Dear Reg, I was on the point of writing to you to express my sorrow at the passing of dear John Westwood with whom I had a good working relationship during my spell as ADP1 in the 60s. At one stage however I became rather impatient at the time that some items were taking to pass through GD and I invited John down for a chat. It turned out to be very much a monologue as John sat there with his usual inscrutable expression, not saying a word, whilst I, rather pompously, explained where I saw GD fitting in to the whole scale of Government publishing and hence into the whole field of government. At the end he thanked me and asked whether I would come to the Studio and repeat the talk to his staff. John and Philip may recall the occasion – and I think items did indeed move slightly more quickly through GD after that.
Whilst I am meandering through Memory Lane, Pubns 1960 style, I might mention one other item, which John may also remember. I think it was he who one day came to see me to discuss what colour cover we should put on what was in fact the first ever Government discussion paper. We already had White Papers and Blue Books and as this paper was, to the best of my recollection, about the countryside we agreed the cover colour as green, not realising at the time that because of this choice all Government discussion papers henceforth would be called ‘Green Papers’. I have looked on the internet to see whether I could confirm the date of this without success but I did learn that all discussion papers by the EU, all Commonwealth countries and the USA are called Green Papers. Throw a pebble in a pond and see how far the ripples go!
On a personal note I shall be off to Normandy for the annual pilgrimage with my grandson as carer on 2 June. Hard to believe that this is the 74th Anniversary with the next biggy, the 75th, coming up next year. We are unveiling an exclusively British Memorial to the 22,500 British dead during the campaign and as by then the youngest of us will be 93 it is not expected that many of us will be around for the 80th.
On which cheerful note I send you my best wishes, Les
.
Hello Les, I didn’t know the ‘Green Paper’ history. You never know – someone might unearth the date. Very impressed that you will be attending the 74th anniversary at Normandy. Makes my age (72) seem even less of an achievement! All the very best to you for the trip, and beyond. Reg.