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The King's War

Page 28

by The King's War- The Friendship of George VI


  bees, 200–201

  Belfast, HMS, 198

  Belgium, 70, 84, 85–6, 209, 213

  Belsen concentration camp, 24

  Benson, Samuel Herbert, 18

  Bentinck, Henry, 11th Earl of Portland, 148

  Berlin, Germany, 163, 164, 194, 195, 222

  Bermondsey, London, 105

  Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, 88

  Berry, James Gomer, 1st Viscount Kemsley, 238

  Bettinson, John, 208

  Bettinson, Richard, 207

  Biarritz, France, 98

  Big Ben, 3

  ‘Bird Songs at Eventide’, 151

  Birdcage Walk, Westminster, 205

  Birkhall, Aberdeenshire, 9, 57

  Birmingham, West Midlands, 106, 123, 178,207–8

  Bizerte, Tunisia, 167

  Black Sea, 138

  Blackfriars, London, 120

  blackouts, 23–6, 32–3, 53

  Blitz (1940–41), 104–29, 130–32, 135–6, 194

  Blue Nuns, 230

  Board of Trade, 57

  Boer War (1899–1902), 244

  Bofors guns, 128

  Bohéme, La (Puccini), 151

  Bolton, Anne, see Logue, Anne

  Bolton Gardens, South Kensington, 11, 18, 259

  Bomb Disposal Company Royal Engineers, 115

  Bône, Algeria, 166

  Bonham Carter, Helena, viii

  Boomerang Club, 156, 231

  Bordeaux, France, 92

  Boulogne evacuation (1940), 83

  Bousfield, Guy, 95, 96, 120

  Bovril, 18

  Bowen, Caroline, viii

  Bowes-Lyon, David, 225

  Bowes-Lyon, Elizabeth, see Elizabeth, Queen consort of the United Kingdom

  Boys’ Welfare Association, 214

  Braun von Stumm, Gustav, 145

  von Braun, Wernher, 209

  breathing, 12, 158, 231, 253–4, 261–2, 263–4

  Bren guns, 96

  Bristol, England, 106, 123, 195

  British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), vii

  British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

  1939 outbreak of war, 15, 21–2; Queen’s Armistice Day speech, 41–2; King’s Christmas broadcast, 44–8, 49, 56

  1940 King’s Empire Day speech, 76–81; Princess Elizabeth’s speech, 119; King’s Christmas broadcast, 127

  1941 King’s Christmas broadcast, 141–2

  1942 broadcasts from Boomerang Club, 157; Logue appears on On My Selection, 150–52, 231; King’s Christmas broadcast, 157–60

  1943 King’s Christmas broadcast, 182–3

  1944 Italian Campaign reporting, 193; D-Day, 201, 202–3; King’s Christmas broadcast, 215–19

  1945 VE Day, 223–4; King’s Christmas broadcast, 234

  1948 King’s Christmas broadcast, 239, 246–7

  1949 King’s Christmas broadcast, 248–9

  1951 King’s Christmas broadcast, 4, 250–51, 252–4

  1952 death of King, 5; Queen’s Christmas broadcast, 257–8

  1968 Dad’s Army released, 89

  British Expeditionary Force, 40, 43, 47, 57–9, 82–7, 97–8, 168

  British Medical Association, 147, 240

  British Society of Speech Therapists, 147

  British Union of Fascists, 94

  British United Press, 188

  Broadcasting House, London, 125, 151

  Brompton, South Kensington, 259

  Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, 237

  Brothers in Arms, 78

  Browning automatic rifles, 121

  Brunswick Tower, Windsor Castle, 89

  Buckingham Palace, London, x, 71

  1938 Munich Agreement, 16

  1939 outbreak of war, 28, 40

  1940 resignation of Hore-Belisha, 58; Wilhelmina arrives in exile, 75; Empire Day, 76; Haakon VII arrives in exile, 88–9; firing range laid down, 91; Blitz, 72, 108–12, 114, 116, 117, 118, 124; George Cross speech, 116–18

