Miss Nourah Chard secretary to Mrs Lucy Baldwin, wife of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin was a friend of notorious honours trafficker Maundy Gregory, so he claimed to Conservative Party Chairman in 1928. She worked as a secretary also for the Queen Mother when she was the fiance to the Duke of York in 1923 .She married in secret Sir Ronald Waterhouse in August 1928, an Intelligence Officer who became Equerry to the Duke of York (later George VI) in 1921 and was also on very friendly terms with Gregory. She later as Lady Nourah Waterhouse broke the behind the scenes story of the role of Waterhouse and JCC Davidson in securing Stanley Baldwin the premiership in 1923.Gregory boasted that he had obtained honours for his clients from a Royal Duke in financial difficulty and in 1925 he recieved a letter from the Duke of York's Comptroller in receipt of a personal birthday gift. No wonder Gregory boasted he had much "pull at the palace"
Waterhouse had Gregory claimed set up in competition to him in the honours trafficking racket, whilst Davidson organised a secret arrangement with Gregory channelling funds to the Conservative Party which saw the alarm over Gregory's links with Fascist Italy and Right Wing Circles in the Ukraine and Germany along with his compromising of the Yorks triggering the 1933 arrest, trial and his exile in France paid by political funds.
A Research Blog highlighting new evidence from unpublished archives surrounding intelligence and political dirty tricks against democracy in the interwar period.
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Trouble in Paradise
Sir Harry Oakes died in 1943, murdered and set alight in his Bahamas Mansion. The mystery of his murder remains unsolved after the sensational aquittal of the prime suspect Count Maringy, the victim of a plot organised by the Bahamian Governor and exiled King - the Duke of Windsor. This story has everything, the involvement of a famous private eye, corrupt Miami Policemen, and a string of unexplained suicides and murders of people connected or interested in the case, included allegedly a Bahamas Governor (Sir George Sandford) in 1950 and a Bahamas Civil Servant (US Lawyer Betty Renner in 1949 - whose body was stuffed into a well). The Oakes were plagued by death and Oakes's Widow was victim of a blackmail attempt.
My own researches have revealed that Harry Oakes had strong political connections in England and that in exchange for his Baronetcy he had contributed to a secret political slush fund controlled by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's fixer Sir Joseph Ball in 1938-9. The Introduction had come from British New York Art Dealer Baron Joseph Duveen who had visited Adolf Hitler in Bertchesgaten.
My own researches have revealed that Harry Oakes had strong political connections in England and that in exchange for his Baronetcy he had contributed to a secret political slush fund controlled by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's fixer Sir Joseph Ball in 1938-9. The Introduction had come from British New York Art Dealer Baron Joseph Duveen who had visited Adolf Hitler in Bertchesgaten.
Friday, 21 September 2012
David Hugh Montgomerie Boyle
David Hugh Montgomerie Boyle
born 1883
Cousin of Earl of Glasgow (who like Ormond Winter was a key figure in the British Fascists)
His father Henry David Boyle (1856-1917) was director of Dawnay Day, Giant Mines of Rhodesia, Russian Mining Corporation, Lena Goldmines.
Educated Wellington School and New College Oxford
1904 Customs Officer at Peking
1906 Tea Planter Ceylon
1907 Bombay Burma Timber Corp
1910 Officiated at Coronation of George V?
1912 ADC Gold Coast Priv Sec to Civil Comissioner Ashanti
1913-1918 Various roles in Gold Coast Colony according to X document "resigned owing to differences of opinion with his superiors against whom he was reported to have intrigued"
1914-18 according to X document - "No record of any war service but sent to USA by C (Mansfield Cumming head of MI6) under Colonel T(hwaites). There he started intrigues against T and during T's absence on leave, closed down the organisation. He was recalled and his services ceased. Prior to this he had been severely censured by Sir R(obert) N(athan) whom he accused of suppressing his telegrams. Next heard of having joined the Black and Tans and subsequently as having been recruited for the intelligence branch at police headquarters, Dublin Castle, in a junior capacity. Here again he started intrigues against his superiors and is reported to have gone to the length of lodging complaints with the Prime Minister respecting them. His services were ceased very shortly afterwards."
According to Cave Brown (The Secret Servant 1987) he escaped Dublin by a whisker.
1919 Son Alistair born New York City (he supposedly working in Ministry of Pensions)
1920 As MI6 officer he was according to Cave Brown which enbroils him in the failed attempt on De Valera in USA in1920 and saw him deported at the centre of a bruising Anglo-American Intelligence Row.
