Myths and Legends of the Second World War (27 page)

Hate propaganda was less vigorously promoted between 1939 and 1945, not least because the single Crucified Canadian was replaced by whole nations in Eastern Europe broken on the wheel of Nazism, while the fictive horrors of the corpse factory paled beside the bestial reality of the death camps. The issue of whether lingering cynicism over First World War atrocity myths resulted in the Allies ignoring the truth of the Final Solution for too long remains one of the great unanswered questions of modern history, although it is difficult to see what difference it would have made after September 1939. Indeed it is worthy of note that during the German blitzkrieg through Belgium and France in 1940 tales of butchered babies, outraged women and drunken looting were conspicuous only by their absence. Tellingly, the two survivors of a massacre of unarmed prisoners from the Royal Norfolk Regiment at Le Paradis in May 1940 by SS troops were disbelieved when they first reported the incident, on the basis that theirs was a ‘cock-and-bull' story, and that Germans ‘would not do that sort of thing'.

In time of war the lie becomes a patriotic virtue, and to some extent can enjoy only a limited half-life once peace is restored. But many of the more innocent First World War myths – those not deliberately manufactured, and never officially denied – have endured far longer, and remain in rude health even as they approach their centenary, having lost little of their remarkable regenerative power.

Source Notes

I
NTRODUCTION

xii Davis v Curry [1918] 1 KB 109

xiv ‘use by Ludendorff …' Terraine (1980), p. 170

xiv ‘As long ago as 1928 …' Ponsonby (1928), p. 84

xiv ‘German airships were known …' Rimell (1984), p. 30

xv ‘The war is already …' Machen (1915), p. 64

C
HAPTER
1

  1  ‘In December 1911 …' Sellers (1997); Thomson (1922) pp. 34–5;
The Times
, 29 September 1914

