Sir Alan Donald recalls how one of his first jobs in the British Foreign Office in 1957 was to work on setting up a rival to the European Common Market. Britain had been denied entry to Europe by France and so tried to set up a rival organisation called the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). He also comments on the deep rift in the Foreign Office between those who favoured Europe and those who believed Britain should stick closely to the USA. A rift that still exists today!
Sir Alan Donald remembers his first trip to China by boat in 1955. It was a journey that took 5 weeks stopping at every British coaling party on the way – Port Said, Calcutta, Penang, Hong Kong. He was astonished to find that life in Shanghai at that time in the 50s – even after the Communist revolution – had not changed since the 1930s.
Sir Alan Donald remembers applying to get a job with the British Foreign Office in 1954. He failed the first time but finally succeeded and went on to great things.
Part of the interview process involved a visit to Saville Row – I thought that part of the movie “Kings Man” was pure fiction… but it turns out there was a grain of truth in it!
The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was the name for the British occupation forces stationed in Germany following World War II, officially established in August 1945 from the 21st Army Group. Based in West Germany, it served as a primary NATO land force during the Cold War to defend against the Warsaw Pact, operating until 1994.
Key Details About the BAOR:
Purpose: Initially established for the occupation and administration of the British Zone in north-west Germany, it later became a core component of NATO’s Northern Army Group.
Timeline: While a smaller, short-lived force operated from 1919–1929, the main BAOR was active from 1945 to 1994.
Role: The BAOR was responsible for protecting the North German Plain during the Cold War.
Disbandment: Following the end of the Cold War and the “Options for Change” defence review, the force was reduced and eventually disbanded in 1994.