1921 His son Ranald born in Fairlie in Ayrshire, He is now in the Far East as a correspondant for the Morning Post with his wife remembering of course his father's role and his later role as director of Cunard and Anchor Line. The "X" document picks up the story : "Still later he was sent on a mission to the Far East by "C" (again Mansfield Cumming) and his wife accompanied him as secretary. His efforts were regarded by the authorities with such grave displeasure that he was recalled and his services ceased again. He subsequently wrote a series of elementary articles on the Far East for the Morning Post"
1923
1924 Rear Admiral Hugh Quex Sinclair succeeds Cumming as head of MI6. X Document - "He next succeeded in obtaining employment on the Prince of Wales Staff on the latter's visit to America (13/9/24) as " a specialist on American Society". He did not, however last the tour out but unexpededly re-appeared in England while the prince was still in America. It is reported that he had been very tactless in his advice to the Prince."
1925
1926 - Letter to Times from Travellers Club "Profits of War"- praising Baruch Plan
1927 - 2/2 Letter to Times on Far East "Japan is our friend", on TOCH appeals Committee
1928
1929
1930 - Booked on Graf Zepplin to Fredrichshaven from Cardington travelling with Japanophile Master of Semphill. Attending Wedding with Sir Ronald Graham and Mrs Roberts (possibly same as lady in Hamilton -Haushofer letters 1939-1941)
1931
1932 - Times Letter Safety at Sea, Times Letter on US/India
1933 Times letter on Armanents
1934 Pro-Japan letter on Manchurian Railway to TImes "eastern artery"
1935 - Director Anchor Line with Runcimans - resident Fairlieburne, Fairlie Ayrshire
1936
1937 Glebe House, Lewes - officiates at Cornonation of GVI - Kings Messenger
1938 Personal Assistant to Sinclair, running section N at MI6
1939 - Sent by C(SInclair) to visit Berlin on eve of war (with involvement of GVI, Halifax and Cadogan) 10/10 resigns directorship of Dawnay Day because of war work. Personal assistant to New MI6 chief Stewart Menzies who he supports in role.
1940
1941 -Possible involvement in Hess Affair
1948 CMG from GVI for MI6 work
1959 Book "With ardours manifold"
1960 attended funeral of cousin Sd Ldr PN Boyle
1970 died aged 87
born 1883
Cousin of Earl of Glasgow (who like Ormond Winter was a key figure in the British Fascists)
His father Henry David Boyle (1856-1917) was director of Dawnay Day, Giant Mines of Rhodesia, Russian Mining Corporation, Lena Goldmines.
Educated Wellington School and New College Oxford
1904 Customs Officer at Peking
1906 Tea Planter Ceylon
1907 Bombay Burma Timber Corp
1910 Officiated at Coronation of George V?
1912 ADC Gold Coast Priv Sec to Civil Comissioner Ashanti
1913-1918 Various roles in Gold Coast Colony according to X document "resigned owing to differences of opinion with his superiors against whom he was reported to have intrigued"
1914-18 according to X document - "No record of any war service but sent to USA by C (Mansfield Cumming head of MI6) under Colonel T(hwaites). There he started intrigues against T and during T's absence on leave, closed down the organisation. He was recalled and his services ceased. Prior to this he had been severely censured by Sir R(obert) N(athan) whom he accused of suppressing his telegrams. Next heard of having joined the Black and Tans and subsequently as having been recruited for the intelligence branch at police headquarters, Dublin Castle, in a junior capacity. Here again he started intrigues against his superiors and is reported to have gone to the length of lodging complaints with the Prime Minister respecting them. His services were ceased very shortly afterwards."
According to Cave Brown (The Secret Servant 1987) he escaped Dublin by a whisker.
1919 Son Alistair born New York City (he supposedly working in Ministry of Pensions)
1920 As MI6 officer he was according to Cave Brown which enbroils him in the failed attempt on De Valera in USA in1920 and saw him deported at the centre of a bruising Anglo-American Intelligence Row.
1921 His son Ranald born in Fairlie in Ayrshire, He is now in the Far East as a correspondant for the Morning Post with his wife remembering of course his father's role and his later role as director of Cunard and Anchor Line. The "X" document picks up the story : "Still later he was sent on a mission to the Far East by "C" (again Mansfield Cumming) and his wife accompanied him as secretary. His efforts were regarded by the authorities with such grave displeasure that he was recalled and his services ceased again. He subsequently wrote a series of elementary articles on the Far East for the Morning Post"
1923
1924 Rear Admiral Hugh Quex Sinclair succeeds Cumming as head of MI6. X Document - "He next succeeded in obtaining employment on the Prince of Wales Staff on the latter's visit to America (13/9/24) as " a specialist on American Society". He did not, however last the tour out but unexpededly re-appeared in England while the prince was still in America. It is reported that he had been very tactless in his advice to the Prince."
