Staring at God

by Simon Heffer

  Kiggell, General Sir Launcelot 560

  Kimmel Park camp, North Wales 806

  King, Joseph 81, 108, 191, 501

  King’s Lynn 162

  Kinnaird, Arthur Kinnaird, 11th Lord 152

  Kipling, Rudyard 77, 99, 106, 820

  Kirke, Colonel Walter 681, 709, 716

  Kirkwood, David 283, 808, 809

  Kitchener of Khartoum, Field Marshal Horatio Kitchener, 1st Earl: character 99, 194, 195, 198, 225; appointed Secretary of State for War 71, 83, 99, 100, 101, 116, 127; on committee for registering houses as hospitals 97; forbids Prince of Wales to fight 101, 184–5; his recruitment campaign 100, 128, 129, 142, 143, 152, 164, 203; disparages Territorials 130; addresses the Lords 130–31; and BEF’s shortage of manpower and ammunition 131–2, 139, 168; briefs Repington 132; clashes with Asquith over billets 141, 142; and alcohol consumption 143, 168; and Churchill 146, 147; points out vulnerability of east coast to invasion 149, 159–60; on Battle of Neuve Chapelle 167–8; renounces drink for the duration 170; on women labourers 176; ‘has created Love’ 178; attacked by Lloyd George 179–80; and Sir John French 181, 186–7; in War Council 182; and Churchill’s Dardanelles campaign 184, 186, 188, 189, 192, 201, 222, 231, 445, 509–10; displaced by Lloyd George in Munitions Committee 194–5, 199, 201, 202–3, 210, 233; and shell shortages 205, 220–21; and Unionists 222, 234; blamed by Lloyd George 234; brings the Lords up to date 238–9; puts up recruiting posters 239; bans photographers from front 415; attacked by Northcliffe 239–40, 241, 269, 657, 664; loses allies 240; and Mrs Asquith 244; 248; pleads for more recruits at rally 253; meets Joffre in Calais 273, 288; and conscription 273–4, 278, 279, 280, 290, 292, 294; sent to Dardanelles by Asquith 295; blamed for not sending troops as promised 295–6; recommends Haig to succeed French in command of BEF 299; marginalised and asks to resign 300; and Mesopotamia campaign 303; and Curzon 304, 483; clashes with Runciman and McKenna 308; returns from Near East 313; relationship with Lloyd George breaks down 314–15; tells Asquith Churchill has asked to be relieved of his command 322; and Irish papers 344; against prolonged offensive 407 death 397–8; succeeded by Lloyd George 399–403 passim

  Kitchlew, Dr Saifuddin 819

  Knoblock, Edward 263

  Knox, Lady 96–7

  Knutsford, Sydney Holland, 2nd Viscount 97

  Königen Luise 133

  Kühlmann, Richard von 567, 568

  Kut-al-Amara, Battle of (1916) 341, 444, 517

  Labour Party 35, 98, 101, 144, 163, 164, 238, 246, 269; pacifists 268, 286, 438, 472, 572, 574, 579, 586; and miners 270; and conscription 274, 285, 311, 312, 325, 328; and Lloyd George 316, 476, 478, 479, 493, 501, 523, 554, 778, 814; and industrial unrest 457, 813; and Churchill 517–18; calls for fair distribution of food, 541; new constitution drafted by Sidney Webb 578–9; and Russia 576, 577, 578, 585, 586, 592–3, 595, 749, 807, 708; adopts Memorandum of War Aims 584; calls for ‘Workers’ and Soldiers’ Councils 749; and postwar election 749, 764, 765, 766, 767, 772, 788, 809, 814; and postwar economy 763–4, 787; and demobilisation 786, 797; and German reparations 787; wants nationalisation 813; in government 79, 238, 345, 476; see also Hardie, James Keir; Henderson, Arthur; Independent Labour Party; Lansbury, George; MacDonald, James Ramsay

