Inaccurate
Sir: Christopher Booker's article (29 August) 'The Cossacks' betrayal' is inaccurate in at least one statement. He refers to Brigadier Toby Low (now Lord Aldington) as General Keightley's own political adviser. Sometimes he puts the words political adviser in inverted commas and sometimes not.
Brigadier Toby Low was BGS (Brigadier General Staff) to General Keightley at 5 Corps and was responsible only for the staff work to enable General Keightley's orders to be carried out. To my certain and personal knowledge Toby Low was the most dedicated staff officer and his political thoughts as a soldier throughout the Italian campaign were non-existent.
Also being one of the CIGS's (Lord Alanbrooke) Military Assistants, I can well remember showing him many Foreign Office telegrams referring to the handing over of POWs to the Russians. The matter was discussed at the Chief of Staff Committee and also in the War Cabinet. General Alexander would have been kept informed from these quarters.
If Lord Aldington doesn't write his side of the story (which would be interesting), I would suggest that the truth could be discovered from Foreign Office, Chiefs of Staff and War Cabinet minutes of the time.
As a part author of the War Diaries of 13 Corps for 18 months, I can say that they are exceptionally boring documents concerned only with the movement of troops and HQS and various figures of strengths. In no way would political matters be placed in them and in no way could they be 'weeded'. David Summers
Marsh Cottage, Old Romney, Romney Marsh, Kent
Previous page