  1942 news of El Alamein, 153–4

  1944 D-Day speech, 200–201; V-1 attacks, 205, 206

  1945 VE Day, 220, 223–6

  1949 George VI undergoes right lumbar sympathectomy, 247–8

  1952 funeral of George VI, 6

  Burma, 144, 235

  Calais, France, 83

  Caldecote, Viscount, see Inskip, Thomas

  Camberwell, London, 94, 122

  Cambridge, Alexander, 1st Earl of Athlone, 144

  Cambridge University, 235, 239, 267

  Camembert cheeses, 204

  Campbell, Harold, 116, 125

  Canada, 31, 45, 76, 79, 88, 89, 127, 143, 144, 197, 240

  Canning Town, London, 109–10

  Canterbury, Archbishop of, see Lang, William Cosmo Gordon

  Canterbury, Kent, 144

  Casablanca, Morocco, 154

  Casablanca Conference (1943), 197

  Caserta, Italy, 211

  Catford, London, 162–4

  Catterick Camp, North Yorkshire, 137

  Caucasus, 144

  Cenotaph, Whitehall, 265

  censorship, 84, 156, 164, 165, 188–9, 190, 210

  Central Hall, Westminster, 68

  Chamberlain, Neville, 72, 73, 74, 85, 93

  1938 Munich Agreement, 16, 17, 172

  1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, 27; outbreak of war, 15–17, 19, 221; Duke of York’s visit, 66

  1940 resignation of Hore-Belisha, 57, 58, 59; Conservative Party meeting, 68; Norway debate, 69–70; resignation, 71, 229; debate on peace negotiations, 85

  Channel Islands, 222

  Channon, Henry ‘Chips’, 58, 233

  Charteris, Martin, 5–6

  Château de la Croë, Côte d’Azur, 98

  Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles, ix

  Cheseman Street, Sydenham, 131–2

  Cheyne, William Watson, 18

  Chichester, West Sussex, 207, 265

  Children’s Hour, 119

  China, 19, 144, 182

  Chipstead Hill, Surrey, 104–5

  Chiswick, London, 105, 140, 209

  Chopin, Frédéric, 7

  Christian IX, King of Denmark, 181

  Christian X, King of Denmark, 69

  Christmas broadcast

  1937 251

  1939 44–8, 56

  1940 127

  1941 141–2

  1942 157–60

  1943 182–3

  1944 215–19

  1945 234

  1948 239, 246–7

  1949 248–9

  1951 4, 250–51, 252–4

  1952 257–8

  Church House, Westminster, 124

  Churchill, Winston, 67

  1936 abdication of Edward VIII, 72

  1940 becomes PM, 71–4, 128; German invasion of France, 75; Dunkirk evacuation, 83, 84, 85; debate on peace negotiations, 85; ‘We shall fight on the beaches’ speech, 87, 92; ‘This was their finest hour’ speech, 92; Duke of York appointed Governor of the Bahamas, 99–101; Germany launches Operation Eagle Attack, 102; German bombing of London, 72, 107, 110; pre-Christmas lunch with King, 125

  1941 congratulates Royals on public relations, 114; meets with Hopkins, 130; German invasion of Soviet Union, 138; Japan launches offensive, 141; US and Canada visit, 143

  1942 Japan captures Singapore, 143–4; criticism over defence portfolio, 144; vote of confidence, 144; capture of Tobruk, 145; censure motion, 145–6; Montgomery appointed head of Eighth Army, 152–3; Operation Torch, 155; congratulates King on Christmas broadcast, 159

  1943 Casablanca Conference, 197; capture of Tunis, 167–8; King’s North African tour, 168, 171; Quebec Conference, 197; taken ill with pneumonia, 181