  Laird, Mary 282

  Lambert, George 674–5, 714

  Lambton, George 152–3

  Lancken, Baron von der 256

  land girls see Women’s Land Army

  Lang, Cosmo Gordon, Archbishop of Canterbury 66

  Lang, John 283

  Lansbury, George 213, 325, 572, 581, 587–8, 749, 807

  Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of 440; and Edward VII’s entente cordiale 31; convenes ‘council of war’ 64; relations with government 64–5, 71, 188, 195, 228; and Irish Home Rule 123, 378, 379, 385–6, 389; included in War Council 196; and conscription 222, 277, 288, 289; agrees to be joint leader of the Lords and minister without portfolio 237; gives statement in the Lords on Edith Cavell 257–8; and Asquith’s illness 293; announces a Ministry of Blockade 320; lobbied by Mrs Asquith not to support Lloyd George as Secretary of War 401; circulates letter arguing for a negotiated peace 440, 472; appalled by plotting in War Committee 462; attacked by Northcliffe press 466; reluctant to back Lloyd George 468, 469; does not serve in his government 487–8; publishes the ‘Lansdowne Letter’ 581–4; and release of conscientious objectors 805

  Lansdowne, Lady Maud Petty-Fitzmarice, Marchioness of (née Hamilton) 98

  Lauder, Harry 179

  Lavery, Sir John 110, 665

  Law, Andrew Bonar: on Franz Josef 7; and British support for France and Russia 31, 36, 64–5, 67, 71; and neutrality of Belgium 47; and Irish Home Rule 52–3, 123, 124, 125, 126, 378, 380, 390, 690, 692; praises Asquith and Grey 122; speaks in support of Asquith 155; relations with the government 188, 195, 228; included in War Council 196; advised by Gwynne 200; has misgivings about Lloyd George’s version of events 211; sees Sir John French’s correspondence with War Office 221; and conscription 222, 277, 280, 324–5; and Fisher’s resignation 223–4; relationship with Lloyd George 224; and Asquith’s agreement to coalition 224; on Unionists’ dislike of Churchill 225, 226, 231; and negotiations about coalition 225, 226; and shell shortage 225; accepts role of Secretary of State for the Colonies 231–2; and Max Aitken 232, 400; insists on dismissal of Haldane 236, 238; distrusts Kitchener 225, 240, 294; relationship with Northcliffe 241; and Carson 294, 312, 328; joins War Committee 296; and Curzon 314; Lloyd George on 323; warns General Wilson not to meddle regarding Asquith 324; and Lloyd George’s proposed resignation 327, 328; fights for survival as Unionist leader 328; offered post of secretary of war 400; and Lloyd George’s ‘new party’ 446; and Asquith 448, 457; and Churchill 457; threatens resignation 458, 466–7; and Lloyd George’s proposed war committee 458–62, 465, 466–9, 472, 473, 474; unable to form a government 474–5, 476; and Lloyd George’s government 476, 478, 479, 489–90; in his War Cabinet 482; represents him in parliament 482–3, 492; and Balfour 485; and Aitken’s peerage 488–9; and sequestration of profiteers 494; helps compile Beaverbrook’s account of Lloyd George’s coup 501; and exclusion of Churchill from War Cabinet 514–15, 516; and Derby 517; on examples of fraudulent military exemption 545; his inadequacies 560; and Haig’s strategy 561–2; and death of sons 563; and ‘Lansdowne Letter’ 583, 584; as Chancellor of the Exchequer 599, 601, 602, 655–6, 787; releases prisoners after Easter Rising 631–2; and Frederick Harris 668; presses Derby not to resign 677; and Haig 677–8; misleads Parliament 680–81; speaks on Military Service Bill 706; and Maurice’s letter 709, 710, 711, 713; and armistice terms 730; accepts proposed election 741; afraid of Bolshevism 760; and publication of his joint programme with Lloyd George 768; and Lloyd George’s election victory 773; in war cabinet with Chamberlain 789, 801–2; remains as Leader of the Commons 789; and demobilisation 803; at Versailles conference 824–5

  Lawrence, D. H. 265, 580; The Rainbow 265; Women in Love 265

  Lawson, Harry 135–6

  League of Honour 167

  League of Nations 213, 584, 664, 721, 735, 821

  Leckie, Captain Malcolm 418

  Lee of Fareham, Arthur Lee, 1st Viscount 170, 326, 327, 461, 528

  Lee, Lady Ruth (née Moore) 463, 476

  Leeds 102, 178, 203, 596, 717, 749; bantam battalions 178; Convention of Socialists 595–6

