This is coolbert:
Again, from the cast of the famous war movie: "The Guns of Navarone", we have another famous British actor playing a part for which he was ideally suited.
David Niven, playing the role the English commando Corporal Miller [an explosive expert with a very irreverent attitude toward the military], joins the English behind-the-lines mission to destroy the German coastal artillery guns of Navarone.
Niven, as was Anthony Quayle, totally familiar with the military and dangerous duty - - serving with panache during the Second World War [WW2]!
"pa·nache - – noun 1. a grand or flamboyant manner; verve; style; flair"
"James David Graham Niven . . . known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. 'the Phantom,' in The Pink Panther."
"Niven joined what became known as the Hollywood Raj, a group of British actors in Hollywood." [this in the period of the 1930's, prior to the outbreak of WW2!]
David Niven - - serving in the British Army unit known as "Phantom"! Better known as GHQ Liaison Regiment!
"GHQ Liaison Regiment (known as Phantom) was a special reconnaissance unit first formed in 1939 during the early stages of World War II"
"It had its origins as the No 3 British Air Mission in France, 1939 . . . its role was to report back information about the allied forward positions . . . to the Advanced Air Striking Force HQ so as to pinpoint the changing locations of 'bomb lines'. These were the battle areas not occupied by Allied troops, and therefore suitable targets for bombs and shells."
"Phantom" - - locating and marking enemy targets suitable for air bombardment. And also marking the locations of friendly units as well. Preventing "friendly fire" incidents!
The "skill-sets" of troops and officers assigned to "Phantom" being eclectic.
"ec·lec·tic - – adjective 1. selecting or choosing from various sources. 2. made up of what is selected from different sources."
"Phantom recruited men with various skill-sets – linguists, drivers and mechanics and undertook rigorous training in wireless communication and cipher"
Officers of "Phantom" drawn in large measure from the upper-crust of English society. Men of education, bearing, nobility, etc.
"Famous Phantom officers included actors Major David Niven (who initially commanded A Squadron) and Tam Williams; MPs Jakie and Michael Astor, Sir Hugh Fraser, Sir Carol Mather, Peregrine Worsthorne, Maurice Macmillan and Christopher Mayhew. Sir Robert Mark became Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police whilst others excelled in other arenas – academia, athletics, horseracing (Sir Gordon Richards and John Hislop)."
[It is worth noting that the English upper-class does not eschew military service. Serve proudly and with even flair when called upon! David Niven obviously being one such person!!]
"Niven took part in the Invasion of Normandy, arriving several days after D-Day. He served in the 'Phantom Signals Unit', which located and reported enemy positions, and kept rear commanders up to date on changing battle lines"
I was vaguely aware that David Niven had performed admirable military service during WW2. Thought to be however NOT a combat veteran and man of valor.
I STAND CORRECTED!! Excuse me David Niven!
coolbert.
My vague recollection is that Niven landed on D-Day, although he insisted that it be noted that it was after the beach had been secured.
ReplyDeleteNiven came from the not-quite-aristocratic officer class. Hs father was killed at Gallipoli. Niven himself attended Sandhurst and served while a very young man as a British Army officer on Malta. After a few years of peacetime boredom, he got tossed out / allowed to resign and went off to America to seek his fortune. In 1939 he joined up again and was gone from Hollywood for close to six years (he made a couple of war-related movies in England before D-Day). He was extremely grateful to Sam Goldwyn for helping his relaunch his career after being gone so long. (Other pre-war stars never quite made it back. For example, Ronald Reagan, who had joined the Army Reserve in 1937, never recovered the career momentum he lost by being in the Army from early 1942 to late 1945.)
My impression from reading Niven's sensationally witty autobiography "The Moon's a Balloon" and skimming a recent biography of him is that the British high command frequently used him for diplomatic and PR purposes, such as to sit in on meetings with the American high command. I'm guessing that Montgomery's thinking was that Niven was such an outstanding example of the English gentleman (e.g., that was his role as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eighty Days), he was a Sandhurst grad, a combat veteran, and also an American movie star, so let's get him into meetings with the American top brass to keep things going swimmingly. They also then had Niven go out and help communicate the decision to the troops. So, Niven's experience of WWII was one of the broadest, from combat to boardrooms.