  2  ‘The first such …' Thomson (1922), pp. 123–4

  2  ‘The prisoner sat …' McDonagh (1935), p. 35

  3  ‘Between August 4th …'
The Times
, 4 to 10 August 1914

  3  ‘At Dover …'
Daily News
, 7 August 1914

  3  ‘At Guildford …'
Daily News
, 6 August 1914

  4  ‘… Isle of Wight'
Daily News
, 6 August 1914

  4  ‘At Berkhamstead …' Greene (1971), p. 49

  4  ‘… at Birkenhead'
Daily News
, 12 August 1914

  4  ‘… at Holyrood'
Daily News
, 12 August 1914

  4  ‘The inhabitants of …'
Essex County Standard
, 5 September 1914

  5  ‘At the Marconi …' Clark (1985), p. 28

  5  ‘While I was talking …' Thomson (1922), p. 36

  6  ‘That jade Rumour …' McDonagh (1935), p. 15

  6  ‘The public can rest …'
The Times
, 10 August 1914

  6  ‘Between the 11th and 18th …'
The Times
, 11 to 18 August 1914

  7  ‘Writing to his brother …' Turner (1980), p. 56

  7  ‘German spa water …' MacDonald (1987), p. 207

  7  ‘In theatrical …' Gillies (1999), p. 251

  7  ‘The London Gazette …' McDonagh (1935), p. 15

  7  ‘Indeed the grocers …' Haste (1977), p. 115

  7  ‘German prostitutes …' Turner (1980), p. 30

  7  ‘Famously, dachshund …' Greene (1971), pp. 48–9

  8  ‘As early as …'
Eastern Daily Press
, 10 August 1914

  8  ‘All I could …' McDonagh (1935), p. 15

  8  ‘On October 18th …' Haste (1977), p. 114

  8  ‘The riots triggered …' Haste (1977), p. 126

  9  ‘… in Keighley' Macdonald (1987), pp. 210–12

 10 ‘A large section …' McDonagh (1935), p. 32

 10 ‘… Staffordshire Yeomanry'
Daily News
, 29 August 1914

 10 ‘Articles and correspondence …'
The Times
, 5 September 1914

 11 ‘For as the Commons …' Hansard, 3 October 1914

 12 ‘What about the Press …' McDonagh (1935), p. 33

 12 ‘Miss Gold …' Clark (1985), p. 38

 12 ‘Given a British …' Thomson (1922), p. 40

 13 ‘In October 1914 …' Turner (1980), p. 58

 13 ‘Is it too much …'
Daily Mail
, 3 October 1914

 13 ‘One celebrated …' Turner (1980), p. 58

 14 ‘… and by September'
The Times
, 30 September 1914

 14 ‘On Tuesday afternoon …'
The Times
, 3 September 1914

 15 ‘At Maldon …' Horn (1984), p. 37

 15 ‘… Holcombe-Ingleby'
Daily Graphic
, 23 January 1915

 15 ‘It was not safe …' Thomson (1922), p. 44

 15 ‘Similarly, in Norfolk …' Horn (1984), p. 37

 16 ‘… DH Lawrence' Haste (1977), p. 121

 16 ‘Even the First …' Stafford (1997), pp. 56–7

 16 ‘… private correspondence' Stafford (1997), pp. 54–5

 16 ‘The scare was given …' Thomson (1922), p. 38

 17 ‘Monday 27 …' Clark (1985), p. 85

 17 ‘Friday 3 …' Clark (1985), p. 81

 17 ‘A popular …' Turner (1980), p. 60

 17 ‘At this period …' Thomson (1922), p. 39

 18 ‘Thomson also …' Dudley (1960), p. 147

 18 ‘… in Cumberland' Rimell (1984), p. 30

 18 ‘Hearing a swishing …'
Hackney & Kingsland Gazette
, 1960s (letter)

 19 ‘… at Silvertown'
After the Battle
, Issue 18

 19 ‘As time wore …' Thomson (1922), p. 41

 20 ‘… the blackberries' Dakers (1987), p. 45

 20 ‘Mayfair …' Turner (1980), p. 57

 20 ‘Another spy was …' Turner (1980), p. 57

 20 ‘… agony column' Thomson (1980), p. 42

 20 ‘Later in the war …' Thomson (1922), p. 42

 21 ‘… Maggi Soup' Thomson (1922), p. 40; Turner (1980), p. 58

 21 ‘… some 400 people' Aston (1930), p. 82

 21 ‘During many months …' Callwell (1920), pp. 33–4

 22 ‘The legend of the …' Thomson (1922), p. 39

 22 ‘The Daily Mail …' Haste (1977), p. 113

 22 ‘Thomson describes …' Thomson (1922), p. 45–6

 22 ‘An oft-repeated …' Thomson (1922), p. 41

 23 ‘Another common version …' Thomson (1922), p. 41

 23 ‘… Prussian commandant' Hayward (2003), p. 94

 23 ‘One apocryphal …' McDonagh (1935), p. 34

 23 ‘In Braintree …' Clark (1985), p. 124

 23 ‘… Hunnish perversions'
The Times
, 2 September 1914

 23 ‘In consequence of …'
The Times
, 29 August 1914

 24 ‘This afternoon …' Clark (1985), pp. 111–12

 24 ‘One unfortunate …' Playne (1931), p. 267

 25 ‘A clique …' Dakers (1987), p. 45

 25 ‘… Rothenstein' Dakers (1987), p. 45

 25 ‘The writer D.H… .' Haste (1977), p. 121; Dakers (1987), p. 66

 26 ‘In the Suffolk …' Horn (1984), p. 37

 26 ‘Near Woolwich …' Thomson (1922), pp. 44–5

 27 ‘… the Crown Prince' Turner (1980), p. 62; Haste (1977), p. 122

 27 ‘Blood is said …'
John Bull
, 24 October 1914

 27 ‘… Baden Powell' Turner (1980), p. 62

 28 ‘… Graham-White' Turner (1980), p. 62

 28 ‘… Sir Hector Macdonald' Royle (1982)

 28 ‘… Lord Haldane' Turner (1980), p. 59; Haste (1977), p. 123

 28 ‘Every kind of …' Haldane (1929), pp. 282–3

 29 ‘… Margot Asquith' Hoare (1997), pp. 86–8

 29 ‘… no fewer than 50' Turner (1980), p. 60; Collins (1998)

