FOR KING AND COUNTRY?

And St George?

I've just finished reading Robert Littell's book "Young Philby" which is an excellent read. (Littell is the father of Johnathon Littell who wrote the very good and controversial "The Kindly Ones").
Young Philby recounts Kim Philby's early years by using actual and fictitious observations by his friends and KGB and HMSIS handlers.

It's a great insight into Philby and his motivations which were several. The book explores what makes a traitor and what is he a traitor to? His country? Or was he being true to his beliefs? There's no doubt that Philby and others of his ilk were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of agents and innocents along with changing the shape of history maybe for the worst. They believed in a Socialist/Communist/Russian utopia that was sadly a myth and, when having to flee there in 1963 Philby saw it for what it was - a hollow shell where he found solace in alcohol not ideology. Littell's book however suggests that Philby was in fact a triple agent ultimately working for HMSIS and his defection to Russia was planned all along.
To be fair, Great Britain of the 1930's had an aversion to Socialism and change and were more akin in policy to Franco's, Mussolini's and Hitler's fascism so it's no wonder that the free thinkers gravitated to Socialism and its mutant Communism as an alternative.
Whichever way it's looked at Philby, Burgess, McLean and others must have died as sad, bitter and disillusioned men, maybe wondering if they'd made the right decisions.

In 1972 I had a crisis of belief versus loyalty. It was the year that I was turning 20 and New Zealand still had national conscription into the army. This was into a territorial army and was done by way of ballot. The Labour party (not in power) had vowed to abolish conscription if elected. At university I was, like most of my fellow students, anti the Vietnam war and New Zealand's involvement. I would attend rallies and go on marches to show support albeit in a small way. The conscription ballot was done by birth dates and in 1972 my birth date came up. (I wonder if Richard of RBB's date came up? A moot point really as insanity would have ruled him out). Good friend T's birth date came up also. T to my great admiration registered as a conscientious objector.

I thought about this for a while. I was against the Vietnam war and New Zealand's involvement. I had no love of the then government (National led by 'Piggy' Muldoon). I had no love of monarchy and the Queen. I had no great desire to do territorial service. But.....I had family to consider.

My dad had served in WW2, had been on active duty in all of New Zealand's European and North African campaigns and had been wounded in Italy. Although no rabid militarist and he usually refused to attend RSA pissups with "those useless blowhards" I knew that dad would have been disappointed in me if I had registered as a CO and had not "done my duty". On both sides of the family we had uncles and aunts who had served in WW1 and WW2 in all branches of the forces and there were MM's and other 'awards' scattered about.

Family opinion won the day and I don't regret this.

In the end it became a non-event as in 1972 Labour stormed to victory and abolished compulsory military service which has never been reinstated.