1925
1926 - Letter to Times from Travellers Club "Profits of War"- praising Baruch Plan
1927 - 2/2 Letter to Times on Far East "Japan is our friend", on TOCH appeals Committee
1928
1929
1930 - Booked on Graf Zepplin to Fredrichshaven from Cardington travelling with Japanophile Master of Semphill. Attending Wedding with Sir Ronald Graham and Mrs Roberts (possibly same as lady in Hamilton -Haushofer letters 1939-1941)
1931
1932 - Times Letter Safety at Sea, Times Letter on US/India
1933 Times letter on Armanents
1934 Pro-Japan letter on Manchurian Railway to TImes "eastern artery"
1935 - Director Anchor Line with Runcimans - resident Fairlieburne, Fairlie Ayrshire
1936
1937 Glebe House, Lewes - officiates at Cornonation of GVI - Kings Messenger
1938 Personal Assistant to Sinclair, running section N at MI6
1939 - Sent by C(SInclair) to visit Berlin on eve of war (with involvement of GVI, Halifax and Cadogan) 10/10 resigns directorship of Dawnay Day because of war work. Personal assistant to New MI6 chief Stewart Menzies who he supports in role.
1940
1941 -Possible involvement in Hess Affair
1948 CMG from GVI for MI6 work
1959 Book "With ardours manifold"
1960 attended funeral of cousin Sd Ldr PN Boyle
1970 died aged 87
Friday, 14 September 2012
The Riddle of "X" Solved
The Riddle of X - solved
Buried in the Private Papers of Viscount Davidson at the
House of Lords was a curious 2 page typed manuscript marked the Career of “X”. It is a very curious
document indeed and recounts a confidential investigation into the exploits of
an unknown but influential anti-communist insider at the heart of 1920’s
Government circles. After many years of search to reveal the Identity of X – I believe
that X is non-other than the shadowy friend of MI6 Chief Steward Menzies –
David Boyle. This close friend of Sir Stewart Menzies and George VI was closely involved in appeasement, contacts with Nazi Germany and at the centre of an US-British spy row in 1920 which blighted Anglo-American relations until 1940. The US and Britain continued to draw up War Scenarios against each other until 1933, and the American Suspicion that Britain helped Japan build up a Naval Aviation Threat which fulminated in Pearl Harbour in 1941 was based on Lord Sempill's activities in Japan, he may have been protected by anti-american and anti-bolshevists in MI6 and the British establishment.
The X document was clearly hostile to Boyle and seems to have originated from sources close to MI5 circa 1922-23, possibly Joseph Ball who was in communication with Davidson at the time.
Comparison of X & David Boyle
“X” profile Boyle (The Secret Servant Cave Brown)
·
Reported to have joined A relative of the Earl of Glasgow,one of
(Stewart)
West African Civil Service Menzies closest friends and a member of the
But resigned after intriguing
British secret service in New York. Accused of
Against his superiors. Plotting to kidnap Eamon De Valera,
President of
NO WAR SERVICE IN WWI Sinn Fein, who was living in the city, the state dept
But sent to USA by Mansfield compelled the Foreign Office to withdraw Boyle’s
Cumming after war under mission. The Boyle mission was liquidated, and
Colonel Thwaites where Boyle was sent to the staff of the Prince of
Wales
He intrigued against Thwaites who was visiting Canada. Boyle was a shadowy
In his absence and closed figure whose CV read like that of an aristocratic
Down the organisation. Odd job man but a proficient one. Since 1920
He was censured by Sir Robert when we last saw Boyle attempting to kidnap
Nathan whom he accused of De Valera, Boyle was aide de camp to the POW
Suppressing telegrams. He was
in Canada. He escaped the November Murders
Sacked from MI6. Then joined in Dublin by a whisker and at one time of
another
The Black and Tans and worked was a political and social agent for Cunard, a
At Dublin castle for British
Intelligence correspondant for the Morning Post in Shanghai,
Where he again intrigued. And Danzig, director of the Anchor Shipping line
Sent by Mansfield Cumming to
Far East officer of the Imperial Chinese Customs Service,
Accompaigned by his wife ,
recalled tea planter in Ceylon, clerk to shipping agents at
And wrote articles for Morning
Post on Ceylon,employee of the Bombay Timber Corp.
