Let Slip, The Plans Of War ...

Sir Basil Liddell Hart was a military historian and strategic theorist who, according to news just out from Britain's MI5, was someone who shouldn't have had advance access to the plans of the Normandy landings of 1944. During WW1, Sir Basil was decorated for bravery but when the D-Day plans were drawn up, someone gave them to Sir Basil to go over and iron out any problems he might find.

He didn't keep the invasion plans to himself, but took them for a wander around the city. He had carefully written and prepared a critique of the plan, entitled "Some Reflections on the Problems of Invading the Continent", which he circulated among leading politicians and military figures of the time.

When Prime Minister Winston Churchill was informed he was furious and demanded that Sir Basil be taken to the cleaners. However, Sir Basil insisted that he had figured out the plan for himself and, as a legit, government military expert, he was entitled to be consulted on such matters. No legal action was ever taken, although Sir Basil was placed under surveillance, his telephone tapped and his personal mail intercepted.

Oooo, lummy.

Bringing things up to date, another Brit overseeing important events, has said that a desk and chair from Hitler's 1930's luxury Munich apartment, could fetch anything up to $1m (£500,000) in an upcoming auction. The oak pieces were acquired by an anonymous American collector after being sold by the US government, this according to London-based dealer Minas Katchadorian. The pieces were in Hitler's apartment where, with Neville Chamberlain in 1938, he signed the joint declaration ahead of WWII. Bids for the furniture, which is being sold privately, are now being accepted.

One of the world's biggest lies, possibly written on this very desk. I'll put a fiver down and predict that the next buyer wants to remain anonymous as well ... who'd want that bloody thing in their house?

Stu