paul guthrie Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 This is a fascinating book which I am re-reading. Good news, it's 500 pages and paperback cost $21.95 when I bought it a few years ago. He was a young lt. to Lanrezac's 5th army, the one BEF dealt with. He was smart as hell, great French speaker and actually is funny at times, quality I have not noticed often in books by British officers of the time. What was his later record? He did become a general. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 I know he went onto be a politician and like Churchill crossed the house from the Liberal side to the conservative side in the twenties. During the war (2nd)he was used by Churchill to co-ordinate with the french and De Gaulle. If you put in his name on yahoo it brings up some sites to visit. Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Yes, this is a great book. Spears certainly can write very well indeed and bring to life those times when he was at the focus of great events. Interestingly, Churchill used him to try to keep the French in the war in 1940 and he wrote an interesting book about this mission too. Terry is right . He made Major General eventually - perhaps with a bit to owe to Churchill who was happy to throw rank about to give his representatives as much clout as possible. He also picked up a baronetcy, K.B.E, C.B and a M.C along the way and wrote the grandly named "Assignment to Catastrophe" about his WW2 efforts - this book dedicated in 1954 - to W.S.C of course ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 I think he reached major-general. I have a copy of the book, which I haven't started yet, and there was a news cutting enclosed with it. The clipping is actually a book review of Max Egremont's book "Under Two Flags: The Life of Major General Sir Edward Spears". The review discusses Spears' stormy relationship with DeGaulle in World War Two. He states they were both brilliant egotistical men with large chips on their shoulders. It would appear that Spears was truly a remarkable figure. Wounded four times in 1914-18, with his career in the military and politics, he well deserved a book being written about him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Lt Spears was arranged to have a secondment to the Ministry of War in Paris and as the situation deteriorated it was decided it would be useful to have him there. He crossed by holiday steamer dressed in civvies on Monday July 27th 1914. Quite a few mentions and quotes in Lyn McDonalds "1914" Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Spears retired from the army in 1920 with the brevet rank of Lt Col and as Hon. Brigadier. He was MP for Loughborough 1922-24 and Carlisle 1931-45. He served again in WW2 in the rank of Hon. Major General in various liaison posts, including acting as the Prime Minister's Personal Representative with the French Prime Minister and Head of the Spears Mission, to Syria and the Lebanon. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Spears also appears in the 1960's BBC TV Series as owners of this on video tape or DVD will know. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 16 December , 2003 Share Posted 16 December , 2003 Spears also appears, as a very old man, in the 'France Falls' episode of World At War (which in my opinion is one of the best in the series). He is mentioned several times in the Allanbrooke Diaries advising on French affairs. He was also involved in African affairs after the war, something to do with Rio Tinto Zinc perhaps, but my memory is defective at this stage of the school term. There is a sequel to 'Liaison 1914' called 'Prelude To Victory'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 17 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 17 December , 2003 Winston Churchill's foreword to this book contains the amazing statement that the war was won in the first 20 days. I agree somewhat with what he meant, that is 1st Marne was Germans chance to win the war. I think they may well have had another at 1st Ypres if they were able to continue to the channel ports and keep Britain from contributing on land that would have done it. But what he said taken literally is amazing in its Anglocenticness - is that a word or have I just equaled Bush in making them up?-. Even if you say the war began August 4 1st Marne did not happen within 20 days, what he meant was 20 days from August 21 when British went into action. This equals the famous headline, " English Channel covered by fog- continent completely cut off." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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