Peter McCutcheon

Ex-infantryman, graduate of Ecole de Guerre and ex-RMAS War Studies lecturer who is now researching French airborne command in the First Indochina War.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@battleguide Dudley,

I will lift a wee dram in remembrance of a fine military historian. Peter

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@LSW_RMAS @RMASandhurst @BritishArmy A huge loss. I owe him much as he gave me my start in the Dept of War Studies. Full of wisdom, full of humour. Never a dull moment!

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@militaryhistori You are holding black pudding royalty. Charlie Barley's product is superb. As is dressing gown. Proper attire for such a breakfast feast!

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@ProfTonyPollard Prof, Huge thanks for such an enjoyable thread. 'A la bagarre'!

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@Mr_Andrew_Fox Andrew / Stuart,

After a day of meetings, my thanks for this inspired thread. It took me straight back to chewing the fat in the War Studies office. Sarina pretended to be browned off while stirring the pot! Here's to 'uncertainty' and nothing wrong with a bit of friction!!!

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@SgtMajFrench Week 1 at French Staff College. At stables. 'My wife would like to ride here'. Le major (think god-like RSM): 'No problem' and offers pile of paperwork. 'Madame le colonel isn't going to like that' , I say. Paper swept off table. 'She can start in the morning' Got to love them!

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@SiWorth Of course, Bobby Kendell would have been well-chuffed.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@SiWorth Simon,

Congratulations!

Peter

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@ProfGSheffield Joined the Dept yonks later than the 90s, so maybe one of 'the bairns'? He found time for all of us and that's what defined the man.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@DaveJS76 @militaryhistori A bottle of 'Frog 25' and a bottle of Ledaig. Good company, indeed!

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson The very eclectic backgrounds and motivations of the SAS officer cohort and the resultant frictions, both internal and external, is what I find of most interest, especially in context of guerre révolutionaire lobby.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson This was the subject of my Masters. I couldn't agree more - we do need more work. Crying out for a book in English.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson Yes, and why Mathias' book 'Les SAS, une institution ambiguë, entre idéal et réalité' is so well titled. Much of Army disliked / distrusted them, same for many colons. So doing some good, some of the time? Canon of SAS books well worth study incl Eoche-Duval, Alquier & Oudinot.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson Terrence, sounds reasonable to me, especially if paper for US audience. Perhaps add 'Defence Headquarters' if looking wider? Doesn't this underline your point about the danger of literal or culture-centric translations?

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson As I understand it, Etat major des armées is a tri-service body, thus not limited to the Army. In UK terms, this equates to the Defence Staff with its head being Chief of the Defence Staff. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in USA.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson Bigeard shot in Bône in Sep 56 while out running. Hit by 3 rounds. Fiche Bio issued by Fondation Bigeard states 6th. Bergot's 'Bataillon Bigeard' has 7th (p. 225). Singer & Langdon 'Cultured Force' has 5th and states that passing Arab taxi driver took him to hospital. (p. 311).

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson Yes indeed. Emphasised by chasm between Massu and de B (albeit also due to M being kept out of Abn formations in Indo) Also in the stance taken by many SAS officers during Algerian Campaign.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson Thanks for gracious reply. A really interesting point. I quite see the thinking behind 'do not translate'. Accepting your methodology still requires that the terminology is defined, and there's the challenge. Has to be within French school of colonial soldiering.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@dr_tgpeterson My work. Constructive criticism is welcome so thanks. Yes: context is everything. Q - impose presence / control via framework. R - 'combing out' to find. B - cordon-type ops to fix /seal prior to ops within cordon. Method(s) used critical, as my chapter sought to demonstrate.

[Peter McCutcheon @PMcCXXV]

@donalhassett1 @dr_tgpeterson Dónal, grateful you DM me. I'm very keen to chat to someone who has used the archive at Aubagne recently. Peter