My time at Latimer House

A talk by Peter McLoughlin

LATIMER HOUSE – Memories of 2 years on the directing staff of the National Defence College.

Peter McLoughlin gave a fascinating talk on the National Defence College and his time on the directing staff there.

He told us that Latimer House was acquired by the MOD in 1942 and for 3 years was used as the Combined Services Interrogation Centre. Around 30 to 40 senior German officers at a time were held there and were interrogated and spied on by a group called The Listeners.

In 1947, following the acknowledgement that there was a need for senior service personnel to work better together, a Joint Services College was established which closed in 1970 and superseded in 1971 by The National Defence College. This ran from 1971 to 1983 and operated 10 month long courses for senior members of the armed services, civil service and UK and Hong Kong police.

Peter joined it in 1973 as a member of the directing staff which comprised himself, a wing commander and Lt Cols from the army and Royal Marines. Participants in the courses were known as “Cormorants” in recognition of the birds’ ability to fly go on land and in and under the water.

Peter’s main responsibility was to teach the MOD budget cycle and how funds were allocated. To assist in this it was agreed to adopt a US programme and to this end Peter spent a month training at the US Post Graduate School in Monterey.

Amongst the academic subjects taught at Latimer were International Relations and Decision Making. The course however also included numerous visits to commercial and military sites before the students had to complete a thesis of between 5,000 and 7,000 words. Amongst the visits that Peter recalled was participating in an army exercise with BAOR, piloting a jet provost trainer from RAF Brawdy, spending 8 hours in a Nimrod aircraft tracking Russian submarines and learning about the threat from the soviets with NATO. He also sailed with the Navy from Gibraltar where he underwent a ship to ship transfer whilst the ship was refuelling, and a visit to a pit. Whilst in Germany he went on an exercise to a mock up of a Northern Irish village where the participants were to patrol in eerie silence until doors opened to reveal what might be a mother and baby or a terrorist. It made him realise what a strain it was to have to make an instant decision as to whether or not to shoot.

The course adapted to the needs of the time and in 1973, at the time of the energy crisis, emphasis was given for the need for energy security, something that is particularly relevant today.

As Peter arrived to start work on 13^th February 1974 he was greeted by the sound of a large explosion; this was from an IRA bomb which had been placed against the wall of the admin block. Fortunately no-one was killed but a number of staff were injured, some seriously, in what tuned out to be the start of the IRA bombing campaign on the UK mainland.

In 1975, after 2 years at the college, Peter left to take up a posing at the British Embassy in Paris.

A vote of thanks was given by Tony Glyn-Jones.

My time at Latimer House

A talk by Peter McLoughlin

Related pages...

Stephen Shearing - My life and times

SUSPENSION OF CLUB MEETINGS

Visit of Mary Whitehead - District Governor

WW2 Intelligence and local interrogation centres

WW2 Intelligence

Hats

Members of Rotate inducted into the Club

Commercial Drones

Peter Millins

Clive Morgan

The life and times of Ralph Davies

District Governor Elect Training

Chiltern Golf Classic 2015

Club Visit to Trieste

ANDREW WARREN'S LIFE & TIMES

21 January 2015 - Visit of District Governor Jenny Muir

12 November 2014 - 35 YEARS OF SERVICE

13 August 2014 - The Life and Times of Barbara Cursley - From Clogs to Louboutins

30 May - 2 June 2014 - Club visit to Bensheim

18 June 2014 - David Bull asks 'Who'd be an ad-man?'

21 May 2014 - Stan Fraser tells of 'Pirates, historic problem and modern scourge'

14 May 2014 - Tricia Morris tells of 'My Clipper round-the-world race'

7 May 2014 - Nick Evans tells of his life and career

16 April 2014 - Chalmers Cursley shows how to trace your ancesters on the internet

12 September 2012 - Richard Glyn-Jones: 'Seeing is Believing, the Intelligent Picture'

26 Arch 2014 - Allan Child's receives his Paul Harris Fellowship

19 February 2014 - Hayley Anderson gives 'An introduction to small ship cruising'

29 January 2014 - members enjoy a great evening with a 'Touch of Tartan'

8 January 2014 - New member Terry Neale tells of her 'Life and Times'

8 January 2014 - Barbara Cursley becomes a member of the Club

18 December 2013 - members and wives enjoy an excellent Christmas lunch

22 January 2014 - Peter Oakden receives his Paul Harris Fellowship

14 December 2013 - Club visit to the Tower of London

20 November 2013 - Simon Knowles relates the life of an auctioneer

27 November 2013 - awards for two outstanding members

30 October 2013 - Club outing to Greenwich ends on a high

6 November 2013 - District Governor Gavin Plews visits Club

18th September 2013 - Terry Neale joins the Rotary Club of Amersham

18th September 2013 - Club member Ron Charlton talks about Lady Hamilton, England's Mistress

11 September 2013 - Charles Hogbin: 'My life and (soft) times'

7 August 2013 - President and Interviewer go head to head

31 July 2013 - Gee Gahir reveals insights into Feng Shui

17 July 2013 - Richard McKeen talks about his life and career

Chris Mellor talks about his Life and Times

28 June 2013 - President's Night is judged a huge success

19 June 2013 - John Stephenson says 'Life is what you make it'

5 June 2013 - Assistant District Governor Gerald Peacock praises Club's programme

27 March 2013 - Charles Hogbin is welcomed into Club membership

20 March 2013 - visit of RIBI President John Minhinick

20 February 2013 - Frugal Lunch. Amanda Watkin envisages A Future for Rotary

20 February 2013 - Club welcomes another new member

19 December 2012 - Club's Christmas lunch is a happy occasion

5 December 2012 - Emily Toettcher talks about Amersham Museum and the town's history

26 November 2012 - a wonderful evening with Val Doonican

21 November 2012 - Nick Webb:

14 November 2012 - Michael Gahagan talks about "Housing for England"

7 November 2012 - Visit of District Governor Debbie Hodge

2 November 2012 - outing to Swingle Singers concert

31 October 2012 - Wine tasting with John Ducker

17 October 2012 - Bernie Knill: 'Secret wartime activities at Hughenden Manor'

10 October 2012 - Cllr Mimi Harker OBE talks about being Town Mayor

3 October 2012 - Olympics Games Makers Roger & Bruno recall their experiences

19 September 2012 - Rtn Mac Purcell reveals some great British Rotarians

14 September 2012 - purrfect evening at the Black Cat

5 September 2012 - Rtn Pauline Camm:

29 August 2012 - John Beardsmore:

15 August 2012 - Peter Oakden relates

8 August 2012 - Ruth Dunkin outlines work of Stroke Association

1 August 2012 - Lucy Goldsman asks:

11 July 2012 - Brian Weild asks

4 July 2012 - Richard Langley's 'Life and Times'

4 July 2012 - New Club President is inducted

29 June 2012 - President's Night at Chartridge Conference Centre

27 June 2012 - Derek Brown recalls his trip to the Canadian Rockies

20 June 2012 - Sir Parry Hughes-Morgan tells

30 May 2012 - Brian Gofton tells of 'Antarctica - the last unspoilt Continent'

11 April 2012 - Rtn Chalmers Cursley explains the importance of social media to Rotary