  1944 Operation Shingle, 184–5, 189; St Paul’s School meeting, 198; conflict with King over D-Day attendance, 198–9; visits troops in France, 203; V-1 attacks, 206; V-2 attacks, 210; George VI visits troops in Italy, 210–11

  1945 VE Day, 220–21, 222; general election, 228–9

  1951 general election, 251


  1952 death and funeral of King, 3, 5

  cigarettes, 244

  cinemas, 34, 35, 37, 112

  Clarendon, Bertie, 173

  Clark, H. Brooking, 186–7

  Clark, Kenneth, 63

  Clark, Mark, 184, 186, 191, 192

  Co-op, Lordship Lane, 206–7, 209

  Coates, Eric, 151

  Coats Mission, 91

  Cobbs Department Store, Sydenham, 122

  Coldstream Guards, 2, 7, 166

  College of Speech Therapists, 205, 239–40

  Collingwood, HMS, 39

  Colville, John, 73, 138

  Combined United Press, 185

  Commonwealth, 22, 79, 92, 118, 203, 235, 244, 248, 250, 258

  Commonwealth and Dominion Line, 10

  Community of St John the Divine, 237

  Compiègne Armistice (1940), 92–3

  Conradi, Peter, x

  Conservative Party, 68, 70, 71, 85, 140

  Constitution Hill, London, 206

  Coppins, Buckinghamshire, 148

  Cossack, HMS, 54

  Côte d’Azur, France, 98

  Court Circular, 173

  Covent Garden, London, 151

  Coventry, West Midlands, 123

  Coward, Noël, 225

  Cowles, Virginia, 104

  Crawford, Marion, 9, 181–2

  Creully, France, 204

  Crichton-Miller, Hugh, 129, 217–18

  Crimea, 139

  Criterion Theatre, Piccadilly, 151

  Cromwell, Oliver, 70

  Crown Jewels, 40

  Croydon, London, 128, 207

  Crystal Palace, London, 19

  Curzon, Cynthia, 134

  D-Day (1944), 196–204

  Dad’s Army, 95

  Daily Express, 10, 69, 80, 180, 252, 266

  Daily Herald, 23

  Daily Mail, 131

  Daily Mirror, 43, 203, 251

  Daily Sketch, 238

  Daily Telegraph, 48, 80, 203

  Daladier, Edouard, 43

  Danzig, 29

  Darbyshire, Taylor, 150

  Darlan, Francois, 154–5

  Dartmouth Road, Sydenham, 131

  Davies, Robert ‘Jock’, 115

  Defence Regulation 18B (1940), 94

  Denmark, 69, 181, 222, 243

  Destroyer Flotilla, 5th, 41

  Devonshire, HMS, 88

  diaphragmatic breathing, 12, 231, 253–4, 261–2, 263–4

  Digger, 36

  Dog Kennel Hill, Dulwich, 226

  dog racing, 35

  Dollis Hill, London, 230

  Don river, 152

  Donbass region, Ukraine, 139

  doodlebugs, 205

  Dornier bombers, 105, 121

  Dover Castle, Kent, 82

  Druce, Stephen, 265

  Drury Lane theatre, Covent Garden, 95, 254

  Dulwich, London, 18, 95–6, 120, 206–7, 209, 226

  Dulwich & Sydenham Golf Club, 95, 120–22

  Dunkirk evacuation (1940), 82–7, 92

  Dutch East Indies, 144

  Dynamo Room, Dover Castle tunnels, 82

  dysentery, 190, 208, 230

  East India Company, 18

  Eaton Square, Belgravia, 71

  Eden, Anthony, 71, 86, 94, 211

  Edgware Road, London, 6

  Edinburgh, Duke of, see Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

  Edinburgh, Scotland, 226

  Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom, 88

  Edward VIII, King of the United Kingdom, xi, 2, 14, 29, 45–6, 57, 62–7, 72, 98–101, 149, 172, 229

