Myths & Legends of the Second World War

by James Hayward

  ‘Already the truth …’ EDP, 9 September 1939

  ‘… General Emilio Mola’ De Jong (1956), p. 3

  ‘Miniature wireless’ De Jong (1956), pp. 46–7

  ‘Crops and pasture …’ De Jong (1956), p. 45

  ‘… German shoes’ Biddle (1976), p. 171. See also Garlinski (1985), p. 15

  ‘… town of Thorn’ De Jong (1956), p. 46

  ‘Hans Roos …’ Roos (1966), p. 167. See also De Jong (1956), p. 50

  ‘Many helped clear …’ De Jong (1956), p. 151

  ‘… priests or monks’ De Jong (1956), p. 156

  ‘… like the Greeks’ The Times, 11 April 1940

  ‘In Northern Schleswig …’ De Jong (1956), p. 167

  ‘Members of the …’ The Times, 22 April 1940

  ‘Here it was also …’ De Jong (1956), p. 61

  ‘… British government’ Colville (1985), p. 114

  ‘… widely-syndicated’ Gillman (1980), p. 77

  ‘Norway’s capital …’ Chicago Daily News, 28 April 1940

  ‘Every move we …’ The Times, 8 May 1940

  ‘… hastily assembled’ Glover (1990), p. 23; Colville (1985), pp. 130–1

  ‘… six to one’ Gillman (1980), p. 71

  ‘… Norwegian foreign minister’ McInnis (1940), p. 152

  ‘Although Quisling …’ Glover (1990), pp. 42–3

  ‘An official Norwegian …’ De Jong (1956), p. 179

  ‘… such as Baedeker’ De Jong (1956), p. 172

  ‘… the main operations’ Glover (1990), pp. 28–9

  ‘… at a high cost’ Pallud (1991), p. 153

  ‘… Home Office issued’ EDP, 11 May 1940, p. 1

  ‘An Air Ministry …’ Glover (1990), p. 30

  ‘… 200 parachutists’ The Times, 11 May 1940, p. 6

  ‘… delivery boys’ Daily Telegraph, 15 May 1940

  ‘… every kind of trick’ Daily Express, 14 May 1940

  ‘Holland’s internal …’ EDP, 13 May 1940

  ‘… 2000 uniforms’ This report is probably an exaggeration of an incident from November 1939, recorded by De Jong (1956), p. 66

  ‘… atrocity propaganda’ Pater-Downes (1971), p. 62

  ‘Some of the parachutists …’ The Times, 13 May 1940, p. 6

  ‘… equipped with dummies’ EDP, 13 May 1940, p.5. On dummies see also Gray (1942), p. 65

