Apprehensions about Hitler[edit] In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Berlin’s sexual liberation was very inviting for British homosexuals, who lived under fear of persecution back home. Living their lives with practised subterfuge in Britain, gays felt free to be themselves in Berlin. Among these regular visitors to Germany were these British MPs. The treatment of Jews and the assassination of homosexuals in Hitler’s purge of political opponents in the Night of the Long Knives in 1934 gave them insights that many in Britain were keen on ignoring. The group spoke out against appeasement, were scathingly critical of the Munich Agreement, and became ardent campaigners for rearmament. Many of them even enlisted, risking exposure and imprisonment.[1] Without these parliamentary rebels sounding the alarm as early as 1932 and speaking and voting against Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement, says author Chris Bryant, Britain “would never have gone to war with Hitler, Churchill would never have become prime minister and Nazism would never have been defeated”.[1] Also a new book by Chris Bryant MP The Glamour Boys: The Secret Story of the Rebels who Fought for Britain to Defeat Hitler Glamour Boys (politicians) - Wikipedia
One of these men was Colonel JRJ Macnamara MP - who was CO of the 1st Bn London Irish Rifles at the outbreak of the war, before moving onto the RAF Regiment in Feb 1942 - among many things, he is notable for instigating the introduction of the caubeen into the Regiment in 1937 or thereabouts... Jack Macnamara was killed while visiting the 1st Bn LIR in Italy in December 1944 and is buried at Forli CWGC QS
Another was Major Ronnie Cartland RA . There are several mentions on this forum 70394 Major Ronald Cartland MP RA 1907-1940 WATOU, BELGIUM 1940 Barbara Cartland's brothers. Mont Cassel Gun Positions May 1940