  Edward, Duke of Kent, 2

  Egan, Simon, ix

  Egypt, 145, 152–4, 155, 165

  Ehle, Jennifer, viii

  Eindhoven, Netherlands, 213

  Eisenhower, Dwight David, 154–5, 169, 197, 199, 200, 201, 202, 213

  Elbe river, 152

  elections, see general elections

  Elephant and Castle, London, 136

  Elizabeth, Queen consort of the United Kingdom, Queen Mother

  1923 marries George, 64

  1927 tour of Australia and New Zealand, 12, 150

  1938 Munich Agreement, 16

  1939 tour of North America, 59–60; outbreak of war, 9, 17; Edward’s visit, 65; Scotland visit, 39; Armistice Day speech, 41–2; George’s Christmas speech, 45, 47, 48; princesses sent to Royal Lodge, 56–7, 89

  1940 George’s Empire Day speech, 76, 80; moves to Windsor Castle, 89; learns to use revolver, 91; Blitz, 107–14, 117; Christmas, 124, 126

  1941 Wales visit, 141

  1942 Baedeker Raids, 144; Christmas, 157–8, 159

  1943 George’s North African tour, 169; resignation of Hardinge, 172, 173

  1944 D-Day, 198, 201, 203; V-1 attacks, 206, 207; Christmas, 216

  1945 VE Day, 221, 224–6; death of Myrtle Logue, 231; State Opening of Parliament, 233–4

  1948 silver wedding anniversary, 247

  1951 George’s Christmas broadcast, 252

  1952 watches South Pacific at Drury Lane, 254; funeral of George, 1; letter from Logue, 255–6

  1953 Logue’s funeral, 260

  Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom

  1936 abdication of Edward VIII, 97

  1939 outbreak of war, 9; moves to Royal Lodge, 56–7, 89

  1940 moves to Windsor Castle, 89; father’s George Cross speech, 116; Children’s Hour speech, 118–19, 125, 126; Christmas, 126

  1942 Christmas; Logue’s one lung breathing trick, 158, 161

  1943 Christmas; smitten with Philip, 181–2, 242

  1944 conflict over father’s D-Day attendance, 199; launching of HMS Vanguard, 215; Christmas, 216

  1945 joins Auxiliary Territorial Service, 221; VE Day, 221, 225–6

  1946 Philip proposes, 243

  1947 South African tour, 244; marries Philip, 242–4

  1948 birth of Charles, 247

  1949 father undergoes right lumbar sympathectomy, 248

  1951 father’s Christmas broadcast, 252

  1952 watches South Pacific at Drury Lane, 254; tour of East Africa; death of father, 4, 5–6, 254; funeral of father, 2; sends gift to Logue, 256; Christmas broadcast, 257–8

  1953 Logue’s funeral, 260

  Elliott, Alan, 237–8, 255, 262

  Elstree Studios, Hertfordshire, viii

  Emergency Hospital Service, 26

  Empire Day, 76–81

  Empire Exhibition (1924–5), 12

  ‘English War, The’ (Sayers) 93

  Enigma code, 40

  Entebbe, Uganda, 6

  Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA), 169

  Epping Forest, 33, 56

  de Espírito Santo, Ricardo, 100

  Estonia, 61

  Etherow Street, Dulwich, 209

  Ethiopia, 140

  Eton College, Berkshire, 44, 97, 134–5

  evacuees, 18, 26, 28, 37, 127

  Excalibur, SS, 101

  Exeter, Devon, 144

  Exeter, HMS, 44

  Falls, Cyril, 180

  Farouk, King of Egypt, 4

  Fennell, Jack, 238–9

  Fermoy, Lord, see Roche, Edmund Maurice

  Festival of Britain (1951), 251

  Fields, Gracie, 50

  Fields, William Claude, 81

  Finland, 61–2, 138

  First World War, see World War I

  Firth, Colin, vii, viii

  Fitzalan-Howard, Bernard, 16th Duke of Norfolk, 1

  Fleet Street, City of London, 74, 131

  Flying Jordans, 213

  Foch, Ferdinand, 92

  Focke-Wulf, 162–3

  Ford, Edward, 4

  Forest Hill, London, 122, 223

  Forster, Edward Morgan, 105

  France, 47, 60, 68, 182

  1939 invasion of Saar, 33; Duke of York attached to British military mission, 66–7, 98; George VI inspects BEF, 43

