The Shadow of War (20 page)

‘That's a good idea. At least they can put all t'coffins on t'same train 'ome.'

‘I know, but better to feight wi' yer pals than total strangers. It said in t'
Guardian
that Liverpool 'as already produced three battalions and Manchester four. An' that in London, stockbrokers, sportsmen, Jews an' all sorts are joinin' up together.'

Cath
looks at Mick and the others, merrily drinking ale and still discussing the game.

‘Tha's not sayin' that this lot should join up? That's agin all our principles!'

‘Is it? Not accordin' to Henry Hyndman and t'suffragettes. I don't believe in feightin' and killin' poor native people so that we tek their land from 'em. But even some o' t'pacifists think this do wi' t'Germans is different. An' there's summat else: tha's expectin', Cath. Think on; we'll soon not 'ave a penny comin' in to either of our 'ouses. 'Ow will we pay t'rent? Kitchener's sayin' he'll give recruits twenty-one shillings pay an' billetin' allowance. An' when t'men are away, twelve shillings an' sixpence for a wife, an' two shillings an' sixpence fer each o' t'childer.'

‘That's more than we were getting' at t'mill, workin' four loom!'

‘Reet. Temptin', in't it?'

‘Tis that, but we'll be called traitors to t'workin'-class cause an' all that.'

‘I know we will; not by all of 'em, mind. But it's our families that come first.'

‘But these four lummoxes might get th'sels shot. 'Ave yer seen t'casualty figures?'

‘Aye, but this lot are too daft to get shot.'

‘I don't know, lass. I can't bear t'thought of it. I'll talk to Mick abaht it.'

‘Well, if Mick goes, Tommy'll go wi' 'im. An' if those two go, Vinny'll go. An' where Vinny goes, Twaites goes.'

‘Aye, he'll go to keep an eye on Vinny. He won't want t'silly bugger to get 'issen shot.'

‘That's as good a reason as any, Cath. Let's hope none o' them gets shot.'

Winston Churchill's family have finally returned from an extended stay in their holiday cottage in Overstrand and are now back in London. As Clemmie is now heavily pregnant and Sir Edward Grey is still using their house in Eccleston Square, Winston has moved Clemmie and the children into a flat in the Admiralty.

It is Saturday night, but London is in a strange mood. Many people are still gripped by a martial fervour, a zeal that is part jingoism – indignation that someone should have the audacity to threaten Britain's pre-eminence – and part anger that, if the press stories are to be believed, the Germans have been committing dreadful atrocities in Belgium. The ‘Hun' is being painted as a marauding beast, a monster threatening civilization itself. Lurid descriptions of brutality by German troops are everywhere, as are voyeuristic images of naked Belgian damsels being molested by savage Huns who resemble snarling hyenas or vicious bears.

But some people have become less warlike. Shocked crowds have gathered at ports all over the country to see the convoys of ambulances bringing the wounded from France. The casualty figures are far greater than anybody expected and the newspaper reports about the BEF in full retreat in a parlous state have added to the alarm.

Winston has been neglecting his family. The copious flow of letters between him and Clemmie has been reduced to a trickle. As his brother, Jack, is preparing to leave for France, Winston has organized a private supper at the Admiralty for Clemmie, Jack and Goonie. He has also invited his great friend F. E. Smith and his wife, Margaret. The six of them have dressed formally and Winston has ensured that the food, drink and service are commensurate with the fare offered at the finest of London's restaurants.

The
first half of the dinner is devoted to family chatter, niceties and the usual banter between Winston and FE. It includes a couple of FE's legendary tales, which Winston encourages him to repeat. Both were comments he made to judges on the Northern Circuit while he was cutting his teeth as a barrister in Liverpool.

On one occasion, he was chastised by a judge who said, ‘Mr Smith, having listened to your case, I am no wiser.'

To which FE replied, ‘Possibly not, m'lud, but you are now much better informed.'

In another fabled moment, a very senior judge, whose wisdom was doubted by many, asked him, ‘What do you suppose I am on the Bench for, Mr Smith?'