  ‘At Ostend …’ Evening Standard, 17 May 1940

  ‘… pulls a lever’ EDP, 14 May 1940, p. 3

  ‘Outlandish as these …’ Gillman, p. 108

  ‘… wrote to Roosevelt’ Glover (1990), p. 35

  ‘Indications of …’ West (1981), p. 121

  ‘Fifth column reports …’ Ironside (1962), p. 347

  ‘… signalling going on’ Ironside (1962), p. 377

  ‘… units in London’ Daily Herald, 17 September 1940

  ‘elaborate analysis …’ Curry (1999), p. 168

  ‘… telegraph poles’ West (1981), p. 122

  ‘… a scoutmaster’ Jones (1978), pp. 162–7

  ‘… Henry Williamson’ Williamson (1995), p. 233

  ‘… single enemy agent’ Curry (1999), p. 168

  ‘One cannot name …’ quoted in De Jong (1956), p. 74

  ‘All the passengers …’ EDP, 14 May 1940, p. 5

  ‘Among the evacuees …’ Gillman (1980), p. 101

  ‘All boys of 16 …’ PRO, FO 371/25189

  ‘At once embark …’ PRO, FO 371/25189

  ‘… Department EH’ Gillman (1980), pp. 109–10

  ‘… the French press’ De Jong (1956), p. 88

  ‘A late report …’ The Times, 23 May 1940, p. 5

  ‘The parachute soldier …’ War Illustrated, 7 June 1940, p. 604

  ‘… poisoned meat’ De Jong (1956), p. 187

  ‘… burnt in fields’ De Jong (1956), p. 187

  ‘… central police station’ De Jong (1956), p. 188

  ‘… at Gennep’ De Jong (1956), p. 185

  ‘… local tulip fields’ Gillman (1980), p. 107

  ‘… the security service’ De Jong (1956), p. 79

  ‘… ringletted wigs’ Gillman (1980), p. 30

  ‘Complicity on …’ Moen (1941), p. 33. See also Barlone (1942), p. 66

  ‘… Maggi soup’ Hayward (2002), p. 20

  ‘… grown chicory’ Horne (1969), p. 270

  ‘A Belgian lady …’ Hodson (1941), p. 182

  ‘Near Brussels six …’ Hodson (1941), p. 265

  ‘I heard of a …’ Hodson (1941), p. 309

  ‘One man much …’ Hodson (1941), p. 200

  ‘Hereabouts news …’ Hodson (1941), p. 200

  ‘… sinister officer spies’ Hayward (2002), pp. 98–9

  ‘Men in British …’ Hodson (1941), p. 274

  ‘A regiment …’ Hodson (1941), p. 271, p. 242

  ‘A Scots soldier …’ Hodson (1941), p. 186

  ‘… Douglas Williams’ Williams (1940), p. 31, p. 56, p. 68

  ‘… Bernard Gray’ Gray (1941), p. 83, p. 112

  ‘… born in Paris’ Horne (1969), p. 528

  ‘… J.H. Patterson’ Bond (1997), p. 43

  ‘… Angel of Mons’ Hayward (2002), pp. 46–61

  ‘At one place …’ Williams (1941), pp. 68–9

  ‘Gunner William Brewer …’ Collier (1961), pp. 63–4

  ‘… killed on the spot’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 88

  ‘… Jean Cocteau’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 89

  ‘On the 24th …’ Calder (1991), p. 123

  ‘Miss Elsie Seddon …’ EDP, 24 May 1940, p. 4

  ‘We discussed German …’ Mitchison (1985), p. 62

  ‘A rather absurd …’ Lehmann (1978), p. 90

  ‘The weekly comic …’ Allingham (1941), p. 193

  ‘He will say …’ quoted by Turner (1961), p. 269

  ‘In Heugot’s …’ Barber (1976), pp. 163–4

  ‘… from Luxembourg’ De Jong (1956), p. 85

  ‘… station masters’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 89

  ‘… poisoned sweets’ Horne (1969), p. 528

  ‘Arras was said …’ Koestler (1941), p. 172

  ‘… in Paris’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 86

  ‘… scare refugees’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 86. That the fifth column panic was deliberately engineered ‘by Goebbels’ with this aim in mind is nonsense – ignore Foot (1976), p. 29

  ‘… with water’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 86

  ‘… Paul Reynaud’ Glover (1990), p. 44

  ‘… French units ordered’ Barlone (1942), p. 48

  ‘… at Abbeville’ De Jong (1956), p. 83

  ‘… downed aircrew’ see for example After The Battle magazine, 54 (1986): ‘Show Trial at Luchy’

