Times, 23 July 1918, p. 7.

  25. Riddell, p. 349.

  26. The Times, 20 August 1918, p. 7.

  27. Hansard, Vol. 110 col. 814.

  28. Ibid., col. 851.

  29. The Times, 13 September 1918, p. 8.

  30. Grigg II, p. 577.

  31. Thompson II, pp. 208–9.

  32. Riddell, p. 366.

  33. Sommer, p. 352.

  34. See Roy Douglas, ‘The Background to the “Coupon” Election Arrangements’, English Historical Review, Vol. 86 No. 339, p. 321.

  35. Sommer, p. 330.

  36. Riddell, p. 353.

  37. Ibid., p. 365.

  38. Hansard, Vol. 110 col. 80.

  39. Ibid., col. 81.

  40. Ibid., col. 82.

  41. Ibid., col. 87.

  42. Ibid., col. 91.

  43. J. M. McEwen, ‘Lloyd George’s Acquisition of the Daily Chronicle in 1918’, Journal of British Studies, Vol. 22 No. 1, p. 131.

  44. Hansard, Vol. 110 col. 2350.

  45. Ibid., col. 2351.

  46. Ibid., col. 2352.

  47. Ibid., col. 2364.

  48. Hammond, p. 246.

  49. RA GV/PRIV/GVD/1918: 5 November.

  50. Hansard (Lords), Vol. 22 col. 655.

  51. Ibid., col. 676.

  52. Ibid., col. 657.

  53. Ibid., col. 660.

  54. Ibid., col. 671.

  55. Hansard, Vol. 104 col. 388.

  56. Ibid., cols 391–92.

  57. Ibid., col. 396.

  58. Ibid., cols 399–400.

  59. Ibid., col. 339.

  60. Ibid., col. 342.

  61. Ibid., col. 347.

  62. Wells, JP, p. 212.

  63. Hansard, Vol. 110 col. 1119.

  64. Ibid., col. 1140.

  65. Ibid., col. 1156.

  66. Ibid., col. 1167.

  67. Ibid., col. 1169.

  68. Ibid., col. 1174.

  69. Postgate, p. 167.

  70. The Times, 26 September 1918, p. 6.

  71. NA: CAB 23/8: Minutes of meeting 490 of the War Cabinet, 24 October 1918.

  72. The Times, 28 September 1918, p. 3.

  73. Ibid., 27 June 1918, p. 7.

  74. Ibid., 2 July 1918, p. 3.

  75. Ibid., 15 July 1918, p. 9.

  76. Hansard, Vol. 108 col. 1813.

  77. The Times, 17 October 1918, p. 3.

  78. Ibid., 19 October 1918, p. 3; 23 October 1918, p. 3.

  79. Ibid., 22 October 1918, p. 3.

  80. Ibid., 23 October 1918, p. 7.

  81. Bilton, p. 108.

  82. Hansard, Vol. 110 col. 1465.

  83. Asquith C., p. 480.

  84. Webb, III, p. 315.

  85. Callwell, II, p. 148.