The Far East. And then with the Burmah Oil Company. He
became
Joined Prince of Wales Tour of too a political officer to the Anglo-Persian Oil Coy.
USA (1919) as an expert on American He
was also district commissioner for the Gold Coast
Society – gave tactless advice
to prince and he also earned his living by commissions
And returned home early. Obtained through the renting of grass shooting in
Closely associated with
wealthy Scotland to Americans like Bernard Baruch.
Also
Americans In Britain and
manages a Kings Messenger one of the fraternity that
carried
their shooting for them.He has
the Royal and Secret Mail between capitals.
organised an intelligence service
Sent to Berlin in 1939 under Royal instruction to
and Recently approached an
try to avert war as MI6 Officer. Operated Section N
ex-MI5 officer to Join him and
which secretly opened diplomatic mail. In Burma
has established a secure safe
was offered post of gold staff officer to
Earl Marshall
Office in Grays Inn dedicated
and officiated at Coronations of George V,VI and ER.
to anti-bolshevism.No
Intelligence
experience worthy of name,
Extremely conceited, lacking
in
tact, and has Recently obtained
money from American Millionaires
to form a society for insuring
them
Against the risks of Bolshevik
activities!
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Churchill's Secret Enemy - what new evidence did we bring to light?
Sir Joseph Ball, was one of Neville Chamberlain's chief lieutenants and
organiser of the dirty tricks (phone taps, smears,burgulary,constituency
de-selection ) campaign against Sir Winston Churchill and many of the
Anti-Nazis. Ball even paid for Billboard ads in the Strand "What Price
Churchill?" - (the obvious answer - War) to run along side smears
against Churchill in the Press (Truth and other papers)
My research points to Sir Joseph as being the originator of Chamberlain's Plan Z - flight to meet Adolf Hitler at Bertchesgaden ( I have previous correspondance between him and Neville Chamberlain in 1935 discussing Plan X ) and proof that Neville Chamberlain was in reciept of a secret election fund to fight a planned general election on November 14th 1939 with monies from pro-appeaser and Bahamas Tax Exile Sir Harry Oakes (letters from Oakes to Ball with a donation of £10,000 to the fund in gratitude for his knighthood and Pro-Nazi British Union of Fascist funder Henry Drummond-Wolff, as well as Anti-semite and Link member the Duke of Westminster (letter from D-H linking the Duke of Westminster to the Research and Publicity Ltd fund and D-H's trips to Germany as well as the September 1939 Westminster Peace Group)
In addition Sir Joseph Ball met with Right Club member Archibald Ramsay MP in June 1939 to hear evidence of a supposed Judeo-Masonic conspiracy involving Churchill to drag Britain into war, and implicitely asked Ramsay to gather evidence of Churchill's supposed treasonous secret communications with President Roosevelt. Those involved in gathering this evidence we then arrested as part of the Nazi Spy ring including Anna Wolkoff, US Embassy Clerk Tyler Kent and Ramsay himself.
My book which cites the evidence held in the Ball Papers at the Bodelian Library in Oxford and the Drummond-Woolf Papers at Leeds University as well as declassified MI5 files at Kew.
When
Neville Chamberlain was ousted from power in may 1940 and began to work
under Churchill he ensured that Ball was appointed as Deputy of the
Security Executive and was put above MI5 and MI6. Ball took his master's
fall badly and offered resign to fight against Churchill but by this
time Chamberlain was dying with cancer.
Ball continued his friendships with those promoting a negotiated peace with Nazi Germany such as D-H, Westminster, Collin Brooks, Henry Newnham and met with the Duke of Hamilton in May 1941 in the aftermath of the Hess Peace Mission.
He continued to control and secretly run the Magazine Truth until 1941 when it's Pro-German, Pro-fascist and anti-semitic and anti-american views were exposed in parliament by Colonel Josiah Wedgewood.
Ball was finally sacked from the Security Executive in 1942 and went on to found South African and Rhodesian gold mining group LONRHO eventually bringing in German born and Hitler youth Tiny Rowlands to run it.