  ‘The fifth column …’ Barlone (1942), p. 52, p. 66

  ‘… André Morize’ Shennan (2000), p. 12

  ‘… Robert Richardson’ Shennan (2000), p. 12

  ‘… 20,000 organised’ Ziegler (1995), p. 23

  ‘Great zeal was …’ Jones (1978), pp. 161–2

  ‘My best friend …’ Gardiner (n.d.), p. 8

  ‘… Saxon-Steer’ West (1981), p. 120

  ‘… Dorothy O’Grady’ West (1981), p. 131

  ‘… Marie Ingram’ West (1981), p. 130

  ‘… peace fanatics’ Sunday Dispatch, 14 April 1940

  ‘… Evening Standard’ Evening Standard, 16 February 1940

  ‘… the ‘hysterics’’ The Times, 23 April 1940

  ‘All liberal-minded …’ quoted in Gillman (1980), p. 79

  ‘After the withdrawal …’ Royde Smith (1941), p. 10

  ‘We found that …’ Lafitte (1940), p. 116

  ‘… Ministry of Information’ Gillman (1980), p. 110

  ‘… William Donovan’ New York Times, 20–23 August 1940

  ‘… a mere 43 per cent’ Calder (1991), p. 117

  ‘… magistrates dismissed’ West (1981), p. 123

  ‘He emphasised that …’ Colv
ille (1985), p. 225

  ‘… and New Zealanders’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 85

  ‘… attacking Java’ Bonaparte (1947), p. 85

  CHAPTER TWO

  ‘… at Waltham Abbey’ West (1981), p. 153; Bulloch (1963), p. 171

  ‘… Saboteur of Lyness’ Korganoff (1974), p. 201

  ‘… German news item’ West (1984), pp. 58–9

  ‘Prien is thirty …’ Shirer (1941), p. 190

  ‘… at least eleven’ Weaver (1980), pp. 176–7

  ‘… Italian photographer’ West (1981), p. 153

  ‘… removed from his post’ Bulloch (1963), p. 171; West (1984), pp. 68–9

  ‘… Curt Reiss’ West (1984), p. 60

  ‘The spy was …’ Farago (1971), p. 188

  ‘In 1927, twelve …’ Singer (1959), p. 73

  ‘Equipped with …’ Singer (1959), p. 74

  ‘Home Office records …’ West (1984), p. 70

  ‘… confirmed to McKee’ McKee (1959), p. 168

  ‘… all fifteen living’ West (1984), p. 72

  ‘No watchmaker …’ West (1984), p. 71

  ‘In the midst …’ Singer (1953), p. 82

  ‘The subsequent history …’ Singer (1959), p. 79

  ‘In 1927 …’ Cookridge (1947), p. 63

  ‘Knight of the Iron …’ Cookridge (1947), p. 65

  ‘In Kiel a great …’ Cookridge (1947), p. 66

  ‘The omission of …’ Cookridge (1947), p. 67

  ‘How important …’ Schellenberg (1956), pp. 62–3

  ‘A notable example …’ Felix (1963), p. 123

  ‘… Lauren Paine’ Paine (1984), p. 83

  ‘It was in pursuit …’ Cousins (1965), p. 147–8

  ‘What is interesting …’ Deacon (1978), p. 155

  ‘… one Robbie Tulloch’ Weaver (1980), p. 169

  ‘… by scuba divers’ Weaver (1980), pp. 167–8

  ‘… refused to believe’ Korganoff (1974), p. 198; Weaver (1980), p. 15; Snyder (1976), p. 178

  ‘… stores stencilled’ Snyder (1976), p. 178

  ‘On Sunday, the 15th …’ McKee (1959), p. 115; p. 170

  ‘As H.J. Weaver …’ Weaver (1980), p. 165

  ‘… Arandora Star’ Perry (1972), p. 14; Calder (1991), pp. 113–4

  ‘… court-martial for mutiny’ Frank (1954), p. 9

  ‘I base my …’ Frank (1954), p. 193

  ‘During the First World War …’ Hayward (2002), p. 27

  CHAPTER THREE

  ‘… on the Mole’ Hodson (1941), p. 266

  ‘… marking time’ Gelb (1990), p. 178

  ‘… regulation haircuts’ Knightley (1982), p. 216

  ‘… the most wonderful’ Chatterton (1940), p. 5

  ‘… to glory’s tune’ The War Illustrated, 14 June 1940

  ‘… come back in glory’ Ponting (1990), p. 92

  ‘The English Channel …’ Sunday Dispatch, 2 June 1940

  ‘… requisitioned from civilian’ Montgomery (1958), p. 50

  ‘… gangster weapon’ White (1955), p. 40

  ‘The general view …’ Hodson (1941), p. 254

  ‘Germans using gas …’ PRO, WO 106/1626. In 1941 it was also falsely reported that the Germans were using gas in the Crimea – see Ziegler (1995), p. 211

