Norman Gash and Wartime Intelligence

Abstract

Norman Gash (1912–2009) was part of a remarkable generation of British political historians who were defined by their military service during the Second World War. However, until the last decade of his life, Gash was extremely reticent about describing his wartime experiences in public or in making any special claims to distinction in respect of them. This article reviews the surviving evidence, drawing upon a number of sources which were previously unavailable to historians. It considers Gash's service as a private in the regular army, his work in wartime intelligence, including the interrogation of prisoners, and the investigation into Adolf Hitler's death. It also discusses Gash's role in the British Academy's deliberations over Anthony Blunt, following revelations of his espionage activities in 1979. Throughout, the article connects Gash's wartime formation and experiences with his later activities as an academic and political historian.