Many other interesting links to the Cambridge Spies , Ian Fleming and unsolved mysterious murders and accident deaths of leading appeasers and pro-fascists - Oakes, Mazzina, Errol, Laurence of Arabia and the mysterious silence of Big Ben for 12 hours in June 1941 and of course Royal involvement with Maundy Gregory, Appeasement and Fascism - more to be revealed in "His Majesty's Secret"
My research points to Sir Joseph as being the originator of Chamberlain's Plan Z - flight to meet Adolf Hitler at Bertchesgaden ( I have previous correspondance between him and Neville Chamberlain in 1935 discussing Plan X ) and proof that Neville Chamberlain was in reciept of a secret election fund to fight a planned general election on November 14th 1939 with monies from pro-appeaser and Bahamas Tax Exile Sir Harry Oakes (letters from Oakes to Ball with a donation of £10,000 to the fund in gratitude for his knighthood and Pro-Nazi British Union of Fascist funder Henry Drummond-Wolff, as well as Anti-semite and Link member the Duke of Westminster (letter from D-H linking the Duke of Westminster to the Research and Publicity Ltd fund and D-H's trips to Germany as well as the September 1939 Westminster Peace Group)
In addition Sir Joseph Ball met with Right Club member Archibald Ramsay MP in June 1939 to hear evidence of a supposed Judeo-Masonic conspiracy involving Churchill to drag Britain into war, and implicitely asked Ramsay to gather evidence of Churchill's supposed treasonous secret communications with President Roosevelt. Those involved in gathering this evidence we then arrested as part of the Nazi Spy ring including Anna Wolkoff, US Embassy Clerk Tyler Kent and Ramsay himself.
My book which cites the evidence held in the Ball Papers at the Bodelian Library in Oxford and the Drummond-Woolf Papers at Leeds University as well as declassified MI5 files at Kew.
Ball continued his friendships with those promoting a negotiated peace with Nazi Germany such as D-H, Westminster, Collin Brooks, Henry Newnham and met with the Duke of Hamilton in May 1941 in the aftermath of the Hess Peace Mission.
He continued to control and secretly run the Magazine Truth until 1941 when it's Pro-German, Pro-fascist and anti-semitic and anti-american views were exposed in parliament by Colonel Josiah Wedgewood.
Ball was finally sacked from the Security Executive in 1942 and went on to found South African and Rhodesian gold mining group LONRHO eventually bringing in German born and Hitler youth Tiny Rowlands to run it.
Many other interesting links to the Cambridge Spies , Ian Fleming and unsolved mysterious murders and accident deaths of leading appeasers and pro-fascists - Oakes, Mazzina, Errol, Laurence of Arabia and the mysterious silence of Big Ben for 12 hours in June 1941 and of course Royal involvement with Maundy Gregory, Appeasement and Fascism - more to be revealed in "His Majesty's Secret"
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Chariots of Fascist Fire - Lord Burghley and the Dark Side of Olympian Fitness Eugenics
Lord Burghley, Conservative MP, Olympic Hurdler and organiser of the 1948 London Games, who was explified (though not credited in the film Chariots of Fire) is an interesting friend of King Edward VIII (aka David Prince of Wales, aka the Duke of Windsor) Albert Duke of York (aka King George VI) and his brother in law the Duke of Gloucester.
Burghley was at the heart of the National Fitness Council set up by Joseph Ball and Neville Chamberlain and enthuastically supported by Edward the Eighth who became Duke of Windsor. In January 1939, Burghley was part of a group of prominent British notables who broadcast an appeal for Peace to Nazi Germany which included Poet Laurete John Masefield, who had written the Jubilee Poem, a Poem for the Coronation of George VI and a Poem honouring Neville Chamberlain's sellout at Munich. The group included Sir Kenneth Clarke, and Royal Doctors - Lords Dawson and Horder whose views on Eugenics, Population and Fitness are below. Signaturies included Lord Stamp and Lord Eustace Percy, and Montagu Norman, as well as the Marquess of Willingdon, Historians HAL Fisher and Trevelyan, the Earl of Derby, Michael Sadler, Composer Vaughan Williams, Sir William Bragg and Edwin Lutyens.
Burghley was married to Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott sister to the Duke of Buccleuch , Pro-Nazi Master of the Household for George VI. Her uncle Francis Scott was a neighbour to the fascist Earl of Errol in Kenya and he was related by marriage to the the Dukes of Hamilton. Through the IOC he had frequent contact with the Nazis before and after the 1936 Olympic Games and in 1943 he resigned as Tory MP to become Governor of Bermuda having met with the Duke of Windsor in the Bahamas, there was also talk of him succeeding Windsor as Governor there too.
