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In praise of ... Victor Gregg In praise of ... Victor Gregg
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The murderous bombing of Dresden in 1944 reflected a vengeful side of Churchill that Britain chose to forget. No nation wants to complicate its defining myths, and for the generation that lived, lost and grieved through our finest hour, reluctance to assume responsibility for the burning and boiling of thousands of civilian men, women and children might be forgiven, or at least understood. No one had more of a motive to close his eyes to what Britain was doing than Victor Gregg, seeing as the bombing saved his life, by destroying the warehouse where the Germans were holding him prisoner pending execution. But, at 93, far from excusing the action which allowed him to escape, he describes the horrors he saw – and demands an apology. A strong, spirited man who went from a working-class boyhood to an intriguing cold war career, he is still writing memoirs. He warns us that even noble wars will – without vigilance – make butchers of us all. The murderous bombing of Dresden in February 1945 reflected a vengeful side of Churchill that Britain chose to forget. No nation wants to complicate its defining myths, and for the generation that lived, lost and grieved through our finest hour, reluctance to assume responsibility for the burning and boiling of thousands of civilian men, women and children might be forgiven, or at least understood. No one had more of a motive to close his eyes to what Britain was doing than Victor Gregg, seeing as the bombing saved his life, by destroying the warehouse where the Germans were holding him prisoner pending execution. But, at 93, far from excusing the action which allowed him to escape, he describes the horrors he saw – and demands an apology. A strong, spirited man who went from a working-class boyhood to an intriguing cold war career, he is still writing memoirs. He warns us that even noble wars will – without vigilance – make butchers of us all.
• This article was amended on 14 February 2013. The original said the bombing of Dresden was in 1944 rather than February 1945. This has been corrected.