  ‘… vivid description’ Gray (1942), pp. 83–4

  ‘… group of Hampshires’ Collier (1961), p. 64

  ‘… Coldstream Guards’ Howard and Sparrow (1951), p. 41

  ‘… oxygen cylinder’ Rhodes (1942), p. 165

  ‘… tracer bullets’ Harris (1980), p. 23

  ‘… yellow billowy cloud’ Rhodes (1942), p. 163

  ‘… Siegfried Line’ Royde Smith (1941), p. 9

  ‘… wood and canvas’ White (1955), p. 39

  ‘… had to prod’ Williams (1940), p. 69

  ‘… crewed by women’ Hodson (1941), p. 309

  ‘… other nations’ Rhodes (1942), p. 150

  ‘… Russians in England’ Hayward (2002), pp. 31–45

  ‘In September 1939 …’ Montgomery (1958), pp. 49–50

  ‘… 1st Armoured Division’ Fraser (1983), p. 74

  ‘… static and slow-moving’ Bond (1997), p. 44

  ‘… split his headquarters’ Ponting (1990), p. 91

  ‘At almost every …’ Hatherill (1971), pp. 26–8

  ‘… sugar beet and rain’ Gray (1942), p. 23

  ‘Major D.F. Callander …’ Bond (1997), p. 42

  ‘Twice the 30th …’ Atkin (1990), p. 35

  ‘The BEF of 1940 …’ Hadley (1944), p. 147

  ‘Not one man …’ Williams (1940), p. 16

  ‘… just 500’ Ponting (1990), p. 89

  ‘… careful study reveals’ Bond (1997), p. 41

  ‘Down the street …’ Hadley (1944), p. 62

  ‘There was nothing …’ Atkin (1990), pp. 66–7

  ‘At Helchin …’ Harman (1980), p. 93

  ‘… as ‘automatons’’ Gray (1942), p. 78

  ‘May 22nd was likewise …’ Howard and Sparrow (1951), p. 35

  ‘… at Furnes’ Lord (1983), p. 199

  ‘… driver named Cole’ Collier (1961), p. 178

  ‘At the entrance …’ quoted in Atkin (1990), p. 71

  ‘A couple of Redcaps …’ quoted in Atkin (1990), p. 71

  ‘… Anthony Rhodes’ Rhodes (1942), p. 149

  ‘… bogus doctor’ Rhodes (1942), p. 162–3

  ‘… take no prisoners’ Ponting (1990), p. 92

  ‘… stray dogs’ Atkin (1990), p. 101

  ‘… James Hodson’ Hodson (1941), pp. 243–4

  ‘… Douglas Williams’ Williams (1940), p. 56, pp. 68–9

  ‘… Bernard Gray’ Gray (1940), p. 83, p. 113

  ‘… demonisation of the Hun’ Hayward (2002), pp. 70–95

  ‘On march passed …’ Aitken (1977), p. 106

  ‘Waiting on Dunkirk …’ Chatterton (1940), p. 209

  ‘You never knew …’ Chatterton (1940), p. 209

  ‘… into straightjackets’ Collier (1961), p. 153

  ‘… poison capsules’ Collier (1961), p. 54

  ‘… drew prostitutes’ Collier (1961), p. 53

  ‘Not many regiments …’ Hodson (1941), p. 266

  ‘One lad carried …’ Hodson (1941), p. 277

  ‘One of the minor …’ Divine (1959), p. 264

  ‘… one police inspector’ Collier (1961), p. 243

  ‘… pay would be docked’ Fussell (1989), p. 38

  ‘… abandoned on the quays’ Glover (1990), p. 33

  ‘… Anthony Eden’ Atkin (1990), p. 234

  ‘… talking freely’ Calder (1991), p. 123

  ‘Today I heard …’ Perry (1972), pp. 11–12

  ‘Several people …’ King (1970), p. 57

  ‘The Dunkirk episode …’ King (1970), p. 85

  ‘In the circumstances …’ Hadley (1944), pp. 143–4

  ‘The fact that …’ Montgomery (1958), p. 68

  ‘Several books …’ Calder (1991), p. 96

  ‘… just 26,000’ Ponting (1990), p. 91

