John
O’Rourke of
New South Wales, Australia, likes Mr Irving’s history of
Churchill and Menzies in WW2,

Australia in WW2

JUST finished reading the second volume of Churchill’s War and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it. Can’t wait for the last volume [“Churchill’s
War”, vol. iii: “The Sundered Dream”]

I am embarrassed to ask this but my curiosity demands it. Regarding other books on that period , have you scanned Menzies & Churchill at war, by
David Day; and Betrayal at Pearl Harbor, by
Rusbridger and Eric Nave?

In particular the sections covering the
‘review of Singapore’s defences’. And that document later being in German and possibly Japanese hands. I noticed you mentioned the story a report going to Germany via Japan and
I was wondering it that was the same one. For Australians that was a key issue considering what followed. Churchill certainly covered his arse and reading your book it seemed to me, up to where he was assured of victory, was keeping all his options open.

Also the fact that all communications to
Australia and within England made Menzies and Churchill’s conspiracies an ‘open book’ so to speak.

I am sure some years ago I heard that some English were vetting Cabinet records here but sadly I had no further reference. In that respect I hope you finally get to research here and New Zealand.

One last question, the book OpJB
by Chris Creighton. I am afraid I took it tongue in cheek, but the references to the Dieppe Raid [August
1942] and the record-cleaning seemed to have a ring to them. Do you give it any credibility?

John
O’Rourke

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