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Burghley was linked to JG Paterson, Aberdare, Stack, Dawson and Wakefield |
Burghley was friends with the Duke of Gloucester, George VI and Edward VIII
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Dawson and Horder supported Eugenics views |
Thursday, 2 August 2012
The Mussolini Connection - The Order of Bath
Just as in 1904 George VI's grandfather Edward VII took the Foreign Policy decision to bring England into a close Foreign Policy alliance with France following the Royal Visit of 1904 and the "Entente Cordiale" ( a deal which brought with it secret military arrangements for the Defence of France and the inevitable involvement into a Miltary Alliance with a Repressive and Reactionary Imperial Russia) so too did George VI's father George V enter into a close Anglo-Italian Friendship which lasted despite the arrival of Mussolini in 1922 after the Fascist March on Rome was recognised by George V's friend King Victor Emanuelle III.
June 1924 saw the Murder of Socialist MP Giacomo Matteotti under Mussolini's conivance at the hands of Fascist Assassins.
British Intelligence in the form of MI6 Officer, member of the Anti-Socialist Union and Conservative MP Samuel Hoare had been from 1917 bankrolling the rise of Benito Mussolini's and the Italian Fascists with MI5 Money £6,000 per week (in today's money) and now in May 1923 King George and Queen Mary arrived by Special Train in Rome, to greet the Italian Dictator Musssolini and the Italian King. To top that they presented Mussolini with the Royal Cross of the Order of Bath and the following year the Italian King arrived in London to be greeted by King George V and his sons (Prince of Wales and Duke of York) with an Honour guard of British and Italian Fascists in Blackshirts. A wreath was placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Cenotaph and the Italian King and Royals were entertained at a Hospital Ball given by Mrs Ronnie Grenville,attended by the newly married Yorks, followed by a Buckingham Palace State Dinner and tour of the British Empire Exhibition. As the Yorks dined Mussolini was giving orders for the beating and Kidnap of his opponents culminating in the kidnap and murder of Socialist MP Giacomo Matteotti, which parallels the disappearance of British Socialist MP Victor Grayson in 1920. This was the second time Mussolini had targeted Matteotti who had exposed the corruption and intrigues of the Fascists, Matteotti had been kidnapped in 1921 by Fascists and then released.
While Trade Unionists and Labour Politicians protested the murder, the reaction in Rome led to an opposition boycott of the Italian Parliament, a cover-up and the paving of the way for total dictatorship. Conservative Politicians courted Mussolini including Neville Chamberlain's half-brother Austen, and in 1926 King George V sent a letter of regret at the attempted assasination of Mussolini. In 1927 George V awarded Fascist Airman Commander Di Pinedo a Royal Air Force Cross, and in 1930 came the Visit of The Duke of York to meet Mussolini himself.
June 1924 saw the Murder of Socialist MP Giacomo Matteotti under Mussolini's conivance at the hands of Fascist Assassins.
British Intelligence in the form of MI6 Officer, member of the Anti-Socialist Union and Conservative MP Samuel Hoare had been from 1917 bankrolling the rise of Benito Mussolini's and the Italian Fascists with MI5 Money £6,000 per week (in today's money) and now in May 1923 King George and Queen Mary arrived by Special Train in Rome, to greet the Italian Dictator Musssolini and the Italian King. To top that they presented Mussolini with the Royal Cross of the Order of Bath and the following year the Italian King arrived in London to be greeted by King George V and his sons (Prince of Wales and Duke of York) with an Honour guard of British and Italian Fascists in Blackshirts. A wreath was placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Cenotaph and the Italian King and Royals were entertained at a Hospital Ball given by Mrs Ronnie Grenville,attended by the newly married Yorks, followed by a Buckingham Palace State Dinner and tour of the British Empire Exhibition. As the Yorks dined Mussolini was giving orders for the beating and Kidnap of his opponents culminating in the kidnap and murder of Socialist MP Giacomo Matteotti, which parallels the disappearance of British Socialist MP Victor Grayson in 1920. This was the second time Mussolini had targeted Matteotti who had exposed the corruption and intrigues of the Fascists, Matteotti had been kidnapped in 1921 by Fascists and then released.
While Trade Unionists and Labour Politicians protested the murder, the reaction in Rome led to an opposition boycott of the Italian Parliament, a cover-up and the paving of the way for total dictatorship. Conservative Politicians courted Mussolini including Neville Chamberlain's half-brother Austen, and in 1926 King George V sent a letter of regret at the attempted assasination of Mussolini. In 1927 George V awarded Fascist Airman Commander Di Pinedo a Royal Air Force Cross, and in 1930 came the Visit of The Duke of York to meet Mussolini himself.
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