  ‘… remain sealed.’ Lord (1983), p. 282

  ‘Crews aboard several …’ see generally Lord (1983), pp. 222–4; 241

  ‘Seven of our consorts …’ quoted in Atkin (1990), p. 203

  ‘… RNLI crews’ Vince (1946), pp. 34–6

  ‘Every time a Hurricane …’ Atkin (1990), p. 206

  ‘A new and more …’ Chatterton (1940), p. 30; p. 37

  ‘… bad poetry’ Neave (1972), p. 212

  ‘… sake of Allied solidarity’ Neave (1972), p. 102

  ‘Defence of Calais …’ Harman (1980) p. 124

  ‘… every hour you’ Neave (1972), p. 105

  ‘It was painful thus …’ Churchill (1949), p. 71

  ‘Calais was the crux …’ Churchill (1949), p. 73

  ‘As the commander …’ Guderian (1952), p. 120

  ‘I was vexed …’ Church
ill (1949), pp. 134–5

  ‘… deliberately sacrificed’ David (1994), p. 239

  ‘At this time …’ David (1994), p. 240

  ‘… Brittany peninsula’ Fraser (1983), p. 77

  ‘… enthusiastic support’ Churchill (1949), p. 169

  ‘There was a tendency …’ Glover (1985), p. 236

  ‘When this news …’ Churchill (1949), p. 172

  ‘I then asked …’ Churchill (1949), p. 42

  ‘… in 1949 Gamelin’ Divine (1959), p. 35

  ‘The regrettable instances …’ Alexander (1997), p. 161

  ‘… Admiral Darlin’ Shennan (2000), p. 11

  ‘… not made easier’ Atkin (1990), pp. 209–10

  ‘… forced out of boats’ Wilson (2000), p. 180

  ‘… hard and well’ Alexander (1997), pp. 161–76

  ‘… just 7,000 officers’ Kersaudy (1981), p. 80. The figure given by Ponting (1990), p. 184, is lower ie 4,000

  ‘Some months later …’ Muggeridge (1973), pp. 99–100

  ‘… French Air Force’ see generally Deighton (1979), pp. 354–5

  ‘… 7,000 French 75 mm’ Horne (1969), p. 667

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ‘At Le Paradis …’ see Jolly (1956)

  ‘… at Wormhoudt’ see Aitken (1977)

  ‘The distasteful truth …’ Harman (1980), p. 107

  ‘… ’previous murders’’ Harman (1980), p. 89n. In the revised edition, published in 1991, Harman deleted wording which suggested there had been a ‘German allegation’ of a massacre.

  ‘What was presented …’ Atkin (1990), pp. 97–8

  ‘Atkin also referred …’ ibid, p. 152

  ‘While SS troops …’ Calder (1991), p. 94

  ‘The excuse …’ Bond (1997), p. 46

  ‘… have been overplayed’ Sydnor (1977), p. 96; Pallud (1991), pp. 352–4

  ‘… future Desert Fox’ Deighton (1979), pp. 332–3

  ‘There followed …’ Harman (1980), p. 97–8

  ‘C Company, in …’ Rissik (1953), p. 26

  ‘C Company was …’ Lewis and English (1949), p. 16

  ‘… howitzer crews’ Macksey (1965), p. 217

  ‘We came to …’ Affidavit sworn 13 October 1989

  ‘… Harry Miller’ quoted by Macksey (1965), p. 213

  ‘My platoon went …’ Affidavit sworn on 25 September 1989

  ‘… vicinity of Beaurains’ Affidavit of George Iceton, sworn 27 September 1989

  ‘… at Dainville’ Blaxland (1973), p. 141

  ‘Suddenly round …’ Gun Buster (1940), p. 120

  ‘After crossing …’ Gun Buster (1940), p. 136

  ‘… the Official History’ Ellis (1953), pp. 94–5

  ‘They were …’ Butler and Bradford (1950), pp. 109–10