  Leeds Pals 101

  Leete, Alfred: Kitchener poster 152

  Leicester 524, 619

  Leicestershire 167

  Lemberg, Battle of (1914) 139

  Lenin, Vladimir I. 284, 534, 581, 807

  Leopold, Prince 115, 432

  Letchworth 751

  Leverhulme, William Lever, 1st Viscount 737. 738

  Lewis, Wyndham 264, 265

  Leyland (Frederick) & Company 657

  Liberal Party 9, 34–5, 37, 60, 64; pacifists 68, 70, 71, 72, 80, 98, 404, 579; and declaration of war 79–81, 82, 423; and Kitchener’s appointment 100; and Germans i
n Britain 108–9, 112; and conscription 132, 226, 269, 274, 276, 278, 280, 291, 293, 301, 305, 308, 312, 320, 330, 404; and the Press Bureau 134, 135, 191; and control of food prices 163, 338, 455, 528, 542; and alcohol 168, 169; and coalition 223, 226, 227, 229, 244, 765, 771, 805; and Churchill 229, 230, 240; and conscientious objectors 334, 404, 805; and Ireland 358, 378, 390, 427, 628, 694, 701; and Sidney Webb 579; and house-building 748; postwar 763, 765, 768, 772, 787; see also Asquith, Henry; Crewe, 1st Marquis of; King, Joseph; Lloyd George, David; Morrell, Philip; Pringle, William; Scott, C. P.

  Lichnowsky, Prince Karl Max, German ambassador to Britain 12–14, 15, 20, 25, 28, 29–30, 33, 36, 41, 42, 44, 48, 49, 50, 56, 58, 66, 67, 72, 79, 86

  Liège, Belgium 131

  Lille, France 132, 138

  Lion, HMS 138

  Lipton’s (tea merchants) 649

  literature 262–3, 264, 265, 446; see also poetry

  Liverpool 215, 218, 268, 317, 617, 752, 766, 781–2; dockers’ battalion 203; Lloyd George’s speech 246