  1940 German invasion, 71, 75; Battle of Dunkirk, 82–7, 92; German offensive
on Somme, 92; Italy declares war, 145; fall of Paris, 92; Compiègne Armistice, 92–3

  1942 Battle of Bir Hachim, 145; Operation Torch, 154–5

  1944 D-Day, 200–204; liberation by Allies, 208

  1945 Duke of Windsor returns in exile, 229

  Franco, Francisco, 99

  Gallipoli Campaign (1915–16), 185

  Gamelin, Maurice, 43

  gas masks, 27, 33, 89

  ‘Gate of the Year, The’ (Haskins), 47–8

  de Gaulle, Charles, 169

  Gaumont, 112

  general elections

  1945 general election, 228–9, 251

  1950 general election, 251

  1951 general election, 251

  George Cross and Medal, 115, 118

  George II, King of Greece, 244

  George V, King of the United Kingdom, x, 11, 29, 43, 45, 46, 172, 241, 258

  George VI, King of the United Kingdom

  1911 Royal Naval College examinations, 63

  1914 posted to Scapa Flow, 39

  1916 Battle of Jutland, 39

  1923 marries Elizabeth, 64

  1925 Empire Exhibition speech, 12

  1926 begins speech therapy with Logue, 9, 11–12,261

  1927 tour of Australia and New Zealand, 12, 150

  1929 publication of Darbyshire’s The Duke of York, 150

  1936 abdication of Edward VIII, 64, 72; accession to throne, xi, 13–14

  1937 Coronation, xi, 20, 64, 171; Christmas broadcast, 251

  1938 Munich Agreement, 16, 172; funeral of Maud of Wales, 88

  1939 Anglo-Polish Agreement, 27, 28; offer to write to Hitler, 27; tour of North America, 59–60; Chamberlain announces declaration of war, 16; outbreak of war speech, xi, 8, 19–22, 30; meets with Kennedy, 60; Edward’s visit, 65–7; visits Scotland, 39; Pillbox Affair begins, 57; State Opening of Parliament, 41–2; inspects BEF in France, 43, 168; news of Admiral Graf Spee sinking, 44; birthday, 44; Christmas broadcast, 44–8, 49, 56; princesses sent to Royal Lodge, 56–7, 89

  1940 resignation of Hore-Belisha, 57–8; news of Altmark Incident, 55; Royal Train tour, 59; meets with Welles, 61; Chamberlain’s resignation, 71; Churchill becomes PM, 71–3; Wilhelmina arrives in exile, 74–5; Empire Day speech, 76–81; capitulation of Belgium, 84; day of People’s Prayer, 84; RAF station visits, 84; Dunkirk evacuation, 84–5, 86; Haakon VII arrives in exile, 88–9; moves to Windsor Castle, 89; Coats Mission incident, 91; news of Compiègne Armistice, 93; inspects Home Guard, 96; Edward appointed Governor of the Bahamas, 99–101; Gustav V offers to broker peace, 102; Blitz begins, 107–14; George Cross speech, 115–18; bombing of Coventry, 123; State Opening of Parliament, 123–4; Christmas, 124–8

  1941 sends cheque to Logue, 133–4; meets Antony at Sandhurst, 136; cuts down cigarette smoking, 244; Ward’s shooting spree, 140; State Opening of Parliament, 139–40; Japan launches offensive, 141; Wales visit, 141; Christmas broadcast, 141–2

 

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