To which FE responded, in an instant, ‘It is not for me, Your Honour, to attempt to fathom the inscrutable workings of Providence.'

Having given FE the floor for a while, Winston begins to hold court. He is in jubilant mood, which is a surprise to his guests. They felt sure he would need succour, given the worrying news about the BEF's anguished retreat from Mons.

‘As you know, I am not inclined to crow unless, of course, it is an irresistible necessity driven by overwhelming achievements in which I may have played a minor role.'

All five smile. Winston is in one of his rampant veins. They know that what will follow will be an oratorical tour de force.

‘At sea, our ships have muzzled the German Grand Fleet and it has run back to its ports, where I'm sure its sailors will spend the autumn idly polishing the brass and mahogany of their captains' wardrooms. The Heligoland Bight encounter was a stunning blow. Three of their cruisers and a destroyer are on the bottom, many more damaged. We had some impairment to one of our cruisers, but Commodore Roger Keyes's battle plan was outstanding. Old Jelly Bones is crowing about it, but it was all Keyes's doing.'

Goonie
looks confused. ‘Jelly Bones' is one of Winston's many pet names with which she is not familiar. Jack comes to her aid.

‘John Jellicoe, my dear. Winston has just made him a full admiral and given him command of the Grand Fleet.'

Winston suddenly turns, with a fiery look in his eye.

‘And he had better bring home the bacon for me, or I'll have it sliced off his rump!'

He then resumes the acclamation of his and Britain's prowess; he gets to his feet, goblet of claret in hand.

‘I have more to tell: I wrote a memo three years ago, outlining what I thought would be the disposition of German forces if they were to launch an attack on France and how the subsequent conflict would unfold. Among many other things, I suggested that the German lines of communication would become too stretched and that their rapid advance would be curtailed within forty days.'

Then Winston gives an illustration of his extraordinary memory.

‘I can quote from it now: “By the fortieth day, Germany should be extended at full strain and this strain will become more severe and ultimately overwhelming.” Well, today is the thirty-sixth day of their assault, and it has come to pass. Of course, our army high command did not take my advice. I suggested that we should wait in reserve to strike at the right time but, pressured by the French, who panicked a little, we threw in our lot immediately and hence the unnecessary mauling at Mons. However, I do take some small comfort from being vindicated – especially as Kitchener and others have said as much.'

Despite Clemmie's hugely pregnant midriff, she jumps to her feet to kiss her husband.

‘If they listened to you more often, my darling, the army might be in the same unassailable position as our navy.'

‘Thank
you, Clemmie, dearest heart. But actually, you have brought me to my next piece of news. Lord K has asked me to take control of all our air defences and add the Royal Flying Corps to my Royal Naval Air Service. He hasn't the time to devote himself to air power and is not really an advocate of its potential. But he knows I am very passionate about it. So, as well as our oceans, our skies are mine to command!'

All the listeners are enthralled; there are squeals of joy.

‘I have already established a new squadron at Hendon and ordered a fleet of armour-plated Rolls-Royce cars to go to France to help establish forward air bases fifty miles inland. Twenty-four planes have already left, and we have launched our first aerial bombing sorties over German positions. The world's first air war has begun. I'm exhilarated by it all!'

Jack calls for a toast, which is made with great cheer. Clemmie remembers their visit to Glen Tilt to see Bardie Stewart-Murray's experimental machines.

‘Does that mean you can commission some of those things we saw at Blair Atholl?'

‘Ah, yes; that's going to be a little embarrassing, Clemmie. Those Dunne prototypes don't quite cut the mustard according to our engineers and experienced pilots. They're fine for civilian use, but they are not robust enough for a war zone.'

‘Oh dear, such nice people.'

‘Indeed, and Bardie's investors are all good friends of mine. But the two planes that were commissioned just couldn't stand up to the kind of sudden movements necessary under fire. Bardie is with the Scottish Horse in Dunkeld. When he comes south for embarkation to France, I'll break the news to him. I'd rather do it in person.'

Jack then intervenes.

‘Why are you so sure he'll be going to France? The Scottish Horse is not on the latest list.'