  Liverpool, Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of 464

  Liverpool Pals 100

  Lloyd, Blanche 64, 66, 99, 295–6

  Lloyd, Frank 738

  Lloyd, George 64, 66, 296, 307

  Lloyd George, David 480; character traits 200, 212, 213, 227, 235, 480, 508, 511; and Boer War 35, 79; anti-war sentiments 35–6; and the economic situation 49, 54, 57, 61, 62, 79; threatens resignation 63, 67; and Asquith 68, 70, 71; changes his mind over fighting 70, 79, 85, 105; suggests formation of Propaganda Bureau 105–6; and the appearance of the £1 note 121; and Irish Home Rule 123, 124; gives histrionic speech 145; disgusted by Churchill 147; introduces his War Budget 157–9; his rapport with unions 166–7; anti-drink policies 168, 169–74, 211; argues for equal treatment of unmarried women 176; and Kitchener 179, 180, 199; in War Council 182–3, 186, 193; in charge of Munitions Committee 194; critical of Asquith 198; his views on the war 199; rumoured to be conspiring with Northcliffe against Asquith 199–200, 201; his relationship with Frances Stevenson 200; and Dardanelles campaign 201; clashes with Kitchener over munitions 201, 203; and McKenna 208; and Asquith’s Newcastle speech 210–11; and Northcliffe 211, 221, 227, 228, 239, 241, 287; receives Repington’s report on munitions situation 221; and Fisher’s resignation 223–4; and coalition 224, 225, 227, 229, 231, 235–6; and Churchill 230–31; as Minister of Munitions 231–2, 233–5, 246–8, 455; replaced as Chancellor by McKenna 236; suspected of conspiring against Asquith 244, 273; relations with the unions 247–8, 271, 272, 281–2, 283–4, 286, 316, 337; and Addison’s dire report 248–9; and female employment 274–5; in favour of conscription 277–8, 279, 280, 281, 288, 292, 293, 307, 312, 326, 327–8; disillusioned by Asquith 287–8, 291, 292, 294, 323; threatens to resign 288, 294, 307, 326; wants small War Cabinet 293; joins Asquith’s new War Committee 295, 299; Clementine Churchill’s view of 300; and Northcliffe 308, 312, 315, 325, 397; and Carson 312; clashes with Kitchener 314, 315; makes statement about arms supplies 315–17; urges improved air defences for London 318; disillusioned with conduct of the war 320, 323, 326; schemes against Asquith 326–7, 328; decides not to resign 328; and Ireland 358, 373, 376–92 passim, 397; and Kitchener’s death 397, 398–9; becomes war secretary 399, 400–3; and Battle of the Somme 412, 420, 421; writes letter for premiere of The Battle of the Somme 416; and Bertrand Russell 423, 424; and conscription in Ireland 427, 428; criticised by Esher 435–7, and Haig 437; gives United Press of America interview 436, 440; attacked in the press 437–8; wants Robertson out 438, 439, 450; moves towards coup against Asquith 446, 447–8, 450–51, 456, 457, 458–75 passim, 488; asked by the King to form a government 476–9, 481–3; his War Cabinet 483–6, 502; and Robertson and Haig 486–7, 491; offers Aitken a peerage 488–9; and growth of civil service 490; fails to attend Parliament 491, 500–1; and German peace overtures 491, 492; addresses Parliament for the first time as prime minister 492–6; takes over Propaganda Bureau 501; summons Imperial Conference of prime ministers 502; his war strategies 503; and Nivelle’s plan 503–6, 507, 555; clashes with Haig and Robertson 504–7; and Derby 508, 520–21, 545; and Dardanelles Commission report 508, 510; puts Geddes in charge of Admiralty 511, 512–13; brings Churchill back 513–16, 517–18; relations with Northcliffe 518–20; abuses honours system 521–3, 524; and food shortages 524–5, 526, 538, 529, 533–4, 538–9, 540–41, 543, 544; and Neville Chamberlain 545–6, 546, 547, 550–52; and manpower problems 547–8, 549, 550, 551; and postwar reconstruction 554; favours ‘Salonica’ strategy 314, 399, 438, 450, 487, 503, 555; and Robertson/Haig plan (Ypres) 556–7, 558, 559, 560, 561–2; wants to launch offensive in Italy 556, 557, 560–61; and Turkey 561; plans Supreme War Council 562, 564, 565, 566; hostile to Robertson 562–4, 565; berates Haig 564–5; gives Paris speech on dangers of Allied disunity 565, 566; holds Cambrai ‘failure’ against Haig and Robertson 567; meets French prime minister 567; and growing cynicism 576; and Henderson and the Labour Party 576–8; and Lansdowne’s letter 583, 584; makes speech on war aims to the unions 584–5; and the Tsar’s request for asylum 587, 588, 589, 590; warned of the effects of the Russian Revolution 587, 593; and industrial unrest 592, 593, 594–5, 654; and public spending 601, 602; and air raids on London 608, 609–10; and national health insurance 620; appoints Barnes responsible for care of disabled soldiers 621; and suffrage 622, 623–4; and the Irish question 626–7, 628–9, 630–31, 633, 636; dishonest over troop numbers 642–3, 658; speaks to trades unionists 645; and Sir Henry Wilson 646; enraged by the generals’ callousness 646–8; has problems with Northcliffe and Robertson 657, 658; wishes to avoid further slaughter 658; criticised for appointing Beaverbrook Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 659, 660–61, 662–3, 664; attacked by Repington 665–6; forms Alien Committee 668; at Versailles Supreme War Council 669; comes to an agreement with Clemenceau 669; clashes with Robertson and dismisses him 669, 670–73, 674–6, 677–8; attacked by Asquith 673–5; retains Haig 674–5, 676–7, 678–80, 681; duped by Wilson 681, 682; ‘the greatest liar’ 682; and conscription 682; and Churchill 683, 759; optimistic 684; and Irish conscription 685, 686, 687, 688–9, 690, 691, 692, 694–5, 696–7, 699–700, 705–6; his hair has turned white 688; refuses to disclose casualties 688; sacks Gough 703–4; and Trenchard 704–5; dishonest about Army manpower 707–8; attacked by Sir Frederick Maurice 708–16; and strikes 717, 719; berated for not attending Parliament 721; lies to the Commons 725–7; and proposed armistice terms offered to Germany 730, 731, 732, 733, 758; plans to call a general election 734, 735, 740–41; survives Spanish ’flu 735; prepared to include Northcliffe in postwar administration 735–6; gains control of Daily Chronicle 736–7, 738, 739; tells Commons details of armistice with Austria-Hungary 754; on Armistice Day 755, 757, 759; and election campaign 751, 764, 765–6, 767–8, 769–71, 786, 787, 793, 794; distrusted by the King 766; stunned by his overwhelming victory 772, 773; and Ireland 773, 774, 818; evades responsibility regarding disabled soldiers 783; raises taxes 786; and the Kaiser 787; has no roots in either party 788; his new administration 789, 790; and Austen Chamberlain 789–90; and housing 791–3; and abuse of honours system 794–6; and demobilisation 797–9, 800, 801, 803; and the industrial situation 811–12, 814; at peace conference 820–21; savages Northcliffe 821–2; and signing of peace treaty 824, 825

