This portrait of Field Marshal Lord Alexander is by Sir Oswald Birley. As I am more familiar with his grandson, Robin, who I remember starting out selling posh sandwiches to me in the City before taking on his father’s business, running clubs for people with money in abundance but sometimes insufficient in other more desirable traits, I thought I’d plan a trip to the NPG (National Portrait Gallery) to look at some of his work. (That sentence’s too long, ed; well Joyce got away with it,me.)
“In order to complete the project efficiently and to safeguard visitors, members of staff and the Collection, the Gallery in St Martin’s Place will temporarily close to the public from 29 June 2020 until spring 2023, while essential building works take place.“ (NPG website)
This is disappointing. It has, perhaps by now had, a lovely long escalator, an enticing shop and a good bar and restaurant. There were plenty of pictures to look at to boot. But let’s get back to basics, I mean Birley.He distinguished himself in the First War being awarded an MC. In October 1941 he had the misfortune to lose an eye in an accident while serving in the Home Guard on an exercise. Alan Brooke says “that it does not now interfere with his painting and that he thinks his work is as good as normal”.
4th June 1942
A fairly dull COS (Chiefs of Staff) meeting. I then had Cyril Falls to lunch and from there went on to give Oswald Birley another sitting of 2 hours. He certainly is a very hard worker and keeps at it the whole time without a check. (War Diaries, Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke)
Alan Brooke has no sense of irony. His diaries portray a soldier with huge responsibility, and a packed schedule of meetings, meals and memoranda. Often Churchill would keep him up into the early hours, apparently unaware of his need to prepare for the morrow or sleep. I have grown to admire Alan Brooke as he never complains about his punishing schedule. While Churchill watches films, plays bezique, summons people to his bedroom to confer and his secretaries to him when he is bathing, Alan Brooke shoulders responsibility without ambition but with a strong sense of the burden he bears. Churchill and Alan Brooke made a good team: inspiration and perspiration.
The NPG web site is excellent. You can search ‘Artists’ or ‘Sitters’, and there are themed or dated virtual tours.
Easy to spend an afternoon browsing……
In addition to Brooke and Alexander, Montgomery was also from Anglo-Irish stock, thus three of the most prominent British wartime commanders were from Irish extraction. This fact is generally overlooked by English/British historians and ignored by the native Irish. In so many spheres, men & women from our small emerald isle punched well above their weight in many principle positions around the world.
I have not read Alan brooke’s diaries, but it always surprises one how far he progressed in the military, as he was considered too delicate to be put through the rigors of an English Public School, and was tied to the strings of his mothers apron until eighteen years of age.
The posts about Brooke have had interest, but the writing of uncle George has proved far more entertaining. Unlike many of his contemporaries he is not a baggy writer, but balances the facts with a sharp wit. I have very much enjoyed the series. As always Blog Bellew continues to provide a civilised antidote to the chaos of modern life.
“The Kilkenny Arts Festival has an enticing programme, not least a talk about Churchill’s Irish Generals by Major-General Andrew Ritchie (former Commandant of Sandhurst) and Niall Burgess (Secretary General of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs). I hope Field Marshal, Earl Alexander of Tunis gets plenty of coverage. I have always thought there are so many Generals from (Northern) Ireland because they were Free Masons.“ Posted here on 14th August 2017.