The War that Never Was by Duff Hart-Davis

Author:Duff Hart-Davis [Hart-Davis, Duff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781846058257
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2011-02-10T05:00:00+00:00

a startling link between these Buchanesque freebooters and a man who, until January 29 this year, was a serving officer of the RAF: Flt Lt Anthony Alexander Boyle, a son of Marshal of the RAF Sir Dermot Boyle. Until October 1, 1963, Boyle was serving in Aden as ADC to the British High Commissioner – the official charged with implementing Britain’s policy in the area.

British policy, the introduction went on, had always been ‘not to get involved in this business’, and the Foreign Office, in response to enquiries, had assured the newspaper that ‘any activity by individuals in the Yemen is entirely unauthorised’.

The article gave a detailed outline of Johnny’s military career, and linked him with David Stirling, but did not follow up a mention of ‘Jim’ in one of the Boyle letters. Having failed to discern Jim’s identity or involvement, the Insight team concluded that it was Cooper who had ‘decided to organise his own military-aid programme for the Royalists’ and had ‘built up’ the mercenary organisation, with ‘some advice, at least, about recruiting from his old CO, David Stirling’. Stirling, for his part, seems to have been decidedly economical with the truth, and told the newspaper, ‘Any suggestion that this was organised by an ex-SAS caucus would be completely wrong.’

Other newspapers seized on the story. AIR FORCE OFFICER IS ACCUSED OF ARAB ARMS DEAL, bellowed the front-page headline in the Sunday Mirror, which reported that Richard Marsh, the Member of Parliament for Greenwich, had tabled a question for the Prime Minister and demanded an immediate inquiry about ‘shock allegations’ that an RAF officer had been involved in deals to supply men and arms to the Royalists. GUN RUNNING STORM, cried the Daily Express on Monday morning. Reporters called at 21 Sloane Street, only to be told that Boyle ‘had been there but wasn’t now’, and that Stirling was in Hong Kong. Tony’s brother, Patrick, was quoted as saying, ‘We have lost touch with him. We haven’t seen him for some time.’ The press also drew a blank at the home of Boyle’s parents in Hampshire, and Lady Birdwood, run to earth in Kensington, staunchly maintained that she knew of ‘no arms smuggling or secret army’.

By the time the first article appeared, Cooper happened to be on leave, at home in Essex, having just returned from the Yemen, and when he awoke that Sunday morning he did not see a newspaper until he went to his local pub, the White Hart, opposite his house, which was easily identified by its colours – white with yellow shutters – and in any case gave itself away by being named Cooper’s Court. By mid-morning a swarm of journalists had begun to gather, setting up telephoto lenses outside his home, so he decided his best option was to stay put in the bar, shielded by a crowd of friends, who told reporters that he was ‘still away on holiday’. As he himself recorded:

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