I have read a story about lord Gort shooting with a gun at German aircraft while his man next him was reloading the guns . Something true or an invention ?
If you read Leadership in War 1939-1945, by Brig Sir John Smythe VC, you will find he had a high opinion of Lord Gort, who he claims saved the BEF by disregarding his orders. john
Well - there may be some truth in the story. J.R. Colville writes in his: 'Man of Valour : Field Marshal Lord Gort VC' (1972) on page 224: Meanwhile, from his royal villa he conferred with Abrial and Blanchard, directed the evacuation, supervised the deliberate shrinking of the perimeter as unit leap-frogged unit, ind inspired his staff by his cool disregard of bombs and machine-gunning air raids, even though from time to time he found it irresistible to seize a rifle and have a shot at low-flying raiders. There was no doubt of his polularity with the men. He walked an to the beaches, among the crowds of soldiers patiently awaiting thir turn to embark; a regimental sergeant-major recognised him and was loudly supported when he called for three cheers for Lord Gort.