  Lloyd George, Megan 824

  Local Government Board (LGB) 149, 237, 471, 534, 614, 747, 752, 753

  Lodge, Lady Mary (née Marshall) 419

  Lodge, Sir Oliver 418–19; Survival of Man 419

  Lodge, Raymond 419

  Lody, Carl Hans 114–15, 116

  Logue, Cardinal Michael, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland 348, 695

  London: Neutrality League 55; and war fever 66, 72, 77; The Oval 94; enemy aliens 109, 110; Tower of London execution 114; trafficking 122; arrival of the wounded 140; Asquith’s Guildhall speech 144; blackout 150, 318; Queen’s Hall concerts 151; rioting (1915) 218; Zeppelin raids 245, 255, 259, 277, 287, 431, 432, 605; exhibitions 264, 26
5; nightclubs and clubs 287, 525, 751; blackout 287, 317, 318, 617; bombing by aircraft 440, 558, 607–11, 684; food shortages 525–6; taxi-drivers 550; coal shortages 553; housing 598, 791–2; prostitution 611–12, 618; VD and VD centres 613, 655; juvenile delinquency 615–16; police see Metropolitan Police; concerts 652–3; Spanish ’flu 751–2, 758; Armistice 754–5, 758, 759, 760; The Cenotaph 780; postwar suburbs 785

  London, Treaty of: 1839 58, 92; 1867 64

  London Council for the Promotion of Public Morality 287

  London County Territorials 140

  Londonderry, Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of 103, 697

  Londonderry, Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of (formerly Lady Castlereagh; née Chaplin) 103, 785

  Londonderry, Dowager Lady Theresa (née Chetwynd-Talbot) 785

  London Opinion 152

  London Rifle Brigade 750

  London Symphony Orchestra 652

  London Underground 113, 609, 649, 807, 810

  Long, Walter 226, 228, 237, 305, 373, 378, 382, 386, 411, 462, 478, 479, 483, 485, 487, 502, 516, 677, 691, 789, 790, 823

  Loos, Battle of (1915) 288, 289, 297, 298, 299, 304, 309, 316, 755

  Loreburn, Robert Reid, 1st Earl 275, 371, 523–4, 804

  Lorraine see Alsace and Lorraine

  Louis of Battenberg, Prince 112, 113–14, 137, 147

  Louise, Princess 433

  Louvain, Belgium 110

  Lowe, Brigadier General 360

  Lowestoft 338

  Lowther, Colonel Claude 661–2

  Ludendorff, General Erich 410, 645, 727, 733

  Lusitania, sinking of the (1915) 113, 154, 214, 215–16, 254, 256, 258, 266, 534, 544, 580

  Lutyens, Sir Edwin 780

  Luxembourg 64, 65, 67, 69, 129, 757

  Lynch, Arthur 368, 664

  Lyttelton, Lady (Katherine) (née Stuart-Wortley) 223

  Lytton, Victor Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of 616

  Mac Diarmada, Seán 349, 353, 356, 357, 368, 375

  Macassey, Lynden 284–5, 286

  MacDermott, John 349

  MacDonagh, Thomas 349, 353, 354, 356, 364, 367