‘Oh, Jack, dear boy, I predict that by the time this is over,
every able-bodied man in the realm will be involved in one way or another. And, if I may say so, ladies, every woman as well.'

Goonie grabs Winston's arm.

‘So it won't be over by Christmas, as many are saying?'

‘No, Goonie. Not this Christmas, not the next. And maybe not the one after that.'

‘My God, Winston! With the casualty figures we've read so far, that means tens of thousands will die.'

‘No, Goonie, hundreds of thousands, maybe millions.'

There is a sudden pall in the room.

Winston seeks to reinvigorate his guests.

‘But let's face all that when the time comes. I have more to tell you – much more. And it's good news.'

Winston is now striding up and down the room. He has refilled his glass and the deep red claret is perilously close to the rim as he becomes more and more impassioned.

‘Now, let me come to the best news since war was declared: the opportunity predicted by the scenario I outlined in my 1911 memorandum. All intelligence, especially from aerial reconnaissance, is indicating that von Kluck is swinging his army south-east of Paris.'

Clemmie looks perplexed.

‘Why would he do that, darling?'

‘Paris is too tough a nut to crack in a frontal assault. That was never part of the German plan. They wanted to encircle the city from the north, defeat the bulk of the French Army on the battlefield and then squeeze the life out of the city until it was forced to surrender. Now they are trying to do the same thing, but in a southerly arc, because the northern route is too much of a stretch, as I said all along.'

Clemmie is still baffled.

‘So why is that good news?'

‘Because he is exposing his left flank to a swift counter-attack from the French railheads in the city. Not only that,
the French have been blessed by an astonishing stroke of luck. Three days ago, a German officer returning from von Kluck's headquarters to his own division took a wrong turn and drove straight into a French patrol. His car was sprayed with bullets and he was killed.'

Goonie lets out an impromptu gasp.

‘Oh dear! That poor man –'

‘Goonie, don't be ridiculous, he was our sworn enemy; this is a fight to the death.'

‘I know, Winston, but he's probably a lovely village boy, only twenty-five years old, with a sweetheart and mother at home.'

‘Quite so, but I'm more concerned about
our
lovely boys. Anyway, this sweet Prussian boy had a map of von Kluck's current disposition in his pocket and, more importantly, drawn on it in pencil were the lines of his intended movements. He is heading for the River
Marne
, and the plans show General Lanrezac exactly where to put his 5th Army. It shows the French the precise point from where to spring an ambush. The BEF will support Lanrezac and will share in what I'm sure will be a great victory.'

Jack is wide-eyed in astonishment.

‘What an extraordinary piece of good fortune.'

‘Quite right, dearest Jack, God always smiles on the righteous!'

FE then produces a copy of
The
Times
newspaper.

‘Talking of the righteous, I've got a copy of your Guildhall speech yesterday. I love this bit.'

FE gets to his feet, a great orator in the courtroom and parliament in his own right. He mimics Winston's voice, complete with his renowned lisp and flamboyant gesticulations.

‘ “You only have to endure to conquer. You have only to persevere to save yourself and all those who rely on you. You have to go on and at the end of the road, be it short or long, victory and honour will be found.” '

Clemmie
and Goonie applaud both men: FE for his perfect impersonation, and Winston for the stirring power of his words. Clemmie then tugs at Winston's jacket.

‘Tell everybody what the Prime Minister said to you yesterday.'

‘No, it was nothing.'

‘On the contrary, it was very important. Four of us are Churchills, and FE and Margaret are honorary members of the clan; they would like to know what he said.'

Before Winston can respond, FE makes a little speech of his own.

‘Really, Clemmie, honorary Churchills? What a rare privilege! But does it mean we have to agree with Winnie all the time?'

His wife, Margaret, answers immediately.

‘Of course you do; I have to agree with you all the time, so why shouldn't you toe the Churchill line? You'll get used to it – I've had to!'

Everyone laughs; Margaret's wit is almost as sharp as FE's renowned jocularity.

Winston is being coy. In truth, he needs little encouragement to reveal what Asquith said.