1941 in review

I had second thoughts about filling in gaps in this blog with quotations from the Daily Mirror compendium which I received as a birthday present. It would be hypocritical to do so after complaining about the continuing, virtually continuous, programming of World War Two features on at least two Freeview channels.

Now, though, seems a good time to review the reporting of 1941 as a whole as reflected in the selected front pages by the (anonymous) compiler. 

There was no doubt that the Mirror was wholly behind the war effort and the coalition government. Although as strongly Labour-supporting then as it is now, it is difficult to find any criticism of Churchill and the Conservatives or any other party for that matter. Hyper-patriotic, the Mirror made free with the epithets "Huns", "Japs" and "Wops" in its headlines which  a present-day editor may have had second thoughts over. The tone was set in the first sentence of the lead article: "The New Year will bring decisive events in the war against Hitler and his puppet Mussolini." There is criticism of New Year Honours as consolation for several worthies who had been given public appointments but then had to be relieved of them because they were not up to the job. There was no criticism of the DSO for Mountbatten who was clearly still considered a hero for his command of HMS Kelly. It was to be some time after the war that accounts by officers and men who had served under him revealed his deficiencies, which culminated in the disastrous Dieppe Raid.

Throughout the year, the Mirror reported on progress on three fronts, naval action, bombing raids in Europe and the regaining of ground in North Africa. However, it was not afraid to report Nazi advances or the effects of German bombing, such as the Swansea Blitz in February. 

The big events of the year were covered. In May, Rudolf Hess landed in Scotland. The Mirror was in no doubt that his peace proposal was a big con. Later that month, the sinking of the Bismarck was front-page news. In June, Hitler tore up the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact and, along with Axis allies, turned on Russia. A Mirror leader commented on American ambivalence. Hitler's avowed intent to strike at "International Jewish Bolshevism" struck a chord with the German and Irish communities of the US. President Roosevelt was however a friend of Britain. Later in the year, Stalin was to call for the West to open a second front as Russia, in great hardship, struggled to resist German pressure. 

A constant preoccupation was rationing, and in particular the food ration.

Two deaths caught my attention in a November edition. Frank Pick was the man credited with creating London Underground's corporate identity. The Mirror felt his contribution to government propaganda, as a former Director-General of the Ministry of Information, was a more significant headline. There was also  the death by suicide of the 24-year-old Mary Clement Davies, daughter of Clement Davies, MP for Montgomeryshire. He had, along with Clement Attlee, prepared the ground for unseating Neville Chamberlain after the Norway debate. Davies was to become leader of the Liberals after the war. One wonders whether the personal tragedy contributed to Davies's alcoholism.

Sadly, the collection of Mirror front pages finishes with the edition of Monday 29th December. This was filled with reports of the war in Europe and the Pacific, seemingly two steps forward and one step back. Doubtless there was an end-of-year message to come on 31st, looking back on Britain's survival against the odds in 1941, and with hopes for the turning of the tide which was to come in 1942. But I shall just have to imagine it.