 30 ‘… John Buchan' Buitenhuis (1987), pp. 109–10

 31 ‘Arthur Conan Doyle …' Buitenhuis (1987), pp. 110–11

C
HAPTER
2

 32 ‘… word of mouth' Clarke (2005), p. 76

 32 ‘At Carlisle …' Turner (1980), p. 53

 32 ‘… at Durham' Turner (1980), p. 53

 32 ‘… at Crewe' Turner (1980), p. 53

 32 ‘… at Folkstone'
Daily News
, 1 September 1914

 32 ‘… American press' Clarke (2005), p. 77

 33 ‘… the Kiel Canal' Turner (1980), p. 53

 33 ‘It was even …' Turner (1980), p. 53

 33 ‘Successive variations …' Clark (1985), pp. 9–16

 34 ‘In Perthshire …' Baden-Powell (1973), p. 100

 34 ‘… named Champion'
South Wales Echo
, 14 September 1914

 34 ‘A correspondent told …'
Daily News
, 1 September 1914

 34 ‘Sir George …' Wilson (1986), p. 161

 34 ‘Only that day …' Brittain (1933), p. 97

 34 ‘Some people …' Hammerton (1938), pp. 86–6

 35 ‘In letters from …' Wemyss (1935), p. 173

 36 ‘There is being …' McDonagh (1935), pp. 21–2

 36 ‘Many people here …' Bertie (1924), pp. 30–3

 36 ‘Indeed when …'
Daily News
, 9 September 1914

 38 ‘There is no …'
Daily News
, 15 September 1914

 38 ‘London is depressed …' McDonagh (1935), pp. 23–4

 39 ‘There was nothing …' Thompson (1922), p. 38

 40 ‘M is full …' Charteris (1931), p. 38

 40 ‘Tennant: I am …' Hansard, 18 November 1914

 40 ‘The Russians in …' Charteris (1931), pp. 75–6

 41 ‘This started …' Lovat (1978), pp. 78–9

 41 ‘One held …' McDonagh (1935), p. 24

 41 ‘Interestingly, MI5 …'
The Times
, 19 November 1997

 41 ‘Another explanation …' Ponsonby (1928), p. 63

 41 ‘From Paris …' Bertie (1924), p. 69

 41 ‘It is also said …' Cockfield (1998), p. 2

 42 ‘If so, as …' Hart (1930), p. 101

 42 ‘… Sukhomlinoff' Ponsonby (1928), p. 63

 42 ‘In his lengthy …' Churchill (1923), p. 224

 42 ‘The outstanding …' Aston (1930), p. 73

 43 ‘On September 5th …' Hart (1930), p. 100

 44 ‘At this time …' Aston (1930), p. 75

 44 ‘He wrote all …' Thomson (1922), p. 123

 44 ‘Will you kindly …' Sellers (1997), p. 21

 45 ‘In Edinburgh …' Sellers (1997), pp. 21–2

 46 ‘Despite all his …' Deacon (1969), p. 181

C
HAPTER
3

 48 ‘Then there is …' Charteris (1931), pp. 25–6

 48 ‘If any angels …' Richards (1964), p. 19

 49 ‘I had the most …' Collins (1915)

 49 ‘We came into action …'
Daily Mail
, 14 September 1915

 50 ‘We had almost …'
Evening News
, 11 August 1915

 51 ‘Arthur Machen …' see Charlton (1963)

 51 ‘I looked out …' Hammerton (1938), p. 86

 52 ‘during a particularly …'
Evening News
, 29 September 1914

 53 ‘Whether Mr Machen's …'
Light
, 24 April 1915

 53 ‘Later in April …'
The Universe
, 30 April 1915

 53 ‘… Miss Marrable' Clarke(2005), pp. 122–4

 54 ‘At least six …' Buitenhuis (1987), p. 104

 54 ‘As late as 1966 …' Taylor (1966), p. 29

 55 ‘… while in 1980' Terraine (1980), p. 18

 55 ‘Owing to the …' Gibbs (1923), p. 217

 56 ‘One vociferous believer …' Clarke (2005), pp. 131–3

 56 ‘Another clergyman …' Wilson (1986), p. 161

 56 ‘General N …'
Light
, 8 May 1915

 57 ‘… one Mons veteran' Haythornthwaite (1992), p. 373

 57 ‘… Dr R.F. Harton' Clarke (2005), p. 130

 57 ‘… Forest of Mormal' Whitehouse (1964)

 58 ‘Poor Dix …'
Light
, 7 August 1915

 58 ‘… Robert Cleaver' Clarke (2005), pp. 163–5

 58 ‘Of first hand …' McClure (n.d.)

 59 ‘… Margaret Woods' Playne (1931), p. 257

 59 ‘The capture of …' MacDonald (1987), p. 212

 59 ‘I have been at …' Charteris (1931), p. 75

 61 ‘… Battle of Britain' Clarke (2005), pp. 220–2

 62 ‘The Angels of Mons …'
Daily News
, 17 February 1930

 62 ‘Curiously, the …' Howe (1982), p. 46

 62 ‘Doidge, a veteran …'
Sunday Times
, 11 March 2001; Clarke (2005), pp. 171–5

 63 ‘Now and again …' Bladud, 9 June 1915

 66 ‘They looked out …'
Fate
magazine, May 1968

 67 ‘Perhaps six or eight …'
Spaceview
magazine (NZ), April 1965

 68 ‘The truth of …' McCrery (1992), pp. 68–81

 69 ‘… Neuve-Chapelle' Blunden (1928), p. 54

 69 ‘In the course …' McCrery (1992), pp. 69–70

 70 ‘We are to …' McCrery (1992), p. 113

C
HAPTER
4

 72 ‘Later historical …' Terraine (1980), p. 23

 73 ‘Boy scouts …'
The Times
, 2 September 1914

 74 ‘… a court in Aachen' Read (1941), p. 93

 75 ‘We bought …' Bloem (1930), pp. 20–1

 75 ‘Bloem admitted …' Tuchman (1962), p. 310